Survey on a 21ft wooden launch

Pecheur, a wooden Parkstone Bay 21, in need of love... and for sale. Survey coming soon

My latest survey is on Pecheur, a Parkstone Bay Cruiser 21 stranded on a driveway on a suburban street in Poole, Dorset. The Parkstone Bay Cruiser was a reasonably popular little boat built traditionally at the nearby FC Mitchell yard in carvel planks on steamed oak ribs with bilge doublers and floors, and later, in GRP with mahogany upperworks. They came in three variants, defined by their different cabin shapes: it seems, although official records are hard to come by and the boatyard is now, perhaps unsprisingly, a marina, that these were: the Sea Horse (one window each side), Sea Fisher (two windows each side) and Sea Cruiser (three). This one, believed to have been built in 1971, could be the last wooden version built by the yard. I made a flying visit while en route, and it's clear that the planking is almost entirely rottten above the waterline, and the boat represents a serious undertaking to get her back on the water. However, she comes with a good, braked road trailer and a c20hp, two-pot Bukh diesel, legendarily bulletproof units. And, while I wouldn't pretend this is a 'serious restoration that needs saving' in the manner of a rare Riva or old Fife yacht, there is something very appealing about Pecheur, both practically (decent cockpit, surprisingly good cabin and the ability to live on your drive on a trailer for free) and aesthetically. This is a very pretty, timeless little gent's harbour launch, and you'd pay an awful lot to have something like it built in wood today. Full condition report here.