Hopes high on restoring seaworthy historic coble

The Three Brothers celebrated its centenary this year, but was unable to sail because it was in need of repairs.

The group that looks after the 1912 coble, which is berthed in Bridlington, said the restoration project has made an excellent start.

Already the hull planks have been removed and the first planks have been refitted.

Boat builders John Clarkson, from Bridlington, and Joe Gelsthorpe, from Hornsea, are currently sawing planks to fit, using the old planking as templates.

Each plank has a specific position on the coble and each one is cut to fit exactly.

When she is finished, she will be varnished to look exactly as she did in photographs dating back to 1912, the year she launched.

The discarded timbers from the boat are going be recycled by local artists, who will create new items from the wood.

Historian Mike Wilson, who is part of the organisation which maintains the coble, the Bridlington Sailing Coble Preservation Society, said: “I am absolutely delighted with the progress. I am looking forward to seeing her sail next year.”

The work is being paid for with £20,000 which the Society has raised over the past eight or nine years and a bid is also being made for a grant from the Fisheries Local Action Group.

George Traves, chairman of Bridlington Harbour Commissioners, which owns the vessel, said: “Hopefully it is going to give people an opportunity to sail a dipping lug rig, which is a very old type of rig, which goes back centuries, some people say even as far back as the Vikings.”

The 40ft boat was constructed by father and son Baker and Percy Siddall in 1912.

She was first built for sailing, then converted to motor, and back again to sail. There are still relatives of the Siddalls in the town.