Dave Wheatley Boats

"Polly" is an 18' fishing boat built on the Isle of Portland in 1957. Her original name was "Saxon Princess", with the fishing boat registration number WH1.

She was built as a very sturdy work boat, clinker construction of teak on oak. The previous owner added this 'not quite right' wheel house of ply and glass fibre, with double glazing! However, it does keep the rain off, and painting it white helped.

Her beach boat origin is indicated by the footrest on her stem, and the lute stern for dispersing following waves.

"Polly" is an 18' fishing boat built on the Isle of Portland in 1957. Her original name was "Saxon Princess", with the fishing boat registration number WH1. She was built as a very sturdy work boat, clinker construction of teak on oak. The previous owner added this 'not quite right' wheel house of ply and glass fibre, with double glazing! However, it does keep the rain off, and painting it white helped. Her beach boat origin is indicated by the footrest on her stem, and the lute stern for dispersing following waves. What is always the biggest problem with a motorboat? Correct! the engine, and this was/is no exception. Exhaust not connected, incomplete wiring, no starting handle, decompression lever missing, throttle lever broken off and missing, half the regulator arrangement missing, over-wintering oil in the fuel system, broken valves in the water pump, etc... God bless my mate John, who actually got this thing going within about two hours. Not ready for sea you understand, just enough to give me hope. The is a Yanmar PMX6 (6hp). This model hasn't been produced for years and years, parts are now virtually unobtainable. So what was the alternative? To make them, and that is what I've done. For example: E-mails and a fax revealed that replacement valves for the water pump no longer existed, this was no surprise to me as the original plastic ones had crumbled to almost nothing in salt water. Yanmar suggested a replacement pump for £600. Two tap washers and headless bolts did the job for less than fifty pence. Likewise the regulator and throttle were rebuilt with bicycle parts, a key ring and some other scrap metal. This old lump chugs Polly along at her hull speed of about 4 knots and to date has never conked out.


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