Gates & Co, Emsworth.

02/01/2026

Part 3. Launch

When the owner of this launch purchased it as a water filled wreck, he didn't know much about it. It had been used around Bosham for years, but its history had been lost.
Whilst dismantling it at Emsworth Yacht Harbour we were approached by a local gent who knew the back story of this design.

Back in the sixties Emsworth Yacht Harbour was built and run by Admiral Gick. He was a smart cookie and wanted to try the new boatbuilding technique of Ferro cement.

In the workshops at Emsworth they built a Ferro cement launch, and took it to Earls Court Boat Show. During the transport it sustained some damage, and the Admiral decided not to continue in Ferro Cement.
The hull was subsequently used as a plug, and a mould for a GRP version was formed.

This was really interesting, as when dismantling the launch we had found the mount for the whipstaff steering and remains of the under deck wires, davit lifting points, and noted the fore and aft buoyancy tanks. She also had two aluminium 'buckets' glassed into the hull, with traces of the tan paint used by the Navy.

However, the best was still to come!

One of our long term customers visited and said 'Oh, thats an Inshore Survey Launch (ISL), I used to pilot those when I was in the Navy'. It turned out before he was a dentist, he served on HMS Hydra, and the following day he bought in this fantastic picture of her taken in 1973 in Sydney, Australia!
On the side deck you can see a ISL!

The aluminium 'buckets' housed the transducers for surveying the inshore depths to update the charts.

So weather this launch is that launch we really don't know, but it would be nice to think so. They built around six, one of which was the launch for EYH, was electric. Admiral Gick was way ahead of his time!

So, we finally realised we were rebuilding this launch in the same shed it was built in, sixty-five years later!

01/01/2026

Part 2 of the launch rebuild.
New gunwhales were shaped and fitted. The forward ones were laminated in situ. The rest were shaped and teased into position. After a dry run they were bedded on a polyester leveler, and then copper riveted through. No rust this time!

The forward and aft buoyancy tanks were cut out to increase storage, but also to remove all that soggy foam.

The forward bollard has been chopped, but will be reinstated.

02/12/2025

Cornish Crabber Shrimper spars.

A trip over to Poole to unstep and collect a Shrimper mast needing TLC.
Whilst there it was decided to also collect the other spars, rudder, and tiller.

Back in Emsworth they were stripped of the original.coatings, repaired and recoated with nine coats of International Original varnish.

We find this to be more hard wearing than soft microporous finishes, which we keep for the garden shed.

The completed spars were returned to Poole and re stepped with the owner.

Shipshape and presentable once more!

07/11/2025

Part 1.
New project for a local owner.
This launch has been in Chichester Harbour for many years, but due to its age and recent neglect it is due for a major re-work.

Its going to look a lot worse before it gets better!

Underneath the deck the substructure is very decayed, steel fastenings have reached the end of their life, and this rebuild is well overdue.

Before moving the launch into the workshop we removed the old Lister diesel and started the (long) process of removing decades of oil mixed with grot and grime.

Whilst the inwhales were in place we ripped up some Sapele and used the hull as a jig to laminate new outer gunwhales.

06/11/2025

Sabb, 1983.
This lovely old Sabb was running hot, and despite it pumping water well, the presumption was it wasn't passing the water around the block due to decades of corrosion.
After the head was removed, the waterways were cleared in the block, and the head sent for a skim. Inside the head was treated with anti-rust fluid, and at this time a small hole was spotted. Luckily there are local engineers who can laser weld this, and with a new gasket all was reassembled, and torqued down. After the tappets were set she fired up and cooled like a fire hose!

We added an inline sea water filter so its now very easy to flush the engine through with fresh water to extend its life of 42 years even further!

05/11/2025

A lovely McNulty dinghy. Lug rigged, came to us for multiple frame repairs.
After decades of testing we prefer to scarph in small repairs to the frames, as it causes less disturbance of surrounding fastenings.

Two shifts of planking were replaced aft in a nice bit of larch, with fiddly scarphs.

New rubbing strakes were fitted, with the bow sections steamed into place.

Finally a lot of time was spent sanding and scraping the interior, a devil of a job!

The vessel was collected by the owner for varnishing and reassembly. As you can see he has made a fine job of it!

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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