Inauthentic doghouse removed, they could trace the original outline of where the forward part of the cockpit coaming and the aft part of the housing for the aft gullwing skylight would have been. Without plans or lines to go by, it was a valuable part of solving the puzzle, along with black-and-white photos from the 1920s and 30s. The aft skylight was the same size as the forward one, which still bears the initials of the craftsman who built it at Sibbick’s yard in Cowes, so local cabinet- maker Tom Evans was able to replicate it.
RETAINED AND REUSED
They had to rebuild the interior completely, and did so retaining original material in situ where possible and, where not, making it into new structures. “I wanted to keep it original, but without being too precious about it,” said Guy. So the galley worktop, deeply routered for drainage channels, was fashioned from the old bunk bases – and the doors were made of the old mahogany bulkheads that once divided the saloon. Cupboards are rattan-fronted to let the inside of the hull breathe more easily. “They also let us know when it’s damp, because they go loose and baggy,” added Guy. The original decks, in yellow pine and hardly worn over the years, were raked out along every seam and retained. Below, Guy points out the beamshelf vents, cut in a diamond pattern, a Sibbick trademark – as, evidently, was build quality, with every plank on the hull
Above: Saunterer off Dartmouth on a windy April day. Left: Chloe and Guy Savage Below: An image from Saunterer’s photo album
and the semi-swept deck full-length. It’s not just the planks and deck that remain original though: the frames, keel and teak cabin sole are all from 1900 too, as is some of the cabin coaming and nearly all the interior. At every step, Guy and Chloe had to keep a close eye on the budget. Replacements for some of the prismatic deck lights lost since 1900 were taken from the refi t of the Boston-built fi shing gaffer Spirit of Britannia, as were the bronze jib winches. These were later replaced by Lewmar self-tailers, after bitter complaints from a crew member. “We sanded off the chrome to get at the bronze underneath. Saves you a small fortune off buying new.
CLASSIC BOAT JULY 2011 11
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