In Late 1985, Jim’s health began to fail and so I made it my objective to bring Smuggler’s hull home in order to patch her up and get her back on the water, if nothing more than to provide dad with a sense of achievement.

Commencement of Boat Reconstruction at Rob’s home - On first inspection we found that
Smuggler has Mahogany Coamings; her Transom was also built from Mahogany planking and Copper-nailed, Clenched and Roved throughout.

Built of carvel construction in mahogany-on-oak, Smuggler has an oak keel, Hog, Bow, Stem-piece and Stern-post.

Her Shaft-log, Engine bearers and Rubbing bands are of resinous pitch-pine; her deck planks are of teak; the margin boards and king planks are of Honduras mahogany and her well-deck is teak.

Her engine-bearers are of substantial cross-section and well over 8’ 8” in length. They run from the rear well-deck to beyond boat centre. On this, Jim remarked that her intended power unit must have been significantly larger than the 28 h.p. Meadows motor, but little did we then realise her original power unit was a 70 h.p. Six-cylinder 65-F/10 Brooke Motor weighing over 1880 lbs dry (3/4-Ton)! In stark contrast, “Smuggler” was very lightly built and as we have now learned, is ‘on the plane’ at just Six-knots. Our canal boat was in fact a very early racing boat!

However, in 1912 “Smuggler” was given a low cabin with three small rectangular lights on each side (MoD Contract CP443/12 refers).

Most fittings are of Naval Bronze including her eight opening port lights that are now thought to be slightly later additions. The differing flange dimensions made these look very odd if interchanged! Three port light flanges were damaged well beyond repair so we went straight to Langton’s Iron Foundry in Stockport to have these re-cast. Noting their original dimensions beforehand, on their return I re-spun the flanges on a lathe before re-reaming each of the taper-pin seats prior to re-fitting each Port light. The Port Lights ran in pairs conforming to flange dimensions with hull-position.
It was essential for each opposing flanged port-light pair to retain its original position.

One particular inescapable anomaly, however, was a manifestly large number of fractures at (and about) her water-line that were later attributed to use on a weapons establishment!

Statistics at the time were as follows:
Navy Number (Initially unknown)..MB (or ML) 117
Number (PLRS)…………………..B26
Power Unit…………………….….28 h.p. Henry Meadows ‘Kittiwake’ petrol Motor - 1962-1991 LOA………………………………32’
LWL………………………………31’ 8”
Beam Overall………………………7’8”
Beam (Waterline)…………………..6’
Draft……………………………….2’8”

The first item restoration was her Meadows marine engine, which Jim worked on for 18-months after bringing it back to our home.

Our first challenge was to lower the marine-motor through our, relatively tiny, cellar window and for this, a tripod with wheel was used to allow the motor to drop down through the open window before resting it on the work-bench inside… incredulously, the plan worked well.

Sadly, in the Autumn of 1986, Jim’s health began to deteriorate more rapidly than expected. He died on 8th November that same year before we could get “Smuggler’s” rebuilt Henry Meadows Kittiwake engine, that he was so passionate about, re-installed into the boat. After Jim died and with Joyce’s blessing, we decided to embark on a complete restoration programme for “Smuggler” which took her southwards in the direction of Coventry boat builders.

This Craft remains a Tribute to the memory of James P Clements (Jim)