Looking like a sad puppy peering throught the bars of a cage the BB11 sits on it's
trailer in the corner of Maiden Marines Burneside yard.

I did state that I would not get involved in another restoration project. After months of sanding, and then varnishing J23, the 1953 Jollyboat which I restored last year, I felt that one boat was enough. That was until I saw the BB11.

I had rung Maiden Marine, based at Bowness, after seeing an ad' in one of the boating magazines stating 'BB11 in need of restoration and a good home'. Being at a loose end between Christmas and New Year I thought that it would not hurt to go and have a look! As you can see from the image at the top of the page the BB11 was a little poorly. It was a very cold day, sunny but bitterly cold, and the BB was covered in a thin layer of ice. The water in the bottom of the boat was frozen too and clambering around on the boat was decidedly dodgy.

But what a boat! Elaine, one of Maiden Marines owners was very helpful and gave me some background on the boats recent history.

The BB found it's way to the Burneside yard via the Vicar of Maryport. The vicar had purchased the boat locally and had then found that she had been botched up to disguise her faults. Planks had spread and 16 ribs had cracks, she was very unseaworthy. The only plus was that the standing rigging had been re-done correctly.
The Vicar had made some attempts to recover his money, according to reports the person who sold him the boat skipped town, leaving the clergyman holding the baby.

The BB sat in the garden of the vicarage for quite some time and the owner reconciled himself to losing the money he had spent buying her and having an unsailable boat to boot!
Maiden Marine to the rescue. Elaine had been in Maryport with her husband and had noticed the BB. Eventually she made the effort and knocked on the vicarage door to make enquiries. The story was recounted and the Vicar told Elaine that he planned to burn the boat. At the time Elaines spare cash was limited and all she could offer the vicar was £500, he said lets be realistic and Elaine thought he was going to ask for something like the £3500 he had paid out for her.
The vicar had paid £350 for the new rigging and that was what he wanted for the BB. Elaine took her home and dreamed of cruising Windermere on this elegant classic.

As is the way of things, Maiden Marine which was just getting going when the BB appeared, started to get busy. The repair shop was booked up with paying work and the BB just had to wait. In fact it has waited over three years. As the BB's condition started to suffer it brought Elaine to make a decision about the boats future. She would have to go, preferably to someone who would be prepared to do a good restoration. That's where we are now.

In late July the BB will go into a workshop in Manchester and will emerge next spring resplendent with new decks, ribs replaced, hull repainted and varnished and a new name. Hopefully Elaine will be able to fulfil her original wish and the BB will spend some time cruising Windermere in 2001.