Seahouses fishing coble all set for Bridlington festival following restoration

Kathleen, built in 1949 by the Dawson and Beverley boat building partnership for William Burn Stephenson of Boulmer, will be at the Sailing Coble Festival in Bridlington, East Yorkshire, on July 23-24.

Its restoration by owners Julie and Ian Coultas has been a real labour of love.

Kathleen was found on the brink of being broken up at North Shields in 2019.

They had been looking for a suitable coble to restore and rig after being bitten by the sailing bug at the 2018 festival.

The opportunity arose when the coble Tomleo was seen advertised for sale. She was laying in The Gut at North Shields and in quite a sorry state.

Retired coble builder John Clarkson went with Julie and Ian to view Tomleo and the deal was struck.

She was transported to Bridlington in August 2019 but due to various circumstances, Covid and lockdown included, restoration work did not start in earnest until October 2020.

The two top strakes (planks) either side were replaced and a number of new timbers (ribs) fitted by John and his team of volunteers, all members of the Bridlington Sailing Coble

Preservation Society.

It had been decided to change her name back to Kathleen and her original fishing number BK 46 was painted on her bow as a nod of respect to whom she had been built for 72 years previously.

Since her relaunch in June 2021, Kathleen – resplendent in pale blue and white – has been seen regularly sailing in Bridlington Bay.