The Slipway: A historic way to bring your boat to land for repairs

The patent slipway can lift out vessels up to 32m (105 ft) long and 8m (25ft) wide, and up to 180 tonnes dead weight.

Boats can be taken out for a quick inspection or anti-fouling or for longer periods for major repair or alteration. Multihulls can be lifted out fully rigged. Narrow Boats can be accommodated either singly or in pairs.

Alongside the slipway, the workshops of the Underfall Yard house experienced shipwrights, riggers, blacksmith and welders, fibre composite specialists and carpenters.

Water, single and 3 phase electricity, power washers and other facilities are available.

Bookings can be discussed and arranged with Underfall Yard Trust by phoning 07866 105181 or emailing win@underfallyard.co.uk.

Please read the Underfall Yard Terms of Business (PDF) before making an enquiry.

Boats on the Slip

A quick insight into what is currently on the Patent Slipway.

Valda

Valda is an example of a class of boats known as Polperro Gaffers. She was probably built in Looe in the early 1900s and converted to a yacht in 1950. She’d been through a series of restorations before being bought by her current owner, boatbuilder Marcus Jennings, in 2016. Over the next seven years, while working as a boatbuilder at Underfall Yard, Marcus used his spare time and holidays to make repairs and improvements. These included new planks, recalking, replacing the bulwarks, decking, replacing ten sawn oak frames and stanchions and rebuilding her mast in preparation for sailing again.

In 2023, after a wait of ten years, he was about to start his own boat-building business, taking a lease on one of the Yard’s sheds. Unfortunately, the arson attack caused serious damage to the Yard and the “Valda”. Time in the water since the fire caused further deterioration, which now needs urgent action and is the reason for her being on the slip.

Despite these setbacks, Marcus hopes to restore her for a second time and eventually get her sailing again, perhaps in time to join the “Polperro Gaffer Regatta” in 2028.

Photo Sources:
1. https://oga.org.uk/_documents/%5B963455%5DThe_Dog_Watch_Edition_55_March_2024.pdf
2. Marcus Jennings
3. Underfall Yard Trust

Written by one of our great volunteers, Dave Duggan