"In 2013 Dais fathers wife passed away and the boat was lifted out of the water, where it remained until 2016. The decision was made to restore it to its original condition and rename it 'Diana Ellen' in memory of his wife.
/ the spirit of the boat /
50 year old Carvel
Built in 1970 by Anderson Rigden and Perkins Yacht & Boat builders of Whitstable in Kent. The boat was originally built for local fishermen Ken and Alf on a white fishery grant.
Of Carvel Construction with Roko hardwood planking on Oak frames.
Dimensions:
Length - 24' / Beam 8' 1" / Draft 2' 6"
The Vessel is a traditional open boat which would have been used for Lobster & Crab fishing. Fitted with a Kelvin P4 20 Horsepower engine which is the original for the boat.
Dais father Wynne Evans
Image by Finn Beales
A family heirloom restored by local craftsman
by Dai and his hippy chippy aka. John Clark
The boat arrived in Cardigan in 2000 purchased by my Father Wynne, who at 72 decided to retire from the family fishing boat and lifting 500 Lobster pots a day, for a quieter life and some part time fishing.
In 2013 his wife passed away and the boat was lifted out of the water, where it remained until 2016 when the decision was made to restore it to the original condition and re name it 'Diana Ellen' in memory of his wife.
Cratsmanship
The boat had been left uncovered for three years which had caused the timbers to rot, so it was decided that John "Hippy Chippy" Clark from St Dogmaels a genius with wood was employed to undertake the general wood repairs.
The other painstaking task was to remove all the old cord caulking which is fitted between each plank. A traditional method of sealing planks going back centuries. Builder Colin Evans from Pembs performed the arduous task of re-caulking the boat, the whole operation took 2 months.
From then all the paintwork inside and out had to be removed by hand scraper before it could be re-painted.
Although the engine had been idle for over three years, another genius Ray "Cornish" Coleman from Aberporth managed to recondition the fuel lines and insectors to re start the engine on his first attempt.
The vessel had a new rudder built by Swallow Yachts of Gwbert, who also painted it and were a great help with all the fittings required.
