Boleh is back at Birdham Pool for her first major upgrade and deep maintenance since her total restoration and re-commissioning over 5 years ago. Thanks to the generosity of our major donor, the Nuffield Trust for the Armed Forces of the Crown, Boleh is being fitted with a state of the art Fischer Panda generator to power her twin electric motors. We are also very grateful to other donors – the Foyle Foundation, The Army Central Fund, the Whirlwind Charitable Trust, and the Garfield Weston Charitable Trust – who have enabled us to undertake a full package of work this Winter.
Picture shows Boleh’s unique quadruped mast on the jetty at Birdham awaiting transfer to Tim Gilmore’s shed for refurbishment. Construction of this complex mast structure at Birdham in 2014 was one of the triumphs of Boleh’s restoration. Tim and his team worked with Naval Architect Graham Westbrook to replicate Robin Kilroy’s original 1949 design – for which there were no detailed drawings – with complete success. This Winter’s enhancements will ensure Boleh is ready in all respects for the charitable sailing programme we long to deliver once conditions allow.
