By Mary Booth
If you have walked along the Thames be-tween Sunbury and Shepperton on the second weekend in September in recent years, you may have seen the flotilla of Dunkirk Little Ships. These beautiful historic boats make this journey every year in an event designed to bring together veterans and those ships which saved their lives in 1940. In more re-cent years, the veterans Cruise has been ex-panded to include veterans of more recent conflicts. As from 2021 there is a change and the cruise will embark from Penton Hook. The beauty and craftsmanship of these vessels is admired by many and we are lucky to have a traditional boat builder locally who is very much involved. Dennett Boat Builders (www.dennettboatbuilders.co.uk)
specialises in the restoration of traditional wooden and historical vessels, and they have indeed restored and maintained many of the Dunkirk Little Ships which grace our river.
Craftsmanship, quality and beauty is the hall-mark of a Dennett restored craft. With over 60 years experience, they use time honoured techniques, passed from father to son, to re-store historic vessels.
Dennett Boat Builders have been based in Laleham Reach since the 1980’s when Ste-phen Dennett and his father Michael acquired their yard. Prior to this, Michael worked out of the back of a van on private jobs having learned his trade from the age of 15 working at numerous yards up and down the local reaches of the Thames. A notable craft he worked on was a 72ft MTB’s for the Royal Navy.
Today, it is with great pride that the work carried out by Stephen and his team is not just noticed locally but nationally and globally with clients from Europe and the States. The publication ‘Classic Boat’ which celebrates the worlds most beautiful classic yachts and traditionally designed vessels, have ap-proached Dennetts regarding their restoration of Makaira / RFC 113, a Dunkirk Little Ship found as recently as 2012 in a field, barely recognisable after many modifications.
Having been completely rebuilt at Dennetts, Makaira is now up for a prestigious Classic Boat Award – Best Restoration of a Power Boat. It is a great honour to be recognised regardless if she wins or not. If you would like to help Makaira win at the Classic Boat Awards 2021 do cast a vote by March 8th at (http://awards.classicboat.co.uk/)
It is quite something to have such a long standing traditional local based business play-ing such a role in maintaining the nations maritime history.
Follow: Dennetts on Facebook and Instagram to see their latest project which include a Jolly Boat used on the Royal Yacht Britan-nia.