ADC CK431
Built
Brightlingsea
Builder
Aldous
Date
1890
Construction
Wood
Dimensions
Breadth: Beam
11.90 feet (3.63m)
Depth
5.61 feet (1.71m)
Length: Overall
45.00 feet (13.72m)
Tonnage: Gross
18.00
Description
Class II Fishing Smack
National Ships Registered No.
1451
Built in 1890 by Aldous of Brightlingsea for the Barbrookes of Tollesbury. She fished with the Barbrooke fleet out of Tollesbury from 1895 to 1930s. The Barbrookes had a large fleet of smacks but ADC (named after Ada, Dick & Charlie) was their favourite.
Registered at Colchester as a dredging Smack. Main trades being five fingers, culch, oysters, and stowboating for sprats. She was renowned for her speed and is thought to still holds the course record for the Colne match. ADC is a fine example of Aldous work having been built to work the whole of the Thames estuary with a very good sailing ability. Her engine was fitted in 1939, removed in 1967 and re-rigged for sailing as original.
Graham Wallis purchased ADC from the Harmans in 1997 and she was rebuilt by Allan Williams and Andrew Balfe between 1997 – 2001 at the St Osyth boat yard.
Since her relaunch she has had periods of layup, but a maintenance programme has been implemented each year. She is based at the Smack Dock at Brightlingsea.
To be continued..