Amazing!
@fergal.b quick question- are you still planning on launching on 12th July?
Thinking of heading down with the caravan to see the launch.😁
Yep all good to go, I wasn't able to get a towbar fitted to my car nobody seems to supply them 😔 so I have a friend bringing it down. Some of my family are camping in the place next to the Dog & Duck pub.
Brilliant! That’s the one I’m looking at 😁. Hopefully will get books in
We will probably have a few drinks on the docks in Coosan at the end of the day, don't be there if you're not supposed to be as you might end up on TV in the nationwide program 😀 😉
If you are there on the Friday night we will probably in the Dog and duck getting ready to rumble 😁
Fergal, not going to make it down- left it too late to get a caravan site booked.
Not to worry I'm not looking forward to it myself with this weather I'd say the place will be packed with kids 😬 but she is all ready to go.
If this post is to be shut down over the coming days I just want to thank you all for coming on the journey with me over the years and helping me through some very tough times and enjoying some good times it has been a pleasure 🙏 to see the rest of the story you can look me up on Facebook "Fergal butler" as this is the only place I have documented the whole story it will be a shame to lose it 😔 but as you know sometimes things just go down 😉 and sometimes they can be rebuilt, thank you all again and as a Mod thank you for giving me nothing to do over the years 😊 XOXO nice knowing you.
What a great weekend couldn't be happier fantastic people fantastic weather and a fantastic boat 😁 Thanks everyone for coming and for all the help especially Athlone sub-aqua club and the RNLI.
If this place goes under, this thread has been my favourite ever on boards.
I came to it about half way through the original build and lived through the highs and lows.
Thank you for sharing.
Brilliant, a happy ending to the best thread on Boards!
(and just before Boards itself slides under the water)
Fab stuff @fergal.b such a happy ending!
By comparison…
Why do we think its about to go under? Has there been a change again or are you just talking about the long term slide of the user base?
You didn't see this, or the push of the new subscription options? It's also been reported in the Indo and the Journal.
They've set a target of 2k subscriptions and are currently on less than 300 so it's not looking great.
Sorry to clog the thread up with shyte, but no, I didn't and apart from the last 24 hours I'm on this site every day. Some hope of getting to 2k if they aren't making us aware...
Amazing, absolutely amazing. Congratulations Fergal.
well done Fergal, what a lovely sound from that engine too! Beautiful boat and workmanship.
You mentioned Nationwide tv show above,, any idea when?
No they were filming the launch and doing lots of interviews, the programme is normally only half an hour and maybe two stories in that the guy will have hours of stuff to put together and cut but I will let you know when I know. It was so hot the drone overheated as well as the boat some of the water intake pipes were black and when I started the engine they were sucked flat before the cold water got to them. I was covered factor 50 and still got burnt to a chrisp 🙂
Looks like I re-found this thread on exactly the right day, hadn't heard you'd found her and I manage to check the thread only a couple of days after you have re-floated her! Congrats Fergal!
If no-one's already suggested it, there's definitely a book in your adventures in boat building/restoring/converting/recovery and rebuilding. No doubt plenty of ghost-writers who'd be only too happy to get involved. Might not make you millions but it'd be nice to think it could fund the next project or a well earned holiday!
This is so true, firstly all the builds have been amazing
And then this turned total hollywood stuff with the never ending search
Everytime over the years when i seen an update, i thought is this finally her
Thanks Fergal, it has been an amazing journey so far and long may it continue
Making waves across the waves down under. 😁
I am the walrus goo-goo g'joob well I had to didn't I 😁
I always think of your boat when I see that Vergin Media advert. 😊
https://www.westmeathindependent.ie/2025/07/25/athlone-sub-aqua-assists-with-coosan-relaunch-of-rescued-boat/
Another article on it.
I was a long time admirer of your various threads here and a long time reader of this one Fergal, until I stopped coming to Boards a few years ago. Randomly remembered this today and had a look and I honestly couldn't believe the last 7 or 8 pages. Delighted for you, and astounded as always!
This could be elevated to Legend of the Boards status imo.
