Ethel Ada
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Ethel Ada is a wooden 82' long Thames sailing barge built in 1903. She was used initially for carrying coal and ballast and then later for transporting explosives in the Thames estuary.
My work began by replacing the deck on the fwd section, which leaked due to extensive decay. This meant removal of the heavy winch gear and repairing beams and other areas which had been affected by decay. 3" Iroko was used for the deck planking, which is good and durable and very stable, the seams were then caulked with oakum and paid with mastic.
Rot was also found in the coach house, so a 20' section laminated iroko beam was scarfed in to the combings. The owner, Ollie Price intends to live on Ethel Ada at her London moorings and to race her on the east coast. The old interior had been full of small cabins, so these were taken out to reveal her original open hold, and I built fittings in sympathy with this character allowing views right through the boat.