Model Boat Mayhem

The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Working Vessels => Topic started by: Bryan Young on May 09, 2007, 05:07:47 pm

Title: RNLI "Helen Blake"
Post by: Bryan Young on May 09, 2007, 05:07:47 pm
Helen Blake by Brian Hodgeson of TMBC.
Brian specialises in "little" sailing craft. This one is only about 15" long. Takes it all morning to circuit the lake!
Title: Re: RNLI "Helen Blake"
Post by: MCAT on July 31, 2007, 09:04:54 am
Only just spoted this post, well done to Brian  a super model, looks fantastic on the water as well
Title: Re: RNLI "Helen Blake"
Post by: Charlie on August 01, 2007, 12:47:29 pm
That's a lovely model. Did the builder manage to obtain any drawings before building? I think the full size boat is in the Lifeboat museum at Chatham.
Title: Re: RNLI "Helen Blake"
Post by: dpbarry on August 08, 2007, 08:16:51 pm
Hi Folks..

Its this based on a 'true' lifeboat or is this just the name give to this lifeboat.  My reason for asking is that I'm just back from a small village in the south of Ireland called 'Fethard-on-sea' where in 1914, nine of the local crew were drowned in an attempt to rescue the crew of the schooner 'Mexico'.  The name of the Lifeboat was the 'Helen Blake'.  My late father originated from the area and was a Lighthouse keeper for the Irish Lights in Dublin. A few years back, I was a member of my local lifeboat crew on the Mersey Class & D-Class Lifeboat. Even though I have issues with management, the attraction of a lifeboat still grips me something serious. 

The 'Helen Blake'  lifeboat above is lovely although I think the same named Fethard Lifeboat was a different design.

Declan
Title: Re: RNLI "Helen Blake"
Post by: johno 52-11 on August 08, 2007, 10:45:23 pm
According to the information I have there have been 2 lifeboats named "Helen Blake" the first was the one Declan has mentioned O.N. 546 a 35' pulling and sailing built in 1905 stationed at Fethard and lost wrecked on service in 1914. The second which I think the model at the start is of is O.N. 809 a 28' single screw Harbour Class lifeboat built in 1938 and stationed at Poolbeg until 1959 this boat is now on display in the Lifeboat collection at Chatham Docks. This is the only one of this Class of Lifeboat Built.