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M.V. ISABEL after restoration became LADY ISABEL
Originally build in the style of a commuter yacht by Hong Kong Whampoa Dock Co for her then Managing Director. Considering her state 50 years later , he must have made sure that only the best selection of Burma Teak and other hard woods were used during Isabel’s construction.He also ordered a pair of new Gardner 125HP L3B diesel engines to propel her. Their wear and tear after half a century was also minimal and allowed the yacht to stay original.Her heavy displacement makes her comfortable and dry in the choppy waters of Hong Kong whilst her narrow beam contributed to her maximum speed of 10.5 knots.
From a gentleman’s yacht she moved on to corporate circles to serve the Chartered Bank’s directors and their VIP’s. After 30 years of crewed service she was eventually purchased by a director for his private use. This is when decay started to become serious and the next owner gave her quite some efforts to fight the rot around the front and main superstructure. She was then acquired by her fifth owner who turned her into a Live-Aboard in Discovery Bay Marina. Lack of budget did not help cure Isabel’s gradual deterioration and when up for sale she had become a tired old girl.
April 2006 the oldest surviving Motor Yacht built in Hong Kong, Isabel and her pedigree, was purchased by an aficionado W.D. Mak van Waay with the sole purpose to restore her to her original condition or better. A team of experts had to be selected followed by the selection of a shipyard capable to do the job. The team consisted of B.J.Kimman of Asia Yacht Services , David Salter – a yacht surveyor and ultimately the shipyard Sun Hing Shing , Eric Wong ans his assistant Enzo Hung.
On 25 november 2006, Lady Isabel left the Gold Coast Yachtclub for restoration.
Initially reluctant for fear that they did not have the skills to repair the diagonally planked double skinned hull, a construction method long forgotten in Hong Kong and replaced by the carvel construction commonly used in the fishing and pleasure junks. Consensus was reached that first we would completely strip Isabel to a bare hull and superstructure to establish exactly what damage had been done over half a century of use. Engines were taken out of the yacht to make an overhaul easier. Once stripped it was discovered that the steel watertight bulkheads at the front and rear of the engine compartment had rusted away for some 70% from water ingress from the main deck.
Other areas of rot discovered was the main deck , around the opening windows in the superstructure , the frames in the aft cockpit area and the stern. Surprisingly all frames and more importantly the hull were virtually sound. The engines were in better condition as expected being fresh water cooled but the heat exchangers and starter motors were in poor condition.
The rings on all cylinders were changed , starter motors replaced and heat exchangers overhauled as well as injectors and fuel pumps. The fuel tanks and water tanks were in a serious state of decay and had to be renewed and partly repaired.
Once stripped from all paint we treated all teak of the hull and superstructure with (GGGG) before putting on a Dupont Paint system and varnish. Old decks were left , plane them and cover them with 2 mats of fiberglass. We then laid new teak decks from bow to stern and made sure that none of the leaking could re-occur. Side windows were replaced and their construction improved to avoid future water ingress. It was then decided to move the entire steering station from the main cabin to the top deck to become a fly-bridge.
However the original instrument panel was left in place as we did not want to expose them to the elements. On the fly-bridge we opted for modern VDO instruments. The two steel watertight bulkheads were replaced by a construction using twin layers of plywood cast in fiberglass which would not only provide structural strength but also reinstate the watertight status. The window on the fly-bridge was modified to better accommodate the helmsman and the entire yacht was replumbed and rewired.
We decided to stay as much as practical to the original lay-out but made concessions to aircon , showers and electric loose not fitted in 1957. After 18 months of hard work Lady Isabel went back in the water to be delivered to her birth where the owner enjoys the results of this venture.
