Having spent a while researching the recent history of HSL 102 I feel the need to share with anyone who may be interested the history of the vessel from 1985 to 1991.
In 1985 Christopher Clarke scraped together a few thousand pounds necessary to purchase HSL 102 from a boatyard on the river Thamar just north of plymouth.
She was half sunk and being used as a skip. The bilges were full of black mud, water and commercial boat yard waste. The original superstructure and all of the innards of the vessel had been stripped out including the engines. The bulk heads had been cut up with a chainsaw (probably to facilitate the stripping out).
Without any doubt, the vessel would have disintegrated within a very short period of time were it not for the actions of Christopher CLARKE
Chris and his family spent weeks emptying the rubbish and scraping out the sludge from the bilges (with table spoons at times) and then had the vessel towed to old mill creek in Dartmouth.
Chris then set about building a new superstructure to replace the shed which helped to make the vessel 98% water tight and thus preserve it from further deterioration. (albeit slightly too heavy which caused the deck timbers to be flattened but at least she wasn't rotting at the bottom of the thamar).
It was always the intention of Chris Clarke to make this vessel seaworthy. He and his family moved onboard in 1986 so that he could use the money he was paying in rent to buy more materials.
The boat was moved to Galmpton creek in about 1988 where it was put in semi dry dock so that the hull could be repaired. Months of careful pain staking paint stripping by Sheila Clarke helped them to reveal the original RAF number on the side. the 10 was clearly visible but the 2 was not. It was in fact believed that from debating what was left of third symbol it was a 3 and not a 2 making the vessel HSL103 and not HSL102. Who knows?
The vessel was then repainted in white marine paint and was taken back to Old Mill Creek.
Progress was very slow due to financial restrictions. Sheila fell extremely ill and after major surgery was unable to return to live on the boat. six years of making do with inadequate facilities, spending every spare penny and ounce of energy on the vessel had taken their toll on the Clarke family. They were obliged to move onto dry land and abandon all hope of one day taking the boat out to sea on her own power.
The vessel was 'given away' in 1990 / 1991 to another couple who had promised to finish the work and get her back out to sea. Unfortunately, they intended to use the boat purely as a residential dwelling and after a year or two of total neglect the boat was found by Phil Clabburn who was fortunate enough to have the appropriate funds to be able to do what he did. (Bravo by the way)
So please when you read about the vessel 'rotting' in a creek in Dartmouth by owners who knew 'nothing of her history' Please remember that she would be another Thamar wreck were it not for Chris CLARKE, my father.
André.
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