Green Bean

The famous Cornish netter Lady Hamilton, which sank in a collision at the mouth of the Helford River last autumn, was last week relaunched in its new finery after a magnificent rebuild for skipper Chris Bean and his family fish business based on the Lizard.

A big crowd at Gweek Boatyard saw the 30-footer craned back into the water. After a blessing by Newlyn Mission superintendent Keith Dickson, a little help from skipper Bean allowed his grandson, Taro, to crack a bottle of champagne over the vessel's bow to celebrate the start of her new career.

Known throughout the UK as the source of high quality fish, much of it used for Japanese cuisine, the vessel underpins the income of more then eight people. Her produce is delivered daily to sushi restaurants in London, arriving hours after capture and held in slush ice to remain at the highest level of freshness.

Boatbuilders Barnaby Sheppard, Mark Harris and Carl Austin have spent the last few months rebuilding the salvaged vessel, and Chris Bean said: "They are true craftsmen, their work is first class and the boat is going back into the water looking better than it did over 30 years ago."

The boatbuilders described how the impact to the port side travelled through the forward bulkhead to cause equal damage to the starboard side, but said the boat spending a couple of weeks on the seabed had caused very little added damage.

The engine, switched off before sinking, has been flushed through and is still operating normally. "Only time will tell if it is still OK for long use, but we hope so," said skipper Bean.

Mr Harris said: "We operate individually, but often together. In this instance Chris Bean asked whether we would tackle what appeared to be a major rebuild, and we said yes.

"It was not a question of whether the work could be carried out, but whether it could be done within the time framework we faced, which was very tight.

"Five planks were pushed out on the starboard side and quite a few damaged on the port side. There was a lot more damage on the starboard quarter, perhaps from when she struck the seabed - a lot of that damage we didn't see right from the start.

"We replaced many planks, plus several steamed oak frames and considerably more repairs. It was a big job but she has a very good hull, is very seaworthy and a good design - very much in a typical Cornish 'tosher' style, built very well and tightly seamed right through.

"She is stronger from when the boat was built, particularly in the deck structure, because bearers across the working deck are much stiffer and more robust and instead of a straight laid planked deck it is now plywood sections - far stronger."

Many fishermen wondered why Mr Bean and his family bothered to raise and rebuild a wooden boat built over 30 years ago, but he said: "There was no question of whether she was to be salvaged from the seabed; not only has she been with me since her build at the Looe yard of Pearn & Sons in 1972, she is the pivot of our business and well known among the fish trade.

"And if a boat like the Lady Hamilton has served us so well for so long I had no reason to want any other boat, Also, she's an iconic image to the owners, chefs and customers at many restaurants - to dismantle that and buy another second-hand boat didn't make any sense."

On launch, Lady Hamilton shone in the sun, demonstrating a top quality rebuild - and she will soon once more begin netting for high- priced fish like red mullet.