• Underfall Yard volunteer Andrew Radford has been finding out about the latest success for Star Yachts. Win Cnoops, owner of Underfall Yard-based Star Yachts has had his Bristol 6 motor launch shortlisted for one of the categories in Classic Boat Magazine’s prestigious 15th annual Classic Boat awards. These awards celebrate the best in the world of classic and traditional boatbuilding and restoration.  There are various classes which make up the awards featuring everything from antique restored sailing yachts to new, cutting edge, spirit-of-tradition yachts as well as restored and new powered vessels, this being where The Bristol 6 is [...]

  • Underfall Yard Volunteer writer Andrew Radford has been keeping abreast of the latest developments... I visited the yard in February to see how the Slipway Restoration Project was progressing. The sun was out, the aroma of bacon rolls was emanating from the Underfall Café and the sound of power tools was resonating around the yard. At first sight the Slip looked much as it did when last I was here with the cradle out of the water and resting at the top of runway.  But a pile of bogies and wheels and a bucket of enormous bolts, used to [...]

  • The Patent Slipway at the yard is undergoing a major restoration for the first time in nearly 30 years. Underfall Yard Volunteer Writer Andrew Radford decided to investigate. Underfall Yard at the Western end of Bristol’s floating harbour is a treasure trove of historic machinery and equipment related to the nautical world, much of which is still in working order, making the Yard not a Museum but an exemplar of conservation and regeneration. A prime example of this and one of the stars of the Yard is undoubtedly the Patent Slip. Boatyards commonly have slipways in order that boats [...]

  • In November Underfall Yard was delighted to welcome boatbuilder Gail McGarva to run her Disappearing Lines boatbuilding workshop. Underfall Yard volunteer writer Andrew Radford takes up the story.  Having only recently joined the Underfall Yard volunteer force, and spent some time reading the website, I saw mention of this workshop and signed up. Between doing so and the day of the event I had many moments of doubt wondering what on earth was a 74-year-old landlubber with few practical skills doing attending a boat building workshop? But it was great to step outside my comfort zone and be able [...]

  • On 9th, 10th and 11th of November Underfall Yard will host a series of special boatbuilding workshops run by traditional boatbuilder Gail McGarva. The Disappearing Lines workshop is a combination of practical hands-on activities interwoven with capturing the stories of craft in danger of extinction. The one-day workshop will give you the opportunity to try your hand at two key processes in traditional wooden boat building – steam bending and copper-rivet fastening. Through demonstrating and tutoring, you will create your own miniature oak ribcage of a boat, a ghost ship symbolising the disappearing lines of the craft. You do [...]

  • Explore Bristol’s maritime past at Docks Heritage Weekend 2019, with events for all ages at Underfall Yard, M Shed and SS Great Britain. This annual event celebrates the important story of Bristol’s historic Docks, which were the centre of the city’s trade for centuries. Eclipsed after the 1920s by Avonmouth Docks, the last regular trading ship departed in1974 and the Docks were closed to commercial shipping in1975. Since then the Harbour has been regenerated into the leisure, residential and business centre that we see today.  This special weekend offers a taster of yesteryear with fun and engaging activities for [...]

  • Underfall Yard’s exhibition of photographs of Bristol Harbour in the late 1970s by Jem Southam provide a unique and definitive portrait of the harbour on the eve of its transformation from a place of industry and work to one of leisure and recreation. One of Southam’s first major projects, the photographs were published in The Floating Harbour: A Landscape History of the Bristol City Docks (1983) and majority of the works are being exhibited for the first time. Underfall Yard Trust is delighted to welcome Jem to discuss the exhibition and share his experience of photographing the harbour at [...]