Shortly after the closure of Watchet Docks, the Watchet Community Marina Association was formed to build and manage a marina. The Association heard that Somerset County Museums Service had ‘an old Somerset fishing boat’ in store and asked to borrow it for publicity purposes.
After inspection it was decided that the boat could be made fit for the water and permission was gladly given for the boat to be sailed at the 1996 Festival Of The Sea at Bristol.
One of the boat's crew, Tony James, decided that this was just the sort of boat he wanted . An ad hoc group was formed led by retired Rolls Royce engineer Derek Vivian, some old plans appeared as if by magic and the boat was constructed over a period of many months in what had been the Old Goods Shed in Watchet.
As the word spread, great interest was generated and a group was formed - The Friends Of The Flatner Association whose main aim was to find and preserve as many old boats of this type as possible, and to build new boats. The project was greatly encouraged by the County Museum and some of the boats on display are on loan from them.
As time went by more boats were found together with many artifacts associated with their use and the Watchet Boat Museum was born - or rather, like Topsy, just growed!
Ten years on we have members across the world, and the Somerset Flatner has just about been saved from extinction.
Membership of FOFA is open to all for a very modest £5 per year, and newsletters are sent to members with increasing frequency.
After inspection it was decided that the boat could be made fit for the water and permission was gladly given for the boat to be sailed at the 1996 Festival Of The Sea at Bristol.
One of the boat's crew, Tony James, decided that this was just the sort of boat he wanted . An ad hoc group was formed led by retired Rolls Royce engineer Derek Vivian, some old plans appeared as if by magic and the boat was constructed over a period of many months in what had been the Old Goods Shed in Watchet.
As the word spread, great interest was generated and a group was formed -
As time went by more boats were found together with many artifacts associated with their use and the Watchet Boat Museum was born -
Ten years on we have members across the world, and the Somerset Flatner has just about been saved from extinction.
Membership of FOFA is open to all for a very modest £5 per year, and newsletters are sent to members with increasing frequency.
