IBTC News

Recent IBTC Portsmouth students in the running for an award

In late 2018 Prettiest Star Boatbuilding, the company started by recent students Seb and Laura, was appointed by The National Trust to restore Liddesdale, a mahogany-built electric canoe. Liddesdale was built in the early 1920's for Nancy Astor's Cliveden House on the River Thames. Electric river craft were very popular at the time, and this handsomely upholstered and varnished canoe was an elegant addition to the Astor boat collection.

Liddesdale is one of only a very few boats in the National Trust's collections and was in need of a complete overhaul when she was purchased by them in 2015. With the assistance of fellow ex-students Becci and Justin (the latter of whom helped with the varnishing), the canoe was completely stripped back and underwent major repairs over the spring and summer of 2019. Jobs included replacing and steaming in 47 timbers, replacing nine planks, fitting a new stem and forefoot, not to mention 16 coats of carefully applied varnish. It is planned that visitors to Cliveden will be offered trips in Liddesdale in the summer months.

Voting for the Classic Boat Awards closes on 8th March 2020. You can vote here. 

 

22/01/2020

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