Gambol as purchased The motivation to purchase an Atalanta was to be able to trail to new sailing ground with my young family - two girls 1 & 3, the idea of a separate cabin for them also appealed. This despite still owning a strip plank Van De Statt 29'er which I spent 18 months rebuilding around 03.

I purchased Gambol in Brightlingsea with the keels out and unused for a number of years. Clearly still a much loved boat she was overall in good condition with no sign of rot (apart from the aft end of the keel boxes) and only a small area of delamination on the starboard aft quater. Numerous fastenings in the bottom and deck were pushing the filler proud.

Coming off the trailer I was lucky that she had an old unroadworthy trailer which I was able to have refurbed (new brakes, suspension units, wheels, hitch & jockey wheel) at West Mersea Trailers for half the cost of a new one.

Gambol was trailed back to Sandbach Cheshire in March 06 behind a long wheelbase bread van borrowed from a friend.

The following scope of works was carried out - New stainless heel fitting to rudder skeg, new stainless metalwork in starboard keel box, new standing & running rigging, refasten deck where filler had popped, refill with epoxy filler same in hull, new Taylors 029 paraffin cooker with oven (subsequently realised, from plans included with her, why this was the only cooker with oven that fitted as it was the original spec!), strip & varnish transom & coachroof, repaint hatches, topsides & rubbing strake which were not painted to my taste. etc etc etc - She is still a work in progress!!

Keel box cracked open New stbd aft end keel box New stainless steel keel box metalwork

Keel box after repair New stainless steel heel fitting Anybody need a hand with their topsides?

She was launched in Scotland near Oban July 06 and disappointingly despite work by the previous owner she still leaks badly through fore end of the keel boxes at around a bucket an hour though this did reduce with a combination of Sikaflex & taking up.

At anchor near Oban 06 Oban July 06 Oban approaches

So it will be keels back out in the Autumn - as I said work in progress!

Simon Garrat, 2006