SV Coral circa 1902 and built from teak,is now Schooner rigged

Coral,the proud flag ship of The Traditional Boat Association,Cape Town.


Left click on the picture to view in amazing full size,photo by Roy McBride

Coral (eighty feet on deck) arrived here in Cape Town on the decks of a ship,the owner,Robin,thought it a good idea to rescue her from her mud berth in the UK,he had a motor and a temporary rudder fitted,then had Coral taken across the English Channel,where she was then loaded onto the ship who would bring her 7000 miles south to Cape Town.She was teak planked below the waterline,construction wise,the boat was typical of her type,not expected to last past twenty years but here she is now some 106 years further on and sailing once more,a tribute to her owner and those who worked on her,mainly Stremple Marine.

Commercial Lumber (now CKD Boats) supplied the clear oregon pine to Coral's new masts and spars,also the teak and plywoods to the new laid decks,this was over a period of about five years as the restoration progressed.Yacht designer,Ernst Van Der Laan drew the new Schooner masts set up.