GALLERY: How the Flying Christine became the Flying Spur

Thursday 22 June 2023

A boatyard on the River Hamble in the south of England has been documenting its work to renovate the former Flying Christine II - Guernsey's marine ambulance in a past life.

The Elephant Boatyard is 'the home of traditional wooden boat building'.

The boatyard was approached by the owner of the former Flying Christine, and she has been redesigned and rebuilt and is now called The Flying Spur and was last known to be heading for the Mediterranean.

The vessel left service as a marine ambulance in  1994, having served the islands since 1964.

She was constructed locally - by Marine Craft, which was based on the Castle Emplacement.

Pictured: John Smith's painting 'Flying Christine II' is held by the Guernsey Museum and Art Gallery.

Media reports from 2021 suggest the boat had been abandoned, with Boatworks+ asking for the owner of the retired marine ambulance to come forward and to move it off their land.

At that time it was thought the boat hadn't been touched in more than two years. The owner was reported to have said that the covid pandemic delayed their plans for renovating the vessel. 

Other media reports, and a gofundme page which has since been closed, suggested that a man called Caspar Foad owned it but was looking to either crowdfund for its restoration or sell it if that wasn't possible.

The gofundme page said the renovated boat would be used to train underprivileged children in seafaring.

After that crowdfunding attempt failed, the boat ended up at the Elephant Boatyard which is a family run business with expertise in restoring yachts.

Jess from the Elephant Boatyard said there has been "lots of interest in" the Flying Spur and "she was clearly an important part of many people’s lives".

Staff at the boatyard redesigned and rebuilt the boat with a new 'superstructure', engine beds and cockpit. The Flying Spur now has two new engines, electric and plumbing throughout. The hull was stripped back, splined under the waterline, and damaged planks were repaired/replaced throughout.

The hull was prepped and painted and the transom veneered.

"Now renamed the Flying Spur, she set off on her exciting new adventure across the English Channel, through the French canals to the Mediterranean and onwards to the Adriatic for the next chapter in her life".