Kate

Kate CK52 is a 36ft Paglesham smack built in 1883.

Colne Match results;

• 2003 2nd Arthur Bowles Cup
• 2004 3rd Xanthe Trophy
• 2020 2nd Arthur Bowles Cup
• 2021 2nd Arthur Bowles Cup

Built in 1883 by William Hall as an oyster smack for the Petitt family (oysterman), she was launched with fishing number CK139. She continued to work as an oyster dredger, was registered as MN81, under power, as late as the 1960s by the Keeble family, until they bought the Vanguard. Her current fishing number is CK52.

Kate has her channels on the bulwarks, peculiar to Paglesham smacks, she also had an iron keelson, which allowed more headroom. She worked under power for oyster dredging by the Keeble family at Paglesham as late as the early 1960s, until they bought the ‘Vanguard’.

In the 1960s, Tim & Ursula Balfour owned Kate, who later became sailmakers from Faversham, was a silversmith who had a shop at Burnham. They bought her from Ron Bishop who had swapped her the Bertha for her from Russell Pitt in Maldon c. 1965 and they owned her until the early 1980s. Kate had a partial rebuild between 1972 and 1975.

Kate was owned by Mike Goodban until 2000 when she was towed from her mud berth at Hollowshore to Mersea. Under new ownership her engine was removed and her deck and spars were replaced before returning to Hollowshore in 2007 for a keel to wale plank rebuild by Barry Tester. The iron keelson was replaced in wood at this time.

Extract from a newspaper cutting at her launch in 1883:

During last week, this little village put on an unusually new appearance. On Wednesday the 6th inst, the numerous boats on the river were dressed ‘fore to peak’ with flags of the brightest hues and of every conceivable shape and colourin honour of the wedding of Mr. John Rogers, junr. of Burnham; while on the following day a beautiful little craft of 12 tons built by Mr. Hall for Mr. Z. Pettitt, was successfuly launched. On the signal being given, the shores were knocked away, and the ‘Kate’ (christened by her owner’s little daughter) glided gracefully from the stocks into her native element, amid the hearty cheers of the numerous spectators.

Kate is moored in West Mersea, alongside the Ethel Alice & Dorothy.

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