Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request concrete boat

Does anyone remember the concrete boat that sank in birkenhead dock when the crane lifting it in fell in to the dock on top of it cant remember the year but think late 70s not sure !!!

From memory I think it was a man who was going to go on a great adventure, A guy called Ronnie Horner and his crane got it out.
It was some time ago can not remember year

he spent years building it in his back garden then had crane lift it over his house and then sink it at the docks

I heard about it at the time. My friend was
fitting out a Colvic Watson 25 ft motor sailer
at the time (so around 1979-80). The story I heard
was that the crane job was a "favour" and the
crane was a write off as was the boat. Both went
into Alfred Basin during the launch and were recovered
by MDHB - so extra cost there. The old salts view
was that it might not have got to the Bar anyway.

We watched a very large ferrocement yacht
being rendered by specially employed plasterers
all in one day in the same shed as my mates boat.
They did a fantastic job - super finish. That guy
had built the steelwork over time himself but got
help in to do the cementwork.

I remeber it too,thereis a cocerete boat lying in Stone manganese yard now , looks to be seventies style, could be the same one.

I remember in the 80s another concrete boat that was built by the dock at duke street,they where two brothers Eric & Harry (R). Wont say their full name and they also owned the video shop at the top of Oxton Rd in the 80s, dont know what happened to that boat,sorry if of topic slightly.

According to the rumours at the time,- the boat was built by a woodwork/design tech. teacher from Henry Meols school called Mr Miller (I think his name was). The same bloke invented something to do with the suspension system for range rovers and made a fortune, so gave up teachng in the late 80's.

mr miller was my old design teacher at henry meols.
he lives in moreton still and has an unfinished metal boat outside his house.

I was involved from the near beginning helping my brother in law fabricate the frame for Eric and Harry's yatch. A specialist team came across from Hull (I think)to apply the concrete a year or so after we started. This was unique in this county at the time and on the day all friends and family came along to help mix and pass out the concrete in buckets. As it was a bit special, it was covered on TV by Granada Reports. When the concrete dried we then had to spray it with acid to neutralise the lime, then wash it down with water....I think it is still around the Wallasey dockland somewhere...not sure why it was never finished...

There are two ferro yacht hulls in a yard in Argyle Street just now. Chap was trying to sell them on e-bay. Then he said he was having to leave the yard. Someone is working in the yard, but the boats are still there. Don't know if this is relevant to the story but ferro hulls are virtually indestructable if proper;y built.