The 2014 Southampton Boat Show glowed with a dazzling array of polished fibre-glass hulls glinting in the sunlight. From the latest sleek sportscruisers to towering gin palaces and even a superyacht or two, it was enough to make even a budding oligarch drool. But incredible as these modern wonders were, none of them grabbed my attention as much as a 113-year-old gentleman’s motor launch called Wise Folly. It was being exhibited by Dennett Boat Builders after a full restoration by the company’s craftsmen. I had no inkling that meeting them would be the start of a life-changing adventure.
The reason Wise Folly had caught my eye was because I’d come to the show to look for inspiration and advice on how to restore my own classic boat at the time, Little Ann II. She had been built in 1946 by William Osborne and was a 26ft Swift Junior class design. Unfortunately Little Ann had developed dry rot in the hull above the waterline and leaks in the roof and superstructure.
At the time, I knew very little about wooden boats. Little Ann had been, if not an impulse buy, certainly a rash and rushed purchase. I had decided that I wanted to propose to my husband-to-be on a boat. But not just any old boat; my own boat.
Despite having had little experience at sea, I have been attracted to boats since I was a child. One of my earliest memories is of taking the helm of a little wooden speedboat on holiday in Italy. I still remember the feeling of pride and excitement of being at the helm, a feeling I was desperate to rekindle.
I approached the Dennett stand and got chatting to David but was looking for inspiration to restore my own boat. He offered me a cup of tea, and despite not really liking tea (I am Belgian by birth), I accepted because it was an opportunity to pick his brains while trying to decide if they were the right people to carry out restoration. Spurred on by my determination to propose on the boat – under Tower Bridge was my plan – I soon decided they were the team I needed. The project would be supervised by Stephen Dennett himself.
