Hi everyone, I bought 3168 from Jeremy Deacon a while ago and have set about redecking and tidying up. Curious to learn about it's history. I know it is a Summer Wine built in '79 by Keith Probert and once called Crimson Wine but nothing else.

How is she coming Kevin? Are you going to be on the water by the new season?

As you say 3168 is a Morrison Summer Wine design built by Keith Probert in 1979. She was called 'Mac-On-Rouge' by her first owner A McGoldrick at Bala SC.
The 1985 Year Book shows a new owner P Hemingway at the same club and the 1986 YB records a change of name to 'In The Red' and a change of club to Blithfield.
The 1988 YB shows her name changed again to 'Damson Wine'and a new owner J Dawson at Redditch SC.
In 1990 she was owned by R Colinshaw at Burton SC and in 1993 by J Halbert at Carsington SC.
The 1997 YB records the owner as D Crockett back at Blithfield.
Then there is a gap in the records until the 2011 Year Book in which the owner is shown a Steve Poulter at Reading.

Wow, alot of names to choose from, and back at Blithfield for a third time! I got her from Steve earlier this year with a view to doing what Kevin is doing but decided his need was greater than mine!

Steve rescued her from a farmers field (hence the gap) and did some remedial work, which Kevin is now doing properly (at Steves own admission!), before sailing her and taking her to Rutland Training last year. She is not a bad boat and I put a trailer back under her for Kevin so she is all there and I am looking forward to seeing how she looks done up!

A big thank you to Tony Lane for the comprehensive history for 3168 and for correcting some of the information I thought I had already. At the moment the decks and gunwhales are off and all of the fittings are removed. I am at the slow stage of stripping the internal varnish with Nitromors and a scraper, back breaking work especially on a wide boat. I have found one split seam just below the jib sheet fairlead blocks on the port side which will need some attention and a gap below the transom where the garboards have been replaced. Was tempted to redo the garboard repair which was done with thicker than usual plywood but decided, for a first attempt at renovation, to leave well alone!
Watching Jeremy’s progress on Panatella has been inspirational with lots of ideas about ways to attempt the work; as someone said, what a novel use for bulldog clips!
If anyone is interested I have put photo’s on the following site:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68478670@N02/ 

Many thanks to those who maintain and support such a great discussion forum!

Hi Kevin,

I found using a hot air gun and Scarsten Scraper (with Tungsten bit) very quick to remove varnish. Even a Butane Gas torch is good as long as you don't scorch the wood. The problem with Nitromors is that it can be very, very messy and time consuming as opposed to the latter option. Good luck with the renovation.

I agree with Richard.  Have used hot air gun exclusively for varnish removal on all the vintage boats I have worked on.

While you have the decks off it might be worthwhile fitting a low tank and stiffen up the front end of the boat.

Wow ! Glad to see this boat being restored. I was a Bala member when this boat was brand new - I saw it in Alec's garage before it hit the water.