The Woodbridge Boatyard Ltd
Newsletter - November 2010                                "Just the same but Different"

Everson’s is undergoing something of a transformation. In common with many other businesses, more and more of our customers are finding us from directories and the Internet. One of the features they are looking for is a boatyard in Woodbridge, and in order to make this task easier, we have decided to change our company name to The Woodbridge Boatyard Ltd.

The boatshed is also reaching the end of its useful life and we have plans for building a new workshop complex. This is to include a larger modern workshop opening onto the yard and in order to help finance this, the river side of the building will include units for leasing. The improved workshop facilities will allow us to do repairs, painting and varnishing on any of the boats in the yard throughout the year. We are currently in consultation with the planning department, and hope to apply for full planning permission soon.

                  

 To mark the end of the Phoenix works (a temporary structure built nearly a hundred years ago!) we are also changing the postal address of the company to “Everson’s Wharf” which reflects the heritage of the yard. We are conscious of the rich history of Everson’s and the part it has played in our community, but the fact is that the family have not been involved for more than forty years, and we feel the new name and address will help us to move forward. The new name has been registered and accordingly we would ask that you amend your records to read as follows:  The Woodbridge Boatyard Ltd., Everson’s Wharf, River Wall, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 4BB              and www.woodbridgeboatyard.co.uk or www.woodbridgeboats.co.uk  

We are arranging with our bank to accept cheques payable to either name for a transition period, and will change all standing orders at renewal  or from the 1st January 2011.

Bookings for boat lifts and engineering and mechanical work for Derek and Steve should still be through the main office on 01394 385786 or by e-mail to enquiries@woodbridgeboatyard.co.uk (although the old address enquiries@eversonboats.co.uk is still operating). For maintenance and inspection of Kyson/Methersgate moorings, please contact Stan; other enquiries and boat sales to John and Geoff as usual. GRP repairs are dealt with by Geoff, and we do have a number of experienced shipwrights to call upon as sub-contractors in the same way that we already deal with electrical, gas, and rigging work. Antifouling, painting and varnishing can also be arranged .  John is in the office from 9am until 3pm Monday – Friday. The office is manned on Saturday mornings 10am – 1pm .

 The dinghy numbering system now extends to the trailers and cradles in the yard. However we are still left with a few dinghies and trailers which have no identification of ownership, and which no-one has been near for some years! If you have any unidentified gear in the yard, please tell Derek, or it may follow the rest to the scrapyard. 

                               

New for 2010 has been a GRP replica of the classic Everson dinghy, with the hull mould taken direct from "Celia II", originally built for the late John Chapman in the 1960’s. With built-in buoyancy, moulded GRP thwarts, deck and daggerboard case, the hull will be very low maintenance. Most of the bits that you can drop over the side, like oars, foils and spars will be varnished timber however! With a compact and simple gunter rig she is surprisingly nimble.  Just over nine feet long, and with a bit more freeboard than the average tender, she has a good rowing performance, with two rowing positions, a sculling notch and will also take a small outboard engine. Price for the complete dinghy, with rig, oars etc £3,400 inc. VAT .  In the photographs above, the prototype is being sailed by film-maker Dylan Winter and along with the boatshed is featured on his film "The Upper Deben". This can be found at www.keepturningleft.co.uk and well worth $4.99 for access to the whole set from Bembridge to the Broads. Dylan has made some wonderful films of the East Coast Rivers as he works his way anticlockwise around the coast of Britain, which no doubt one day will make it to mainstream TV.

We are pleased to have been able to assist with the piles, balcony and pontoons at the Deben Yacht Club, and also with temporary storage for the Rowing Club while their new clubhouse was under construction. Both projects look very smart now they are finished.

Kind regards to all, Geoff, Derek, and the team.