A galvanizing company has lent a helping hand to the upgrade of a Hampshire boatyard located in a village that aims to shine a light on 18th century shipbuilding.

Eastleigh-based Wessex Galvanizers, part of Wedge Group Galvanizing, was called upon to provide its hot dip galvanizing treatment to approximately 50 tonnes of steel used to create a new ship lift jetty at Buckler’s Hard, a shipbuilding village located at the heart of New Forest National Park on the banks of the Beaulieu River.

Dorset-based civil engineering and marine operations specialist Quest Underwater Services Ltd transformed the structural steel into a 40 metre long jetty extending into the river, which is used for pedestrian access to the renowned Beaulieu marina. The jetty is also designed to enable the local boatyard to operate a 35 tonne marine travel hoist from.

During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Buckler’s Hard was renowned for its shipbuilding, and was the birthplace of numerous British navy vessels under the expert eye of Master Shipbuilder Henry Adams, who lived in the village between 1744 and 1809. The village is a now a hugely popular tourist attraction, with these past glories celebrated in a new Maritime Museum.

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"Having the steelwork we used to construct the ship lift jetty galvanized will provide the structure with a long-lasting projection against rust, which in marine environments such as Buckler’s Hard is absolutely essential," Ned Wiltshire, Operations Manager of Quest Underwater Services Ltd, explained. "The investment in the new jetty will enable the shipbuilding village to continue to operate as a popular tourist attraction, as it ensures the facilities are able to meet strict 21st century shipyard requirements."

"The Maritime Museum at Buckler’s Hard gives local residents, not to mention thousands of tourists each year, a real insight into the village’s naval heritage,” Richard Whiddett, Commercial Manager of Wessex Galvanizers, commented. “Indeed, three of the boats built at Buckler’s Hard featured prominently in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 – HMS Euryalus, HMS Swiftsure, and HMS Agamemnon, which is said to be Admiral Nelson’s favourite ship."

Wedge Group Galvanizing is the largest hot dip galvanizing organisations in the UK with a history dating back over 150 years. With 14 plants strategically placed across the country, the firm offers a truly national galvanizing service.

For further information please contact Wedge Group Galvanizing on 01902 630311 or visit www.wedge-galv.co.uk.