10 RML 497: the making of a museum ship KEYWORDS: Historic boats; rescue motor launch 497; World War Two; stabilisation; maritime conservation. A conservation project involving a historic boat is one which hinges on multiple conditions and circumstances - time, money, expertise, and knowledge of the boat itself, to name but a few. So, what happens when we do not have some of these luxuries, and time is of the essence to save the only remaining example of a boat of its type? Rescue Motor Launch (RML) 497 is a mahogany-built World War Two boat, and operated primarily along the south coast of the UK as part of the Coastal Forces branch of the Royal Navy. These were small boats tasked with defending British coastal waters; RML 497 acted as a ‘floating hospital’, rescuing and caring for downed airmen. The manufacturing of these boats has been likened to the modern ‘flat-pack’ method; boatyards would be sent parts in multiple packages, with staggered delivery and detailed plans for assembly. After WWII, RML 497 was used as a passenger ferry along the south-east coast of England, until being purchased by the National Museum of the Royal Navy as one of the last surviving examples of a Fairmile B-type, and as a representation of the Coastal Forces flotillas. She now sits in a temporary structure at the site in Hartlepool, awaiting a substantial conservation project which will see her displayed to the public inside a new museum building. This presentation will explore the stabilisation phase of the RML 497 project. One of the first tasks was to remove years’ worth of marine growth from her hull, revealing the red anti-foul paint below green algae and clusters of mussels. The drying out process was slow yet necessary, and was monitored, whilst fungal infestations also needed to be dealt with. Although a final decision on what the future of RML 497 might look like has yet to be made, we have used this time to gather knowledge about the boat, her history and condition by commissioning paint analysis and a comprehensive Conservation Management Plan. What these surveys and documentation might mean for a future conservation project will also be considered. emma.callaghan[at]nmrn.org.uk
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