Maggie Ellen of Liverpool – A celebration of the life of David Owen
I was very sad to hear that David Owen, passed away on 20th April this year. I’ve been busy on a couple of work related projects and hadn’t made it down to the usual Wednesday afternoon at the Albert Dock to catch up with Dave, Pat, Brian, Russell and Roy. In the last few times I saw Dave, we were planning to do a little video feature on his boat Maggie Ellen, he just wanted to get her ship shape for the camera. Unfortunately, we didn’t get round to filming this, but Dave did pass me a piece he had written about the Maggie Ellen, which we planned to put alongside the video. It really is an amazing story and I think Dave would be happy for me to share this with you now. Rest in piece Dave, you will be missed.
“I started building the Maggie Ellen in 1970 on the banks of the Bridgewater Canal in Leigh, Lancashire. One ton of high tensile steel was used in construction of the hull framework with 20 rolls of half inch weld mesh all tied together with 22,000 tie wires, then 7 tons of sand and cement (sulphur free) mixed up with polymer instead of water. This gives the hull more elasticity. The hull was completed in one day, 6am to 11:30pm, by eight professional plasterers, forty friends and colleagues. In completing the job they devoured three buckets of Scouse and 10 cartons of beer.
It took 28 days for the concrete to cure to 95%, the remaining 5% will take 100 years to complete. It took two years to complete the hull.
She was then moved to Jalsea Marina, Northwich, Cheshire where she spent the next 24 years being fitted out, (I did not wish to rush the job).
Northwich boatyard was a great place to build a boat because of the wealth of knowledge and expertise there. I bought myself a caravan and installed it at the boatyard where I spent my weekends and holidays.
For 22 years the boat became my life. Prior to commencing this project, I had no experience of D.I.Y. or shipwright joinery, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, ferro construction, rope work and rigging. It was a great learning curve.
Maggie Ellen was completed in 1996 and was launched into the river Weaver. After a further 2 years I set off down the ship canal then into the Mersey, finally settling down in the Liverpool Marina. Later I set sail on my first voyage to Belfast Northern Ireland.
Maggie Ellen has sailed approximately 3,000 miles in home waters, mainly the Irish Sea, North Wales, the Isle of Mann, Northern Island the East Coast of Scotland.
Mishaps. I’ve had a few having called the lifeboat for assistance for such things as; a rope tangled around the rudder, losing the rudder, losing my steering, and one human error, going around outside Campbelltown Scotland.
The work to keep her ship shape is naturally on going, I hope that in 2012, I’ll be bound for warmer climates.
The most frequently asked of me is why is she called Maggie Ellen – that was my mothers name”.
David Owen.
10th April 1941 – 20th April 2013