Burnham sunken boat leaves quay for restoration work

The classic motor yacht Llys Helig has moved from Burnham Quay to Sutton Wharf boatyard for restoration.

The boat was built in Southampton in 1922 at JL Thornycrooft in Woolston.

It was historically used as a tender for pirate radio station Radio Caroline and then as a houseboat.

Yacht owner: Howard Dawber (Image: Howard Dawber)

The 32-metre yacht famously capsized in its moorings near Burnham’s war memorial in 2017.

London-based businessman Howard Dawber, from Manchester, bought the sunken boat in 2018, after seeing her advertised on eBay.

Mr Dawber is a property company director who runs his own consultancy in London.

Speaking about his reasons for buying the boat, he said: “Honestly it is a mixture of mid-life crisis and going on eBay after a good night out.

“I saw her advertised and it got under my skin. Eventually I did the research and when I discovered what she really was, it just seemed wrong that she would end her days decaying half sunk in the mud in Burnham.”

He added: “Before I bought the boat I had never been to Burnham in my life.

Sunken boat: the boat before it was raised (Image: N/a)

“But what a lovely town, with great community spirit, and the people have been very supportive and interested in the boat.

“I will miss my regular visits to Burnham now the boat has moved to Rochford.”

The boat was raised from the mud and refloated in 2020 with the help of Essex Marina.

She was loaded into a floating dry dock and then transported to Rochford on Monday for surveying and repair work led by Mike’s Boatyard.

Mr Dawber plans to restore the 1922 lines and features of the boat and hopes to live in the houseboat.

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His aim is to carry out a full restoration, making it an ocean-going yacht, which will cost millions of pounds.

Sadly, for Burnham residents the yacht will not be returning to the town on a permanent basis.

Mr Dawber said: “If she’s moving under her own power when restored we will bring her back to Burnham for a visit but not to moor up in a mud berth again. Unlike the flat bottom barges she should never have been in a mud berth really.”