Fitting out of The Vigilant

Fitting out of the 'Vigilant'

"The "Vigilant" was a ketch-rigged trawler built by Uphams at Brixham in 1906, fifty tons gross and thirty-seven tons net register, the purchase price being about £250. Jolly, Phillips and Cooper took up residence on board a few days later, and started work on her almost at once. She was stripped entirely inside, and the twenty-seven tons of iron ballast were landed, cleaned, hoisted on board again ( except three tons) and redistributed. By the new arrangement of ballast we were able to lower the fish-hold floor nine inches, so giving six feet two inches headroom, and this subsequently became our saloon. Then followed the building up of five cabins, four of which were two berth and one single, a galley abaft the saloon, lavatory, lamp-room, etc. No main timbers were in any way interfered with except one beam (originally in the boiler-room) which had become badly scorched by the constant heat and needed attention. About seven feet of it were cut out and a new piece spliced in."

With some casual labour hired from the shore, much fitting out work was conducted through the period from August 1931 to March 1932;

The former owner of the Vigilant, Mr W. George Polyblank, actively assisted in the rigging out of the vessel.

• 27 tons of iron ballast was removed and redistributed to allow lowering of the fish-hold floor by 9 inches. 5 cabins built, galley, lavatory, lamp room. No timbers interfered with except one (originally in boiler room) which had been scorched, seven feet cut out and spliced.

• Main gaff was defective 5 ft from peak, spar replaced with a new one purchased in Plymouth.

• A saloon skylight, companion hatch and ladder, additional bower anchor with 50 or 60 fathoms of cable were salvaged by buying another trawler ‘LYNX’ for £25 which some time before had been converted into a yacht but never completed. This was left in hands of the harbour master for disposal.

• The hull was coated in a concoction of one gallon bitumen, 3 lbs red lead and one pint zinc driers – to prevent the effects of the Teredo worm.

• Application to board of trade to get net tonnage reduced from 37 to 33 (motive being the charges through Panama canal ).

• Messrs Marconi supplied wireless (capable of taking in morse signals at great distance)

• Messrs Stratton-Birmingham supplied an Eddystone 4 valve, all wave set with loudspeaker

• Other purchases; Lifeboat £6 10s, dinghy £3, steering compass with binnacle £3, steering gear for £5

• Vigilant registered with Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club

• Admiralty granted a warrant entitling to fly the Blue Ensign

• Lloyds allocated ship numbers L.H.M.N – remembered by the Vigilant crew, by the saying ‘Lord, Help me navigate’

• Insured against all risks for 9 months , sum of £1200, premium £110 ( thought as being rather steep)

• Steering gear salvaged from a wrecked craft in Torbay for £5

• ‘New type’ paraffin flame fridge fitted – at the time not on market but obtained through friend working at Electrolux