Gates & Co, Emsworth.

16/05/2025

The lovely Ed Burnett designed 'Physche' leaving the shed.
Six hours later both masts are in, the sails are bent on, and she is ready to depart tomorrow.

18/04/2025

There is a new weather station in Emsworth Reach!

Launched today - EMSMET!

Very pleased to report that Emsmet went live today. The Harbour's newest weather station is attached to Emsworth pile (most southerly pile in the main channel).

Huge thanks to those that funded it: Emsworth Sailing Club, Emsworth Slipper Sailing Club (ESSC), Langstone Sailing Club, Emsworth Yacht Harbour, Friends of Chichester Harbour, Chichester Harbour Federation; to Chichester Harbour Conservancy for installing it, and numerous individuals who made the project a reality and integrating it into the existing Harbour weather systems.

This is a fantastic resource for those on the water and anyone enjoying the north of the Harbour.
https://emsmet.co.uk/

18/04/2025

Early evening delivery of this lovely Devon Yawl to Bosham Sailing Club, rigged and ready for the Easter weekend.
We maintain this boat annually, keeping her polished, antifouled and racing fit!

This year she is being dry-sailed, so we supplied the owner with one of our heavy duty launching trailers, designed and manufactured by ourselves, for the long and shallow gradient of the Bosham slipway.

26/12/2024

A few more pictures from another busy year, and various jobs in 2024.

14/12/2024

Shrimper 21 rudder.
Part of our completion work on the new Shrimper 21 was to build a new rudder.
We borrowed a rudder from another 21 and reverse engineered the design, producing a full size pattern or joiners rod.
Robbins Elite ply was laminated with epoxy to thickness, leaving space for the drop blade.
Moving away from the standard construction we sheathed inside the slot with epoxy and 200g glass cloth.
We also added a small piece of stainless steel to prevent the lifting line cutting into the ply, and giving a smoother action.
After assembly the immersed section was epoxy sheathed for longevity, and to prevent some of the problems we have seen on other rudders.
After a light sand up a few coats of Gelsheild were applied to fill the weave and give a good foundation for the Coppercoat.
The end grain of the ply stock was soaked in epoxy, then ten coats of varnish were applied.
Finally the bootop was marked out and painted in two pack paint, to protect the end grain, and look smart!
A final fit, with custom delrin washers on the gudgeons will see this rudder giving trouble free service for decades.

03/12/2024

A great day today as we launched a new Shrimper 21, No.124, at Emsworth Yacht Harbour .
We completed the vessel for the owner, from collecting the vessel, collecting the spars, finishing the interior, running and standing rigging, electric inboard motor, building the rudder, and Copper Coating the bottom.
We paid great attention to detail, and all fittings and work replicates that done by Cornish Crabbers.
It was a bright and sunny day for a maiden voyage, but sadly lacking in wind, or warmth! However the electric motor pushed us the eight miles round to Chichester marina!

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22/08/2024

This Canoe is the real deal. Built in Canada over 40 years ago it is still in its original ownership.

Unfortunately it sustained some damage, so after laminating in a new frame a few short lengths of planking were replaced, copper clench nailed in position.

It was then decided we would do a proper job and re-canvas it. The old cotton canvas was removed, and the hull lightly sanded. A few more repairs were made to the stems, then it was treated to a Cuprinol/linseed oil mix inside and out.

The new 15oz canvas was stretched between two pillars for a few days, before dropping the canoe inside.
Considerable force is needed to stretch the canvas to make it really tight and wrinkle free.

The stems were sealed with a setting sealant, then the rubbing strakes were replaced.

The canvas was then soaked with water to tighten it even more!

Once dry the canvas was treated with preservative, and again allowed to dry.

It was then given its first coat of ten coats of oil based undercoat. This will fill the weave to give a smooth finish, with light sanding between coats. This will be done by the owner.

After that we can fit the keel strip and stem bands, and she will be good to go.

Its been an absolute pleasure to do this job.
I have owned a PB14 kayak for he last 45 years, and have built four skin on frame Greenland kayaks, so am practiced in covering kayaks.
However the tension required to gt this wrinkle free was up another level!!

28/06/2024

Fairy Fisherman.
One of our last spring launches, Zingara heads out to her mooring tomorrow.
After many years in the same ownership she is reluctantly FOR SALE.
12k

Fairey Fisherman - 27' motor sailor

Length 27ft 5"
WL Length 25ft
Beam 8ft 92
Depth 2ft 4"
Built 1964

History
A Government tender was issued for replacement ships lifeboats, Fairey Marine submitted with their famous hot moulded hull technique. This lifeboat hull weighed only 800lbs, constructed of seven veneers and was immensely strong for its weight.

Testing of the submitted hulls was performed by a drop test loaded with sand bags to represent a distressed ships launch. This Fairey Hull survived the drop test with superficial damage and was then rowed around the test basin by a merchant navy crew. It was the only survivor of the drop test to be rowable afterwards. Various financial factors deemed the adoption of the Fairey version unviable, one of which was the reliance on a single manufacturer.

This Hull was then built into a motor sailor with 1150 lbs cast iron keel for stability.
The initial Bermudian designed rig was enlarged to give better performance at 260 sq.ft. and the Fairey Fisherman was a very practical all round Motor Sailor very suitable for family cruising and fun. Off the wind performance is adequate and up wind not great, but she is a motorsailer dragging a large 18" X 11" propeller and the sails steady her whilst motor sailing. Under power a steady cruising speed of 7.5 to 8 knots is available.

Interior
One of the main outstanding features is the 6ft standing headroom, quite remarkable for such a length of boat, together with the commodious cabin. This cabin has plenty of room for living aboard & stowage.

The Galley is very generous on the stb side, plus a U-shaped s

05/06/2024

Another Cornish Crabber Copper coated.

After wet shotblasting to remove old antifouling, the boat was moved into the workshop.
Moisture readings were very low all over the hull, so we applied five coats of International Gelshield epoxy to provide a good foundation for the Cooper Coat, and protect the hull from moisture ingress in the future, protecting it's value.

Special attention is paid to the skin fittings and all underwater metalwork to coat with epoxy to provide insulation from the Copper Coating.

All five coats of Copper Coat are applied on one long day.

The boat is legged up in the traditional manner to minimize patching and speed application.

Once cured the keel blocks are moved and five coats applied where the blocks were.
This enables the boat to be launched straight from the shed, minimizing cost to the owner and shortening timescales.

It's all in the detail!