Classic wooden speedboat build , sink, search for, recovery and rebuild.

TheBody

Fantastic news! Delighted for you!

HazeDoll

I am more excited about this than I was about the discovery of Endurance, Erebus or Terror. Congratulations to all involved!

elperello

Great news.

Congratulations to all involved.

PJD

This story needs to be a book.... or a movie!

luna11

There is a nice hole in it Fergal, when are ya planning on lifting her and how do ya plan on doing it? I wouldn't mind been there to see it. The life jackets are still in under the steering wheel is that where they were stored? It was great to be involved. It's a pity you won't be scanning wrecks anymore though 🤣

searay

Delighted for you, Fergal. Well done on your perseverance in not giving up. Fair play to @luna11 and all who’ve dived to check out the wrecks.

If anybody can restore ‘old cool’ to it’s former glory, it’s you.

BbSean

Fantastic result! A lot of patience and highs and lows over the years but what a result!

cant wait to see her back on the surface and then back in the water.

will you be starting a new tread? If so can you post a link so I can continue to follow?

fergal.b

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120170350#Comment_120170350

It looks like what I thought , that is the motor stringer and I believe when I hit the wave the stringer went through the hull, the life jackets were in the bow and along the side. I was thinking of fitting two jeep winches to the back of my boat or between two boats that way I can flip it as I lift "lots of thinking to do" I will now start scanning the rest of the lake that stretch gets a bit boring after 7 years 😁Thanks for all your help.

If anyone wants to donate a bit of fuel to these great guys and all the great work the do especially in Carrick on shannon in the past few weeks please do so here. https://www.athlonesubaqua.ie/

josip

I never thought we'd see this day. Close boards. This thread should be turned into a screenplay or a movie. Well done Fergal, seriously impresive.

funkey_monkey

Brilliant news! Looking forward to the recovery and rebuild!

AndyBoBandy

Brilliant News. Absolutely Brilliant.

So she’s finally been found.

^~^~^~^~^~^ Chapter 4 ^~^~^~^~^~^

HazeDoll

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120170607#Comment_120170607

Classic wooden speedboat build, sink, search, recovery and restoration.

luna11

There was a good team from athlone sub aqua with a wealth of experience that made the wreck easier to find below the surface. Finding it is one thing on a side scan but using search methods taught make a huge difference to the success of finding things in Lough ree when you are dealing with very low visibility. It's even more difficult as you can't touch the bottom or it's a cloud of silt all around you similar to a pint of Guinness settling. So fair play to all the experienced lads that help increase the success rate.

fergal.b

Thanks for the video Luna11.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCI3TVkeL1A

dulpit

This is great news for a Saturday. Congrats/well done to all involved...

L1011

Of all the long runner threads on the site, this is the one I most wanted to see a conclusion to, but also never thought we would.

My grandad had a commercial boatyard, much bigger vessels than this though (half decker trawlers), and I always want to try buy one back and try restore it, but I don't vaguely have the skills. So your works let me live vicariously to an extent

Packrat

Wow, just found the thread and read it all over the last couple of hours.

Congratulations on finding her!

Can't wait to see her out.

New Home

HURRAAAAAYYYYY!!!!!

Standard Toaster

Well, that's made my day! Absolutely brilliant, delighted for you Fergal.

Original post where she went down.

How will 7+years under water affect the boat?

Not knowing anything I'd imagine it'd be a write off.

Best of luck getting it to the surface, certainly will be following along.

😀

Just watched the video, by God it's pitch black down there. Fair play.

HeidiHeidi

Jeepers, I cannot believe it's been 7 years 😱

Doe Tiden

Delighted for you to have found it Fergal,

I have regularly checked this thread for updates only to have my hopes dashed when new posts turned out to be someone asking if the was any update!

Best of luck with getting it recovered

check_six

Amazing news! I knew your persistence would pay off in the end. There were so many false dawns finding all the other submerged vessels that looked so like yours. Terrific work from the subaqua lads too. They really are highly skilled. How many other wrecks did you find in total? And is there any chance that there could be a mysterious locked safe under your boat to keep the suspense going?

Thargor

That's incredible tbh, you'll be on tv for this when you get her home, I thought you hadn't a hope, congratulations.

New Home

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120171334#Comment_120171334

I was just thinking, "How is it even possible that it's covered by so many shellfish after only a couple of years? The water must be very clean."... but 7 years?!? I'm gobsmacked.

Tow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120171444#Comment_120171444

Invasive species:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_mussel

embraer170

Great news. I'm thrilled. Great work by all involved. Can't wait to read about how this continues...

Hifive

Fantastic news Feargal, thought I saw a smile on your face when you passed me in Lakeside a week ago😀 I think I still have some electrical gubbins from my spare 5.7 in the shed. Maybe only a harness and and possibly a CDI unit. I’ve since used the spare starter on my Searaay 190 and I gave away the alternator, I’ll have a look tomorrow.

fergal.b

Was that your handy work with the power washer , might need you 😉 the mussels look so bad it will probably be a full rebuild so I shouldn't need anything just fix everything.

thereitisgone

I am totally amazed and happy with this news, i have followed this story from the beginning of the build

So happy for you Fergal

Onto the next chapter

WildWater

Wow! Amazing stuff. Congratulations and well done to all involved. I can’t believe I’ve been following this saga for 7 years. Roll on the next chapter.