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What
a boat he’s building!
80 Feet long: Biggest Since 1900?
Taken from the stern the top
picture shows the boat’s keel with builder Mr. Nigel Prescott
casting an eye over the framework.
On the right Mr. Prescott can be seen perched on the keel
taking a look at the bows. |
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Bermuda’s first “floating
restaurant” – said to be the biggest boat built in the Colony since
the turn of the century – is due to hit the water in June.
So said 26-year-old Mr. Nigel Prescott, the man who is building the boat
almost single-handed. It was
just six week ago that the first pieces of timber arrived at Mills Creek
where construction is going on.
Since then Mr. Prescott has been hard at work along with shipwright
Mr. Tony Soares. The two men
are working around 46 hours a week each, in a bid to have the vessel ready
in time. Mr. Prescott said
yesterday: “If the weather holds for the next week the framework will be
complete and we shall start planking the following week.
After that another month and the hull should be in the water.
The cabin and interior will be worked on while she is afloat.
Providing everything goes according to plan she should be in service by
June. I am definitely hoping
to have her in action this summer.”
Mr. Prescott said the boat was the biggest to be built in Bermuda
since the turn of the century. She
is 80 foot long with a 23 foot beam.
The former assistant hotel manager stressed, though, that the boat
would not be known as a floating restaurant.
He described her as a cruise boat with dining facilities.
She will be used for sightseeing,” he explained.
“There will be deck seating for 120 people with an enclosed
dining room for 80 and a cocktail bar taking about 35.”
Mr. Prescott – who gave up his job in the insurance business to
design and build the boat – said she would work from Albuoy’s Point.
I plan to run two buffet style trips of about an hour each at lunch
times with an evening dinner cruise,” he said.
“Other times there will be full day cruises.
Prices will be competitive with top class restaurants ashore.” The boat, which will have a staff and crew of 10, will be
skippered by Mr. Prescott, a registered pilot.
What prompted him to build the boat?
“This will be the 28th vessel I have owned,” he
said, “and I have also built quite a few.
“I ran a small charter fishing boat for a time but competition
was strong and I needed a bigger craft if I was to stay in the business.
That’s when I decided to build the new boat. She already has a name but I am keeping that secret until the
official launching.” Mr.
Prescott, of Boss’s Cove, Spanish Point, said he would limit the number
of passengers to 100. “We
can cope with more,” he said, “but feel this is the top number for the
high class service we want to provide.”
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