Photo: Llys Helig - 1922 Gentleman’s Yacht/Facebook
This very old vessel is a local celebrity in Burnham, located north of the River Thames, but not for the right reasons. What was once a glamorous and technologically-advanced gentleman’s yacht had ended up being called by the local children “the fally-down boat”, in addition to other nicknames, such as “the Burnham Titanic,” hinting at its unfortunate destiny. But this will be history soon, as the venerable yachts get ready for a new life.
While some people only have eyes for the latest and coolest new toys, whether these are cars, yachts or private jets, there are a few people in this world who would rather save something from ruin and restore it to its forgotten glory.
Howard Dawber is one of these people, and he is responsible for saving “the Burnham Titanic” a few years ago. Thanks to his efforts and patience, this nearly 100-year-old yacht has now finally left the location of its disgrace, on the way to a boatyard in Rochford, where it will receive all the repairs it had been waiting for all this time.
Interestingly enough, when Howard first came across the classic Llys Helig, it was being presented as a “houseboat project,” with its stunning history as a gentleman’s yacht buried somewhere along the way.
The old yacht had indeed served as a couple’s main house for many years. But, by the time it had been listed for sale as a “houseboat project,” in 2017, it was literally a wreck. It had sunk in the local moorings, recovered, and then capsized in 2017, after which it would remain basically abandoned for three years.
At that point, it was almost impossible to believe that the Llys Helig was born as one of the fanciest yachts of its time. In 1922, a wealthy customer had commissioned a motor yacht from Thornycroft. The 107-foot (32.6 meters) vessel was inspired by the fast patrol boats that operated in WWI, and was apparently fitted with the latest technologies, including a steel hull with electric welding that was still “experimental” back then.
Powered by two engines made by Plenty & Son of Newbury, the elegant gentleman’s yacht was perfectly capable of transatlantic crossings, as well as hitting speeds of up to 15 knots (17 mph/28 kph).
That perfectly respectable birth moment was followed by a long and complicated series of ownerships, taking the Llys Helig in many different directions. Sadly, it spent most of its life moored in places where it wasn’t even supposed to be, instead of out on the ocean.
It was also a long and complicated process for Howard to finally succeed in saving the fallen yacht and refloating it, a couple of years ago. Another milestone was reached recently, when the rusty, old vessel finally got to move out of its location for the first time in thirty years, via a floating dry dock.
Luckily, it wasn’t the end for the Llys Helig, but the start of a better life.
Howard Dawber is one of these people, and he is responsible for saving “the Burnham Titanic” a few years ago. Thanks to his efforts and patience, this nearly 100-year-old yacht has now finally left the location of its disgrace, on the way to a boatyard in Rochford, where it will receive all the repairs it had been waiting for all this time.
Interestingly enough, when Howard first came across the classic Llys Helig, it was being presented as a “houseboat project,” with its stunning history as a gentleman’s yacht buried somewhere along the way.
The old yacht had indeed served as a couple’s main house for many years. But, by the time it had been listed for sale as a “houseboat project,” in 2017, it was literally a wreck. It had sunk in the local moorings, recovered, and then capsized in 2017, after which it would remain basically abandoned for three years.
At that point, it was almost impossible to believe that the Llys Helig was born as one of the fanciest yachts of its time. In 1922, a wealthy customer had commissioned a motor yacht from Thornycroft. The 107-foot (32.6 meters) vessel was inspired by the fast patrol boats that operated in WWI, and was apparently fitted with the latest technologies, including a steel hull with electric welding that was still “experimental” back then.
Powered by two engines made by Plenty & Son of Newbury, the elegant gentleman’s yacht was perfectly capable of transatlantic crossings, as well as hitting speeds of up to 15 knots (17 mph/28 kph).
That perfectly respectable birth moment was followed by a long and complicated series of ownerships, taking the Llys Helig in many different directions. Sadly, it spent most of its life moored in places where it wasn’t even supposed to be, instead of out on the ocean.
It was also a long and complicated process for Howard to finally succeed in saving the fallen yacht and refloating it, a couple of years ago. Another milestone was reached recently, when the rusty, old vessel finally got to move out of its location for the first time in thirty years, via a floating dry dock.
Luckily, it wasn’t the end for the Llys Helig, but the start of a better life.
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