Celebrating 90 Years Within The Boating Industry – Under The Same Family Ownership.

Hayling Yacht are delighted to be celebrating 90 years in business.

The company was started in June 1935 when Raymond Blake, and his father Reginald Blake, together with other partners, cut down the blackberry field at Mill Rythe and built the large green shed for the repair and maintenance of gentleman ‘s yachts. This shed has lasted well as it was only completely reclad 3/4 years ago.

At that time, the Mill Quay was still being used for offloading coal and other small cargoes. It is not known when the original mill ceased operating as a mill. A small Boat Building shed was on site on the north east side and the proprietor of this lived in one of the two bungalows at the end of Mill Lane.

During the second world war the Yard was taken over by the Navy and Raymond Blake enlisted in the Navy. During this time the Yard was requisitioned and carried out maintenance on  LCA’S (landing craft assault) and LCT’S (landing craft tanks)   amongst other craft.It is believed that the second smaller shed was built during wartime.

In 1964 the whole of the company and freehold was purchased by Raymond Blake from the other partners which included Gilbert Estates, one of the main land owners/farmers on the island at that time.

The boatyard has always operated as a repair, maintenance and storage Yard and in 1975, when Raymond died, there were 28 boats on the records. The business was taken forward by Raymond’s son John Blake. On checking the old ledgers it is noted that after the war Raymond Blake was paid £9.00 per week to manage the Boat Yard – times change !!

The Boatyard has always expanded with the times both with volume of boats and expertise and a small amount of boat building was done in the late 1970s until 1985ish. The storage area has expanded over time to the area that it is today.

We exhibited at both the London and Southampton Boat Shows over a 40 year period and only gave up when people starting using the ” on line ” approach more.

The Marina, a half tide facility, was started in 1982 and has gradually increased from 50 to approx. 150

The moorings began with 8, rose to 70 and have now been gradually decreased with the expansion of the Pontoon Berths. When the mud lands were offered for sale they were purchased by a partnership and then purchased by the Company.

In the 1970s there were 9 house boats moored at the yard but the Chichester Harbour Conservancy have not wished to replace any in the harbour that reach the end of their natural life so only 2 remain.

Work within the workshops on the repair side has changed from timber only, when the when the company started, to timber, fibreglass, steel and ferro cement today + engineering and electronics

Whilst the main emphasis used to be repairs, maintenance and conversions the company still carry out these but over the last 25 years have tended to specialise in spray painting and osmosis treatments on boats (at one time the company were treating more craft per year than any other Yard in the UK).

Originally craft were slipped and launched on railed slipways but nowadays are moved about by tractors connected to 3 boat lifters,  the largest capacity being 38 tons for 55 foot craft.

Whilst the company has always carried out engineering work a few years ago, it set up his own engineering work shop on site. It is now able to offer a full engineering service on both inboard and outboard engines either  petrol or diesel. Some offsite work is also carried out.

There are now specialist subcontractors on the site who are able to carry out yachting related work so that we can now offer a fuller service to the Boat Owner.

Throughout the development of the company, we have always been prepared to embrace modern technologies that our boat owners require and demand. However, we have done this at the same time as ensuring that our team of craftsmen retain traditional skills and expertise is not forgotten. We are very much a traditional boatyard that has moved with the times.

Richard Blake, who is John’s son, now manages the business.  Joe Blake, Richard’s son, joined the company just over four years ago. Long may the tradition carry on together with a very loyal workforce.