Freelance MGB 45 S3

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   Great to see more details about Freelance, and regarding the water issues on the S6Ms I recall when she was brought to the mooring under her own power on the Medway the starboard engine was running dry, I went down to the engine room and could see a hole in the exhaust just past the manifold, as I had purchased her as a 'houseboat' anything like that had to be, and was, accepted.
I travelled down to Devon and bought a complete engine and many spares including a couple of gearboxes, manifolds, starters, only to find them after I sold her dumped behind an office in the marina, seems they were 'in the way'.
I have found all the above very interesting as I knew little of her history post war, the previous owner must have been very proud of her in the day, the standard of conversion was excellent, must have been a very sad time for him to sell her.
Yes, she could have been saved, very much so, when I had her apart from a little water in the aft section she was bone dry but as said before removing bulkheads and switching off bilge pumps did little to help the situation, I agree she could have been towed on a good day with no problems, they cut holes in her to stop her floating away!.
I look back with great fondness of her, and some regret it never passed to the right people, that can be said of many things, but she was a beautiful vessel.

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Medwaycaptain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 13 February 2018 Location: Rochester Status: Offline Points: 2	Post Options Post Reply Quote Medwaycaptain Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23 February 2018 at 12:07pm
	Great to see more details about Freelance, and regarding the water issues on the S6Ms I recall when she was brought to the mooring under her own power on the Medway the starboard engine was running dry, I went down to the engine room and could see a hole in the exhaust just past the manifold, as I had purchased her as a 'houseboat' anything like that had to be, and was, accepted. I travelled down to Devon and bought a complete engine and many spares including a couple of gearboxes, manifolds, starters, only to find them after I sold her dumped behind an office in the marina, seems they were 'in the way'. I have found all the above very interesting as I knew little of her history post war, the previous owner must have been very proud of her in the day, the standard of conversion was excellent, must have been a very sad time for him to sell her. Yes, she could have been saved, very much so, when I had her apart from a little water in the aft section she was bone dry but as said before removing bulkheads and switching off bilge pumps did little to help the situation, I agree she could have been towed on a good day with no problems, they cut holes in her to stop her floating away!. I look back with great fondness of her, and some regret it never passed to the right people, that can be said of many things, but she was a beautiful vessel.
	Previous owner of MGB45 S3

rallyman46 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 31 December 2022 Location: Bradwell-on-sea Status: Offline Points: 14	Post Options Post Reply Quote rallyman46 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 January 2023 at 12:56am
	MedwayCaptain - we are going to save "Freelance" if we can! we are going to start by seeing what condition she is presently in, on the 14th / 15th Jan then "take things from there" i am intrigued, though, by your comment : "bought a complete engine and many spares including a couple of gearboxes, manifolds, starters, only to find them after I sold her dumped behind an office in the marina, seems they were 'in the way'." which Marina was that and what happened to those engines and spares, please stay safe and well peterh

rallyman46 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 31 December 2022 Location: Bradwell-on-sea Status: Offline Points: 14	Post Options Post Reply Quote rallyman46 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 January 2023 at 1:20am
	Freelance: we are going to do our very best to save her - but as "S3" / MGB 45 we are going to look and see if she can be saved on the 14th / 15th Jan my question to you is 1)can you remember, what capacity were the engines S6.288M or larger, please and 2) what happened to the ORIGINAL props?? HAPPY New Year - stay safe and well - peterh

Medyna Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 17 April 2015 Location: Colchester Status: Offline Points: 14	Post Options Post Reply Quote Medyna Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 08 February 2023 at 4:29pm
	I was Jim Henderson's friend for many years, and I owned Medyna, ex-MTB253. Freelance's engines as fitted by Jim were a pair of early standard Perkins S6M's with mechanical gearboxes and gear-type water pumps, which needed greasing at every start to make water suction start. This was possibly what caused the later problems with one of them after sale and move to Hoo. The original props were presumably melted down, having been sold as part of the deal for the new props to Willman Engineering of Teddington. When S6M's were first installed, she'd do about 5 knots on tickover with the original props. First trip, Teddington to Richmond return, she belted along, near-unhandlable, but surprisingly the engines did not stall when gears were engaged, despite her being so over-propped.With the new props, which were !8 x 16 inches, from memory, she would do about 13/14 knots on the s6M's. The one part of Freelance of which I was jealous was the Mathway steering, as MTB253 (J Samuel White) had rod and wire. However, my advantage was twin-gear steering (2 or 20 turns) which was not available with Mathway. Have you inspected her, and how saveable is she ?? Peter Leggett.
	Peter Leggett, former owner (1976-1991) ex MTB 253, later Motor Yacht Medyna.

Medyna Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 17 April 2015 Location: Colchester Status: Offline Points: 14	Post Options Post Reply Quote Medyna Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 February 2023 at 4:20pm
	Further to my last post, please note my typo. Props were 18 x 12 inches from memory, not as previously mistyped.
	Peter Leggett, former owner (1976-1991) ex MTB 253, later Motor Yacht Medyna.