A page for any and all sailors, enthusiasts and spectators to be informed on the preservation and expansion of the Belfast Lough One-Design, better known as the ‘Fairies.’
Paxie Rebuild
Paxie (No.8) is quite possibly the most distinguished of all the Fairies of the old Enniskillen Yacht Club, having been owned by Robert W. Wilson, one of the founding members of the aforementioned organisation, as well as the key driving force in acquiring the Fairy class for the Lough. Paxie would be one of the most utilised and successful of her class, consistently winning races and almost always answering the gun over the course of the last century, The boat boasted sailors of great repute like Colonel E Saunderson; an MP, Landlord and one of the most prominent figures in 19th century Irish Unionism, leading the Irish Unionist Alliance against Home Rule. Saunderson was also a dedicated Yachtsman, having designed, built and owned a number of large one-designs and 2-raters. The most prominent of these being the sinisterly named ‘Witch,’ a 2500 sq ft canvassed Goliath measuring over 40 ft in length that would have made a boat like Paxie look like a dingy in comparison!
Paxie’s extensive life came at a cost however, the old saying that ‘the candle that burns twice as bright, lasts half as long’ being quite apt here. By the late 80s the boat was in poor shape and had been stored improperly, leading to rot setting into much of the wood. For almost 30 years the boat was laid up in the Killadeas hanger of the LEYC. In 2020 she was taken by Paul & Conor Louden-Brown to be totally re-built from the keel up as a new boat alongside her sister Doreen. The project aims to be completed in 2022, in time for the 120th anniversary of the Fairy class. More on Paxie’s history can be viewed here.
Paxie being removed from LEYC after being laid up for over 4 decades.Start of the paint stripping, revealing her original Turquoise Blue and later Cornflower Blue paint.Repairs to the Bow Sprit.Templates used for Petrels restoration came in handy for the new Paxie.Jig pieces being adjusted and measured for the first frames.F-10 Port and Starboard made and held up to give a sense of the future shape of the boat.24 of the 52 frames needed for the two boatsFinishing touches on Part 1 of the bread & butter mould of the ‘Big Knee’A new Frame No.10 clamped to its original. This gives you a sense of scale for the frames.Setting up the jig for the Stem laminatesThe complete Stem jigThe shape of things to comeThe slow and delicate dismantling beginsThe first group of laminates for the first stemThe last few elements of Paxie’s structurePaxie’s keelson was made in two pieces of European Oak as opposed to one solid piece.Cleaning up her original transomDoreen & Paxie’s keels being taken off for blast cleaning.Breaking the stem free of the jig.
Paxies condition was very poor, scarf joints and patches covered the planking in an attempt to maintain her structural integrity.Repairs to the Gammon Iron.Starboard of the boat cut away. Almost every plank and joint in Paxie was compromised, wether it be from rot, wood worm or splitting.Some frames were of a somewhat different design to Petrels and required adjustments. White oak laminates, pre-cut and made coarse to improve bonding with the epoxy process.F-10 Starboard size, epoxied, clamped up and left to bond.Clamping up the epoxy soaked laminates of the ‘Big Knee’The first of four frame No.4s. This marks the 29th frame overall to be made.The new ‘Big Knee’ shaped and compared to the remnants of Paxie’s original.The two new ‘Big Knees’ for Paxie & Doreen.52 0f 52 frames for both ‘Doreen’ & ‘Paxie’Last minute checks of the patternStern frame no.2 glued and clamped up Both Stern frames for the yachtsSeparating Paxie’s port-side streaks for future patternsPart 1 of 2 of the stem creationStoring the streaks for the future workThe last and most crucial element remains; the KeelKeelson removed and keel bolts dropped and extractedThe two keels, blasted and ready to be epoxy coated.The epoxy coat means that no oxidisation can take place and the iron becomes effectively impervious to moisture damage and atmospheric change.The old and the new. Paxie’s original stem with her newer, more substantial laminated oak replacement.
Fairy Class Yacht Association 