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Searolf the boat

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In the beginning

We found Searolf on a canal when visiting family and I fell for her straight
away. Some months later, we were told the she was up for sale. Naturally,
we snapped her up.

The early days were filled with a continual stream of visitors and disruptions within the
moorings, so little real work was done, apart from researching the origin of her name.

What’s in a name?

‘SEAROLF’ can conjure up many different images when trying to get to
sleep at night. We looked to the internet, but a search only turned up one
result. I had hoped for some sort of mythological connection to the great
Norse sagas, or the Greek or Roman times.  Maybe like the name of the
boat used by the Ferryman to carry you over the Styx to Hades, but to
no avail.

Fortunately, we met up with the boat’s previous owners, and they were able to give us the
background. The boat was built in the Hitachi shipyard, in Japan, just after the end of
World War 2. Her keel is a railway line, and she is made of galvanised steel, but under the
waterline she is sheathed in half-inch thick steel plate.  The aft section had been added to
form a master cabin, and she had been fitted with a Ford engine and a Parsons gearbox by a
boatyard in Norfolk.

Now, there are a lot of superstitions regarding the sea and boats, as most sailors are aware.
The name Searolf came about because when they first saw the boat it had no name, just a
sign that said ‘FOR SALE’.  Now  that would be a silly name for her, but if you re-arrange the
letters, you get the idea..........  
 

Epoxy

We  eventually decided to move Searolf  to another
mooring where we would be able  to take her out of
the  water and work on the hull. We were given a
really good deal  by a local company, ‘Spectrum
Resins’ of  Elland.   I was amazed at the number
of coats of epoxy resin they put on her, along with
two layers of woven roving and two layers of tissue.
In total it came to twelve coats and they then left
us enough resin to coat her one more time before
launching. What a deal !

The story continued......

In the beginning
What’s in a name?
Epoxy
Inside comes out
Rebuilding starts
Internal Design
Mock-ups
Forecabin
Insulation
Heart of oak
The galley
Heads and aft cabin
Time to move on
Back to the water
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