BRIEF HISTORY
“Anya” was launched in February 1964 at Keith Nelson Boatyard in Bembridge on the Isle of Wight (yard number 129) for an unknown original owner, but records showed she had been working on the non tidal part of the River Thames with her running mate “Tin Hau” in the 1970’s and 1980’s for the Waterways Board.
Around the 1990’s “Anya” was sold to Pace Charters in Lymington where it was fitted up as a Charter Boat based in Lymington, at this time it was re-engined with a 3.8 litre BMC engine.
Her Charter work at Lymington was short lived and sold again and later appeared in the Suffolk town of Woodbridge and in 2009 where again it was up for sale after being used on the River Deben and was painted with some repairs. Around this time it was lifted ashore in a Boatyard at Woodbridge and was last known afloat in 2012 when at Woodbridge.
After a number of years with a Broker “Anya” was sold around 2016 to a new owner who had moved her for storage in Ramsey near Harwich, but with declining owners health no work was carried out and “Anya” was left to decay and over time parts were stolen from her leaving her in a forlorn state of repair.
Photo: “Anya” and “Tin Hau” working on the Thames with “Tin Hau” leading (photo: Sandra Pollard Collection).
THE DISCOVERY
I discovered “Anya” during the first UK Lockdown in April 2020 which spending many hours on the home PC looking at boats to while the hours passing the time and trying to stay sane and to look forward to be back Boating as those months were the best Easter weather for many years!
While viewing many Boating ads on Facebook Marketplace an interesting looking Cabin Cruiser appeared and had interesting sight lines and looked like a early Nelson, but no description was in the advert to say what it was.
I had already owned two Boats and one is a 18ft Classic Clinker built Launch which along with a friend rebuilt her over 5 years and never planned for another wood boat restoration project, however this one caught my interest and followed it for a few months and noticed it kept reappearing.
It was during the Summer months it appeared again and decided to contact the seller as the asking price was only £200 as a Project Boat after discovering a old Broker’s Advert online that looked identical to the Nelson 23 featured on Facebook and was named “Anya” and could be an interesting restoration project.
The Boat was located just outside Ramsey near Harwich in a field, little did I know or was it fate (later) the seller was not the real owner. However after a few weeks of investigations the real owner was contacted, as well the land owner, where the Boat was stored and after some discussion with the land owner advised me the Boat has to be moved within a month or would be broken up as the land was sold.
I contacted the Owner who agreed to meet at the boat and then I made the four hour drive from Southampton on Saturday 30th August to make an offer. On arrival it was clear the owner wanted more, but the boat was in a poor neglected state and with the added transport costs involved this was the maximum value I gave it. I offered the cash as well as a prepared Bill of Sale and he agreed and signed so making legally my first Nelson boat ownership.
Photo: Arrival at Southampton Boatyard for lift off and storage.
BOAT TRANSPORT
With the tight time window to have “Anya” transported to a Boatyard in Southampton, I instructed Essex Boat Transport to collect it on Saturday 5th September. With a few helpers we had to dig the boat out off the sunken boat support blocks and jack 2 tons onto a road trailer and it safely arrived later that day in Southampton and certainly was saving her from what would had been certain doom if left at this location.
Photo: Starboard topsides and Hull stripped, sanded and wood treated. October 2020.
First Stage of Restoration
The first stage of the restoration of “Anya” in the last few months of 2020 was to remove most of the rotten Timber work which was the Gunnels. Aft Decking and the section where the Shaft A Bracket had pushed into the hull Planking causing damaged to the Planking.
During this time the Topsides and Hull had the paint scrapped and sanded and cleaned to expose the bare Planks and treated.
Further investigation on the condition of the Transom was that the top section had gone rotten, but luckily the Stem, Keel and all the hull planking looked to be in good condition and just need refastening.
The first few months of 2021 was in Lockdown and work was delayed until around March when the A Bracket was removed as well the damaged Planks and part of the Gunnels and new wood was cut out.
Around this time a order was placed for PAR Planks in Kaya Mahogany to replace any rotten or damaged planks for the topsides.
A slab of sawn Kaya Mahogany Timber was located which when machined will replace the Transom and other areas.
For the last two years Restoration progress has been slow with replanking with the poor weather conditions working out side and having make repairs with my Launch and a family bereavement last year.
Photo: New Garboard’s and Planking where the shaft bracket had damaged the planking. Summer 2021.
FUTURE PLANS
Work is hoped to start again in the Spring with re-planking, re-nailing as well replacing the Plywood Decking and locating the missing deck fittings and make a new Rudder.
If goes to plan the hope is a soft launch in the late Autumn or Spring of 2025 with the current engine as that most likely have to change.
Photo: New top Transom in two new timber. Summer 2021 / 22.
ABOUT THE OWNER – BEN
I grew up in the south Hampshire town of Lymington located on the edge of the New Forest and always had a interest in Maritime history and Boating.
If goes to plan the hope is a soft launch in the late Autumn or Spring of 2025 with the current engine as that most likely have to change.
Photo: New top Transom in two new timber. Summer 2021 / 22.