N823 Bubbles

[National 12 Webmaster]

The life of N823 Bubbles. Design: Uffa King, designed by: Uffa Fox in 1936.  Built by Peter Brookman and William Brooks. 

[ken goddard]

N.823 "Bubbles" was built by Peter Brookman, father of Michael. In 2002 I was invited to go and look at this boat by Andrew Stowe, a Sea Scout, and the boat was at the Loughborough Sea Scouts building. Andrew is the son of Paul Stowe who at the time was the owner of N.1550.
N.823 is a ribbed boat and I found her to be in rather poor condition. The hull was reasonably sound but the plank next to one of the garboard planks had a long crack in it, about a millimetre wide. All the ribs seemed to be okay. The varnish throughout was in very poor condition and there was some need for re-decking.
The heavy wooden mast looked to be sound . There was a fixed rudder. There were two suits of cotton sails; the jibs had galvanised luff wires.
Andrew Stowe was considering restoring this boat but it would be a long job. He would be a rather mature scout at the end of it! I have no idea of what happened to the boat after my visit.
 
Ken Goddard