Harbour Marine Services

Incorporating Southwold & Ipswich Boatyards

Hippocampus

Hippocampus is a Bates Star Craft 33 from Shepperton on the Thames. She is coming to our Southwold yard to have a thorough refit. The proposed list of works includes repairing the teak decks and transom, design and installation of an outside helm position complete with a Brookland screen, revarnishing, repainting the hull, new covers, carpets, upholstery and furnishings plus the usual winter maintenance works.

Latest Updates

Hippocampus, 26th January 2024 update:

Although there is still a great deal of internal works to be carried out the external varnishing works have begun on Hippocampus to keep the job progressing nicely.

Hippocampus, January 2024 update:

Hippocampus has come back to HMS Ipswich for a mini refit over the winter months, she is having new stainless steel window frames, new deck head linings and a few other internal alterations and in addition she is being revarnished throughout.

Hippocampus, December 2023 update:

Hippocampus has returned to HMS to the Ipswich yard for winter refit works, she is currently having her headlinings taken down, for some minor internal adjustments to be made, then the window frames are being removed and the superstructure varnished.

Hippocampus, August 2021 update:

Hippocampus had a fantastic weekend at the Thames Traditional boat festival in Henley over the August bank holiday weekend and was awarded the Reardan Plate for the best Star Craft in show as voted by the owners association and the Star Craft Starter kit trophy for the most restoration completed in the previous year. She looked very pretty on the water and her new aft deck fly bridge looked totally in keeping with her beautiful shape.

Hippocampus, August 2021 update:

Paul made the journey to deliver and fit…the name sign and panels on aft seating area. She will be at Henley at the Thames Traditional boat festival.

Hippocampus, June 2021 update:

With the river trials successfully completed the new interior carpets and cushions were fitted and everything was put back together. It all came together in the end after a final push to finish. Then today we said farewell as she was loaded onto transport courtesy of our friends at Squirrel Marine and headed for the Thames. She looked fabulous in the sunshine as she left and the early part of the journey was made interesting by the fair in town!

Hippocampus, June 2021 update:

Hippocampus has emerged from the tent and it’s all hands on deck to get her finished for her departure. She is being loaded onto road transport in the morning for delivery to the Thames.

Hippocampus, June 2021 update:

With the customers deadline looming it’s quite literally all hands on deck to get her finished. She has been in the tent for a few weeks and the engineering team have been busy sorting her steering and the marine electricians have been doing the wiring. It has been tricky to photograph her progress inside the tent but today I attempted to capture her freshly painted and varnished exterior. She is due to be finished this week!

Hippocampus, May 2021 update:

It has been a super busy few weeks on Hippocampus. With the wood work almost complete and ready to put back on board the engineering team were installing the steering system only to be set back with a faulty part. While we await a replacement there is no time to waste so the painter and finishers have moved her into the tent outside to complete the exterior painting. Unfortunately progress shots are not easy, and with unusually cold weather in May we have taken to using our winter heaters so the paint will cure. When she comes out again it will be like the great unveil!

Hippocampus, May 2021 update:

With the woodworking side of the restoration almost complete we are now waiting for the engineering team to install the steering and the electricians to wire up the new gadgets then we will be ready for the finishing team to paint and varnish the top coats.

Hippocampus, April 2021 update:

The corner posts have now been fully repaired and Paul has been busy building the aft cabin bunk. The outside steering position has been fabricated and she is looking great. We had a visit from the owner last week when he came up to catch up with progress.

Hippocampus, February 27th 2021 update:

While carrying out a few repairs on the deck we have uncovered some rot in the transom corners, Paul is in the process of doing a great repair job. From the pictures you can see the before and after. I love how crabbing buckets have their uses around the yard during this lockdown period in the absence of holiday makers in Southwold crabbing off the key!

Hippocampus, February 3rd 2021 update:

The cabin sides have been sanded back once again for another coat of varnish and the aft steering position is being assembled. The star craft decorative design has been offered up. We last did this on Karinda.

Hippocampus, February 1st 2021 update:

The guys have been busy varnishing and then sanding between the layers this week and masking up ready for another coat, and our steel fabricator is working on the aft deck outside steering position.

Hippocampus, January 22nd 2021 update:

Hippocampus poked her head out and has been tucked back up in shed 1 for more works to continue.

Hippocampus, January 2021 update:

The varnishing has begun, this is the first of many coats that will be applied and then sanded off to build up the depth of colour and achieve the best finish.

Hippocampus, December update:

The superstructure has been sanded right back in preparation for the varnishing and has revealed a past life.

Hippocampus December update: Hippocampus has now been moved into shed 1 for the works to begin.

The first stage is to remove the window surrounds and fittings so the superstructure can be sanded back ready for varnishing.

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