Topsides

First job, clear out all that we can, then cutting off the saloon roof away from the sides and raising it by 6 inches to give a full internal height of 6'3''. This involved using temporary timber internal supports and a lot of hard lifting. The roof was then extended out to the gunnels and timber work installed ready to cover.
I can not fully explain how difficult it is not knowing whether anything is level and some severe head-scratching was done at many intervals. The difficulty is that towards the bow, the curves are complicated by running downhill from the bow and also out towards the fattest part of the saloon.

Following this the old wheelhouse roof was bolted to the front of the saloon roof to extend over the old cuddy cabin deck and fresh extension timbers added, leaving a short foredeck for the capstan.

Note the war wound to the bow, just above the bow-rollers. This was done when she was towed in by the lifeboat, they aimed it at the quay not realising that she was not under power, and smacked the quay hard.

Not sure if this will come out, it is very thick aluminium section.

   

On the Hard !

First job - Scrape her bottom !
Bought a random orbit sander from Machine Mart, lasted 2 days before burning out, so took it back for replacement.
Big job, took ages, lying on my back, but finally getting to a stage where we could fill any dimples in the gelcoat ( under the waterline ), using an epoxy filler, then paint with grey filler primer. This will need anti-foul painting just before she goes back into the water.
Pam started sanding down above the waterline, but we eventually realised that it would be sometime before we would refloat her, as we are able to live aboard on the hard-standing. So, drop everything on the hull and start on the topsides.

 

Further welcomes !!

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Arrival at Hoo

They were ready and waiting for us at Hoo, and unloading onto a cradle was quickly accomplished.

Many thanks to Terry and Eric ( Shoreline Transport ) for a job done professionally and prompt !!

For those interested parties, at a cost of £900 plus vat. Well worth it compared to a three day sea trip at 12 knots, burning 8 litres of diesel per hour !                                                                                             

The Move part three - Gosport to Hoo

Loaded and accounts settled, the road beckons, with us following behind. Driver Eric makes it look easy and very soon the M27 /A3 / M25 and A2 are a memory, as we arrive at Hoo

                         There is something disconcerting watching your boat do 60mph on the A3

The Move part two - Gosport and beyond.

So, all safe and sound at the boatyard overnight.
We arrived the following morning to find that the boat had been lifted out, held in slings and had been powerwashed, and the transport was waiting to load.
We were told that her weight was 11.5 tons after powerwashing, but was just under 12 tons before !!!
Nearly half a ton of barnacles and weed etc. !
It was nice to see just how solid the hull was, but made us realise the work needed to prepare her for sea again. The hull looks enormous and she is very flat-bottomed, probably the cause of the bad handling.

Berthed at Gosport before lifting out

Loading commences

The Move part one

So the day for the move arrived, along with a rising tide and a strong onshore wind, but alas no Pilot ( the seller was going to accompany us up to Gosport boat yard but no show ), so rather than miss the tide we went for it.
Leaving the mooring was not easy as it was tight between pontoons, so we warped the boat off on an opposite pontoon and with Pam manning the boat hook, I leaped aboard and opened up.
A strong onshore wind is not good when first trying your new boat, and we quickly learnt that she handles like a sick pig at low revs. After several attempts to come alongside the outer pontoons, we gave up, put her head into the wind and set off, no going back now !
The journey down river was fun, with both of us taking turns on the helm. During Pam's spell as Coxswain, a fairly fast rib came out between some moored boats, and she informed me that a CAR was coming, Awww bless !!!
During the trip, with a Brittany ferry approaching, Pam asked me what we should do if we had an emergency, I replied that we only need to drop anchor and call the Coastguard, only for Pam to remind me that I had stowed the anchor and chains in the saloon ready for the road journey, and that we had no VHF connected, WHOOPS !
Never mind, all went well until we arrived at Gosport boatyard, trying to manouvre between expensive boats, and finally heading for the berth pointed out to us by the boatyard guy. Luckily he fended us off and all was well. We had successfully completed our first voyage.
The sad part for me was going past all the RN ships, moored up waiting for sale or scrapping, including HMS Ark Royal. Ask yourselves - could GB ever provide a task force in the future, should it be needed ??

Video of the run to Gosport follows.

   

Preparation for move.

So, a move to the Medway is planned. This meant stripping off the wheelhouse roof and upper parts as it was probably too rotten to survive the road journey from Gosport to Hoo Marina.
The wheel house roof was curved hardwood, the same as the Saloon roof, so the plan was to re-use this roof to extend the existing to also cover the cuddy cabin, thereby "raising the roof" within the cuddy cabin. The roof section was thereby slid down timbers to be strapped to the main roof. I cannot describe adequately, just how heavy this section of roof was !!!

The resulting open wheelhouse was made as watertight as possible with tarpaulins.

 

      

First weeks at Fareham

By the time we received the keys, many items listed on the original advert had "disappeared", most importantly, the new four-man liferaft ! Also, the VHF, Sim card for the GPS, flares, TV and fish finder.
However, some items remained, including Mr Smith's clothes, all in very good condition and neatly packaged "ShipShape" fashion in vac bags. These included his pyjamas and new items purchased by him in Scotland. These were given to a charity shop !
Luckily, we found a large quantity of receipts from 2008, including engine parts, the propeller and invoices from his two month stay at Inverkip Marina on the Firth of Clyde.
Unluckily, in the microwave, were some Mr Kipling Lemon Drizzle cakes, also from 2008 !! I know that food can be eaten long after it's sell-by date, but even I know when to draw the line !

As it would take a while to source hard standing at a yard on the Medway, we spent several weekends at Fareham, stripping out whatever we could. Our plans involved gutting the interior, extending the saloon roof  from 8 feet wide to 12 feet, removing the wheelhouse roof and adding this on to the front of the saloon to give 6' 3" internal height overall throughout.
Although the 18mm grp hull was rock solid, the wheelhouse and main cabin sides were rotten and would need complete replacement. I believe that boat brokers must do the same training as estate agents, as the advert claim of needing a little "TLC" was downright lies.
As our plans required complete removal, this was not a problem for us. the existing roof timbers to the saloon and wheelhouse were made of curved section hardwood and mostly sound, so these would be retained, extended and covered with new 12mm ply.

Pics of initial strip out

Looking aft from cuddy cabin, wheel house up steps

Looking forward, mast stored inside, Open-plan Loo !! 

 
 

Advert pics

For Sale Advert

Power Cruiser Ex Ships Lifeboat SS Canberra Life Boat Conversion Year Built 1961 Boat Name Midnight Oil Length 11.58m / 38ft Beam 3.88m / 12.75ft
Displacement 12 ton Draft 950mm Air Draft 2.6 approx
Engine Cummins (2005) Engine model 6B series
Engine power HP 130
EngineHours 200
Description An opportunity to own a part of Britain's great merchant navy history. Midnight Oil is a converted lifeboat from the famous P&O 'white whale' SS Canberra. Midnight Oil has a recently refurbished Cummins 6b engine with walk in engine compartment, GPS, Sonar, VHF, CD/Radio, Flatscreen TV, 7 Berths in three cabins, Generator, Heating. After some TLC an ideal liveaboard.
SafetyEquipment
1x New four person liferaft 3x Fire extinguishers 1x Fire Blanket 2x Horseshoe lifebouys 1x Danbouy
3x Flares 2x Lifejacket
GeneralEquipment
1x Garmin 230 GPS/Plotter 1x Garmin 340 colour sonar 1x Fishfinder 1x Radar 1x Simrad 64rt VHF
Cummins 6b series in board diesel 2005 Borg Warner 2-1 reduction gearbox 5 blade prop from lancing marine
Separate fuel filtering system 3x Batteries Battery Charger 240v shore power system Inverter
Diesel stove heater Wheel Steering Shaft drive Hull construction Fiberglass/GRP
Location Gosport Marina, United Kingdom Country GB
Cabin Types 5 Berths in three cabins. V berth under foredeck. Two berths in saloon which also incorporates a galley midships. Pilot berth in wheelhouse above walk in engine compartment and aft deck Generator CD/Radio1 Cooker Fridge Toilet

More press reports

Scarborough Lifeboat crew's eerie 'Mary Celeste' style discovery in the Irish Sea

Published on Tuesday 1 July 2008 09:47
SCARBOROUGH lifeboatmen found themselves caught up in an eerie Mary Celeste-style mystery in the Irish Sea.
Training divisional inspector Wave Crooks, Glyn Simpson and Chris Steel were part of the crew helping to take a lifeboat from Workington to Poole in Dorset to be decommissioned when they responded to a May Day message from Falmouth Coastguard.
A Belgian fishing vessel, the Marie Louise, had reported finding an abandoned, seaworthy but crewless fishing boat bobbing about, just 23 miles off Cornwall's north coast between St Ives and Padstow. Mr Steel, of Avenue Victoria, said: "We were the nearest lifeboat to the vessel but a helicopter from RNAS Culdrose was scrambled in the first instance and they requested the launch of St Ives lifeboat to the scene."
He added said: "When we arrived we pulled along side and the mechanic from our boat climbed on board the vessel. Everything was turned off and all he could find was a bag of clothes. It was quite eerie."
HMS Severn, a naval fisheries vessel nearby, was also involved in the for the missing crew of the Midnight Oil, an ex-ship's lifeboat, which was last seen leaving Milford Haven in South Wales on June 28.
A Falmouth Coastguard spokesman said: "It was a wide and intensive search for one male who we believe is missing from the boat.
"There was no trace of the man in the water and the search was scaled down midway through Monday afternoon."
He added: "We know that the boat had previously been towed into Milford Haven when it developed some faults but these were apparently repaired and he was making his way to Falmouth. His son had joined him during part of the journey. When the boat was found drifting everything seemed in order, the engine started with no problems and the man's possessions were found inside the cabin."
The coastguard spokesman said the man's family had been contacted and his disappearance remained a mystery.

The Mary Celeste was an unmanned brigantine discovered sailing in the Atlantic Ocean, towards the Strait of Gibraltar, in 1872. The fate of the 10 people on board remains a mystery to this day.
Theories as to their fate include piracy and underwater earthquakes but, the most respected one, is that, fearing its cargo of alcohol was leaking and in danger of exploding, the crew abandoned ship and either drowned or died of hunger, thirst or exposure.

Concern for missing boatman, 80

Concern is growing for an 80-year-old man whose empty boat was found drifting off the coast of Cornwall on Monday. Peter Smith, from Gosport, Hampshire, was last seen leaving Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire in his boat Midnight Oil on Saturday morning.
A search involving a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter from RNAS Culdrose, the St Ives lifeboat and HMS Severn was called off on Monday evening.
Police said they were treating the incident as a missing person inquiry.
Clothing and belongings were found on board the Midnight Oil, a converted former lifeboat.
It was found floating 23 miles west north west from Trevose Head by a Belgian fishing boat, the Maria Louise, at about 1115 BST.
They reported that the engine of the 40ft (12.2m) boat was cold but that they could re-start it quickly.

The helicopter searched the area three miles in every direction from where the boat was found and re-traced the possible course of the boat back to Milford Haven, said a spokesman for the RAF.
Falmouth Coastguard, who co-ordinated the search, said Midnight Oil was towed to St Ives in north Cornwall at 1800 BST on Monday.
Devon and Cornwall Police said the vessel had been experiencing mechanical problems but that Mr Smith had taken it for repairs in Milford Haven and had been making his way back to Gosport.
The RAF spokesman said that over the weekend, winds were described as westerly blowing at about 20 to 30 knots. On Monday the winds were about 10 to 15 knots.
"If you are in a small boat you are going to know about it if the wind is blowing at around 20 to 30 knots," added the spokesman.

Midnight Oil - A Brief History

Following the de-commissioning of Canberra in 1997, the lifeboats were sold off. Some have become commercial ventures operating as ferry boats, excursion boats and wildlife-watching vessels, notably "Taurus", a ferry running trips in Bristol, "Weston Maid" plymouth ferry, "Wingate III" a trip boat in Chichester and "Julianne" a workboat. One of the boats was also made into a roof for a Wash-house in Shetland.
We do not know the reason for naming her "Midnight Oil" but possibly was after the Australian rock band of the same name, who hail from Canberra.
To the best of our knowledge, "Midnight Oil" was converted into a coastal cruiser, including the addition of a 6litre 130 hp Cummins diesel engine , around 1997 / 98, and spent a fair deal of time around the Western Scottish Isles, based around Gourock. She was advertised for sale, which we are led to believe for a price of £24,000.
She was bought by a Mr Peter Smith, a gentleman of 80 years who also had a narrowboat moored at Newhaven. After spending some time at Kip Marina, Inverkip, he headed south in June 2008, down through the Irish Sea, along with his son, then being towed into Milford Haven on the 10th June by the RNLI lifeboat "Sir Galahad" to repair a leak on the Calorifier.

His son then left the boat to continue his journey home and Mr Smith set off on the morning of the 28th June  heading for Falmouth.

He never made it ! The boat was found drifting 23 miles off St Ives, Cornwall, by a Belgian fishing boat the "Marie Louise". Mr Smith's body was found two weeks later, off Morte Point, North Devon.

Press report as link below.

 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2229519/Sailor-mysteriously-vanishes-from-boat.html#

She was towed into St Ives by the RNLI Lifeboat, then finally was taken round to Gosport.

She was listed for sale on several web sites, where we saw her on Boatbreakers.com, in May 2012 originally for a price of £15,000.

By the time we finally got round to viewing her in June, the price had dropped to £7000, as the broker required the berth she was on in Fareham, Upper Quay.

We struck a deal for the £6000 to include 2 months of free moorings at Fareham while we made arrangements to move her up to Kent

A Brief History of Canberra

SS Canberra was launched in 1961 at Belfast, the pride of P & O. She was revolutionary in her design, having engines which powered electric turbines. The lifeboats were also different to the normal lifeboats of the day, being made of Glass-reinforced plastic, which was a new material at the time. The boats were also set back from the edge of the ship on davits, passengers would stroll underneath them on their walks along the promenade deck.

Canberra ran from her home port of Southampton to Australia and New Zealand and on world trips further for some years, visiting almost every destination in the world.

She was involved in the Falklands War where she carried Paras and Marines from Blighty to San Carlos Water via Sierra Leone and Ascension, coming under fire in Bomb Alley without a single scratch. After cross-decking troops she continued to South Georgia to rendezvous with QE2 and carry further troops once more to San Carlos. At the end of battle, she carried over 4000 prisoners-of-war back to Argentina, all of them having to be loaded by the lifeboats, which took 12 hours.
Canberra then returned with troops to Southampton to a Heroes Welcome when thousands of people and boats turned out to see her home.
The Falklands war re-kindled interest in her, and she was saved from the scrapyard, cruising as always, until
nearly 40 years on from her launch, on 10 October, 1997, she left the UK from Southampton docks for the last time heading for the scrapyard, in the dark, to the accompaniment of bagpipes playing 'Dark Isle', 'Flowers of the Forest' and 'Flower of Scotland' on a cassette tape her Captain had had made for the occasion. Only a handful of ex-crew were there to see her off. It was a far cry from the throngs who'd crowded the dock in the 1960s and 70s to send off those bound for £10-a-ticket new lives in the New World with thousands of coloured paper streamers, symbolically tearing the links to the Old World apart one by one as the great ship pulled away from the harbour wall.
Early in the morning of 31 October, 1997, Captain Mike Carr brought Canberra's engines up to almost full speed. He then set the piped laments to play full volume through all the deck speakers and brought 40 years of ocean crossings to a close when he steered her straight at Gadani beach and into the hands of the disembowellers.
Dismantling her was not trouble-free. Her draft had always caused difficulties. She'd run aground twice: on one occasion taking four days to be set loose. Now a sandbar brought her to an inconveniently distant standstill. But even though it took a year instead of three months, the scrap merchants succeeded