Saturday 26 June 2010

As Long Back As I Can Remember,

I have always liked MTB's (Motor Torpedo Boats), like this one here, HMS Gay Archer, it is a type "B" "Short" Interchangeable Fast Attack Craft, I have always liked the speed they have with the sound they make with their 3 Rolls Royce or Packard engines,
the boat left abandon has been restored to her former glory by Paul and Rhian Childs, the couple ditched their jobs, sold up and moved into a caravan after buying 75ft torpedo boat HMS Gay Archer for £1.00 and then spent another £150,000 and two years to bring her back to new,
as she was in the 1950's, even before the Royal Navy signed for her she had her Hull punctured when on her 1st delivery to the RN by the Vosper Ferry Crew, for a little more of her history look here, but for me a big 'well done' to Paul and Rhian for keeping some of our history alive.

The Gay Archer at full speed.

2 comments:

Jil Wrinkle said...

Nice idea... but if these folks quit their jobs and are living in a motor home to do this, you can be damn sure that they can't afford to put petrol in that thing. I'm guessing cruising speed on that thing would cost £200 per hour!

PattayaStan said...

Dear Jil, 3 X 1,500 horse power, you can bet it will be expensive to run! but I think it will become a floating museum, but used for opening ceremonies or similar, I guess renting it for the day would be another way to go for corporate events, but in any event if you look at the link and scroll down, the work they did on the boat was nothing short of Herculean, and all done in 2 years, best regards, Stan and Diana.