Cruisemaster

The site upstream of Aquarius was acquired by the Council in 1974 to secure a site for a footbridge but was sold in March 1980. It was later owned by Dave Johnson who bought the yard on his return from four years in Australia where he had established a small business in Sydney. The yard specialised in restoring and building timber boats. Sarah Johnson, who had worked briefly for the Design Council, was the company secretary, mother and part author of the story of the two year resurrection of Valkyrie II, told in their book published in 1983. The 39ft boat had been built by T. Aldous of Brightlingsea in 1896 on the lines of a fishing smack for the skipper of the Earl of Dunraven¹s racing yacht of the same name.