ABOUT THE TRIP

Maudorces was built by boatbuilders James A. Silver Ltd at Roseneath on the River Clyde in Scotland. She was first registered in Greenock in 1925. Originally transom sterned, she was extended by 6 feet a year later to form a canoe stern. This allowed for a huge lazaret storage locker. Following her initial years as a pleasure craft she then became enlisted as a Clyde River Patrol Boat during WWII. She has had a few names over the years since her original Maudorces, including Yvonne, Volva and Rysa. However, she now is back to Maudorces.

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Peter Wilson bought Aldeburgh Boatyard in 1979 and continued to own and run it until 2018 when it was taken over by Demon Yachts. Peter always had a passion for re-building boats and cars and is a renowned member of the 8mr class, having built 2 or 3 along the way. Most recently Ganymede who is for sale!

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Peter bought Maud, as we call her, in 2010, with an ambitious plan to completely re-build her. His plan was nearly put into total disarray when a terrible fire ravaged the yard, burning down most of the buildings and the contents within. Maud was one of the very few boats which survived, a fireman was stationed next to the tent she was housed in, ready to create a wall of water between her and blaze if required!

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As Peter got older, he found it harder and harder to maintain Maud over the winter, this made his plan to go around the UK in 2022 problematic. Help was at hand however, Noah di Paola a graduate sixth form student taking a gap year and Harry Embleton, director of Air Manage Suffolk; taking a year’s sabbatical; both good friends of Peter’s were enlisted to help refit Maud over the winter of 2021. Decks needed sanding and re oiling. The entire exterior needed re-varnishing as well as much of the inside. All the cabins needed a fresh coat of white gloss paint as well as the deckhead and galley. The entire electronics system required overhauling, this was made possible by Raymarine, who kindly partnered with us, enabling modern navigation aboard. Her twin beta marine engines also require an overhaul before the long slog around the UK. Noah, who has a history of sailing having raced in various blue water regattas and has one transatlantic under his belt is helping undertake this work, along with Harry, who is a keen sailor and has raced in Cowes’ weeks and every Wednesday in local river series. Under Peter’s direction the work took place between September through until April, with plans to set off around the UK in late May 2022. Peter, Noah and Harry will make up the 3 permanent crew, with additional crew members coming aboard when needed.

The route will take us anti clockwise, berthing most nights in anchorages or marinas. Some of our ports of call include: Whitby, Inverness, Greenock (Maud’s Port of register), Dublin, The Isles of Scilly, Cowes and then finally back to Aldeburgh at the end of July. Oh, and did we mention Peter is 84? The oldest person to go around the UK by sea; all be it through the Caledonian canal. (according to motor boat and yachting) if he makes it! Follow our progress on Instagram @m.v._maudorces