KNYSNA NEWS - The fifth annual Antique & Classic Boat Show will be held in Thesen Harbour Town on Saturday 7 October from 10:00.
Among the boats on display will be an original Thesen Boatyard "Viking". This was the model name given to this rear-seat driven, wooden speedboat. It is not known how many were made here in Knysna, but this may be the only one left in existence.
The boat was ordered by Clifford Harris in the 1950s and used on the Little Brak river for many years. The current owner, Andre Beyers, saw it through the dirty window of a neighbour's garage in Little Brak and fell under her spell!
The boat was on display, in her original state, as a “barn find” at last year's show with the unassuming name of “K10” on her hull. Since then she has undergone restoration and will be on display at this year's show in pristine condition.
No expense has been spared, with a brand new Suzuki 50hp, four-stroke motor having been fitted by Tait Marine.
Since “restoration” means returning something to its original state in every detail, “'renovation” is probably more appropriate in the case of K10. While at sea off Simon's Town she hit a submerged object and suffered damage to her port bow.
At this point, her wooden hull was covered in a fibreglass layer that remains today. All her hardware has been rechromed, including the original brass Thesen Boatyard badge, and navigation lights have been sourced, as required by marine safety legislation.
The steering wheel and mechanism was missing as were her gauges, and her deck was in a sorry state.
All the hardware of Il Silenzio has been rechromed, including the original brass Thesen Boatyard badge.
Her renovation started in February this year with her hull being faired, repaired and resprayed in period-specific off-white. Next, her plywood deck, held down by over 100 brass screws, was removed. Her frames were sanded and extra support built in, where it was needed.
Since there was no dry rot, much of her original meranti and oak was retained to keep her “character” and patina, achieved over 60 long years. A new deck veneer was sourced in George and cut to fit the boat. Various difficulties presented themselves along the way, as is the case when using modern techniques on a historical framework.
Space is always tight and fitting modern equipment such as hydraulic steering presents its challenges. Buoyancy requirements mean space needs to be found for large quantities of foam, and old boats were relatively uncomfortable by modern standards.
The annual Antique & Classic Boat Show will be held on Saturday 7 October at Thesen Harbour Town.
Il Silenzio is her new name, after a favourite orchestral piece of the owner's late father. She may be relatively “silent” with her new four-stroke motor, but in her present condition she's going to make quite an impact at the show.
All money raised from sponsors and cap sales will be donated to the Knysna fire station personnel for their bravery in defending the town during the June fires. Do come down to Thesen Harbour Town on Saturday, October 7 and support the show.
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