Recently we were contacted by a writer who was putting together a wonderful story for Classic Boat magazine about the restoration of a GB32. The full article is attached at the bottom of this page.
A timeless vessel built in Hong Kong and restored in Brighton, “Freya”, a Grand Banks 32, mirrors much of the Heritage Grand Banks prides itself on today. Steffan Meyric tells the tale of the restoration of the iconic 32-foot trawler-style yacht. The 112th GB32 built by American Marine in Hong Kong, 4 years after production launched in 1969.
Derek Stubley found Freya in Brighton Marina, being used as a live-aboard. A bid coupled with the right incentive saved Freya from spending the rest of her days as a liveaboard houseboat. Derek began the restoration process 2 years ago in Brighton, restoring the vessel on a tight budget and managing the project himself.
The team preserved as much of her originality as possible along the way, a challenging restoration to say the least. The engine and exhaust system were rebuilt to their original state, Freya still flaunting a 120bhp Ford Lehman diesel running through a Borg-Warner Velvet Drive gearbox, running as good as it did 49 years ago, if not better. Read more on this enormous restoration project below.
Click here to download Steffan’s full article in PDF
