One of the jobs in the workshop this week is commissioning this impressive new Merry Fisher 895 offshore. Destined for a long-standing customer upgrading to his third Merry Fisher, with power matched to twin 200 hp Yamaha outboards for effortless performance, along with a very high factory specification – including cabin air conditioning. One of the last jobs now being undertaken is a Gelshield 200 treatment (From International paints), a hull epoxy treatment upgrade.
Gelshield 200 is a quick drying and easy to apply epoxy primer, that protects GRP against ingress of water which can cause Osmosis. (Omosis is the movement of water or other solvent through a membrane from a region of low solute concentration to a region of high solute concentration. Osmosis is passive transport, meaning it does not require energy to be applied. From a nautical stand point, GRP over a long period of time can absorb a small amount of moisture. This process can be accelerated when the GRP is stressed – such as boat hulls that are caught in frozen water, etc.)
Gelshield 200 from a workshop point of view is very easy to use. It can be applied in temperatures down to just 5°C and as it’s very fast drying, you can apply multiple coats in one day (good to know as five coats are required). Cleverly, it is also provided in two shades (green and grey) to ensure consistent and complete coverage.
Preparation is straight forward as well on new boats with a wash down using Super Cleaner, then rinse with fresh water and allow to dry. Then lightly sand with 180 grade (grit) paper to provide an initial key for the first coat. Then simply apply the required number of coats, detailed in the specification sheets (minimum 250 microns DFT). As mentioned, by alternating the grey and green colours, you can ensure consistency starting and ending with grey. Mixing the epoxy is easy as well – just stir or shake individual components thoroughly. Add Curing Agent to the base, stir and leave for 10 minutes to allow bubbles to disperse.
Once the last coat is on and had plenty of time to cure then we will go on with the final antifoul coat as normal.
So, this Merry Fisher should have plenty of life in her, even when she’s onto her next owner several years down the line!
New for 2020: Jeanneau Leader 36 – with Lounge Cockpit
For the new season, a superb lounge cockpit version of the Leader 36 has been released.
This new version offers a comfortable cockpit, which can be easily expanded with the back seat transforming at the touch of a button into a beautiful sunbathing area.
The Leader 36 is already a well-regarded sports boat with a host of awards gained on her release. Available in two different versions, sport top and open top, the Leader 36’s sporty lines are by Garroni Design and the superb V-shaped hull designed by Michael Peters.
To bring you a unique level of comfort at sea, Jeanneau has incorporated a separate shower stall, as well as three berths in the aft cabin. Just some of the clever features that make the Leader 36 the ideal boat for family cruising.
With her long, fluid lines, unmistakably high-quality living spaces and exceptional performance at sea, the Leader 36 is the perfect blend of sportiness and elegance.
The Leader 36 – general overview
Jeanneau’s Leader 36 is an express day cruiser built for short, coastal voyages. Two versions are available: The Sport Top, which has an electronic sunroof, and the Open Top, which comes with a GRP radar arch. Both models share the same layout, which includes a fully equipped galley, swim platform, adjustable sundeck, head and separate shower compartment. This vessel is well-suited for families or couples looking to have fun and spend a few nights on the water in a relatively affordable vessel.
Specifications
Length Overall
38′ 1”
11.62 m
Beam
11’ 10”
3.62 m
Dry Weight
14,586 lbs.
6,616 kg
Powered with twin sterndrives, Jeanneau’s Leader 36 is a capable cruiser in a well-priced package. Above the waterline, the vessel is well suited for relaxation in the sun, and other day-boating activities such as on-board picnics, entertaining, and cocktail parties. The below decks interior living spaces have an innovative, open layout that offers multi uses and a double berth amidships for cruising with two couples or a small family.
Jeanneau offers a choice of diesel or petrol inboards for the new for 2020 Jeanneau Leader 36. For diesel, there are the well proven twin Volvo Penta D4 260-horsepower to 300 horsepower engines with DuoProp sterndrives lower units. Standard features of the Volvo Pentas include common-rail fuel injection, double overhead camshafts, a freshwater cooling system, a seawater strainer, and easy access to the impeller pump.
The other option (probably better to suited to the US market) is twin 300-horsepower MerCruiser 6.2 litre MPI V-8 petrol engines, with dual prop sterndrives. These engines have computer controlled multi-port fuel injection, a closed freshwater cooling system and the Adaptive Speed Control (ASC), which holds engine RPM regardless of load.
The engines are under the aft lounge, which lifts electronically at the push of a button. Note that raw water sea strainers are on top for easy inspection as are oil dipsticks and fills.
At full throttle, the Leader 36 can reach up to 33 knots, consuming about 30 gallons an hour. A comfortable, efficient cruising speed is usually between 17 and 21 knots, and at those speeds this vessel should have an approximate range of 130 to 150 nautical miles.
One of the most interesting features on the Leader 36 is the double wide aft lounge. The backrest can be adjusted to create a variety of seating configurations. There are useful cup holders and alongside, a full-length handrail that aids movement on the swim platform, which also doubles as a footrest when the backrest is positioned so loungers are facing the open water when at anchor. Reverse the backrest and loungers can sit upright, facing inboard and within comfortable reach of the table in the cockpit. Swimmers have easy access in and out of the boat via the full-beam swim platform and the stainless-steel swim ladder. The ladder is stowed in a compartment built into the starboard side of the platform. This deck space can also double as a place to stow water sports equipment, such as a paddleboard. A shower wand with hot and cold water comes standard.
The lounge seats lift electronically to access the engine and mechanical spaces. Hot water is provided by the engines and by an electric hot water heater. The vessel has both an inverter and a generator, as well as an automatic fire system for the engine room. Just forward of the engines are the fuel tanks, which are accessed through the deck sole hatch.
The Leader 36 is clearly designed for relaxing in the sun and general on-board entertaining. Guests on the Open model with radar arch, can be shaded with an optional Bimini while operators of the Sport model press a button and the electronic sunroof on the hardtop pulls back to let the sun in.
Guests stepping up from the swim platform will find a standard hardwood table with fixed U-shaped seating to port with space for four, with room for two more if the aft lounge is configured with the backrest positioned aft. When not in use, the table can be folded in half, which reveals a flat steel top with built-in cup holders. This is a great feature – seating for six people around the table.
Opposite the table is a small galley with a wet bar and storage compartments. An optional grill and refrigerator are available. With cocktail parties, this console can be used as a side board for beverages or finger food.
Forward of the galley is the helm with a single helm seat. A forward-facing companion seat is across the aisle next to the aft-facing chaise lounge. An optional multi-function display is positioned at the centre of the helm station, just above the wheel, with the system switches, engine display gauge and optional VHF positioned close by. Set in a panel above the display are gauges for the trim, RPM, steerage, and fuel with the compass positioned at the top of the panel. The compass is installed as it should be on the centreline of the steering wheel hub, and there is a standard electric windshield wiper on the starboard side.
Outside, it’s possible to move forward on either side of the bridge, but there is a slightly wider side deck to port. The walkways are narrow, but grab rails are well positioned to help balance. The foredeck sun pad has space for two or three passengers and has the bonus of lifting backrests. From the bow, you can also access the (optional) anchor and standard electric windlass.
Stepping down the companionway to access the open-plan cabin – to port is the fully equipped main galley with a sink, two-burner gas stove, and refrigerator, all standard (a microwave is optional). Storage is overhead and in a cabinet. Above the sink is a cabinet with all the electric controls, battery switches, and water levels with a digital display.
Opposite the galley is the head with a sink, vanity, and separate shower stall with head. This arrangement makes double use of the shower stall space and provides a seat when taking a shower, if needed! A manual head with holding tank is standard. There is an opening port light and overhead hatch.
There is a host of optional extras that can be fitted by the factory for the new for 2020 Jeanneau Leader 36 which are worth considering. When specifying a stock boat, we use our many years of experience to specify what we know works best and makes life more comfortable aboard a given model. As a starting point, we would specify the anchoring kit, followed by trim tabs and a bow thruster. The rest of the options owners might want to consider include a stereo, cockpit refrigerator, and grill for the cockpit and microwave for the galley below. For those into sunbathing, the sun pads forward are a must.
To pre-order this stunning New for 2020 Jeanneau Leader 36, or for further details on this or any other Jeanneau model, please contact Oli, Graham, Ric or Steve in the Morgan Marine Sales Office: 01206 302008.
We can supply this new model fully prepared, antifouled, and ready to go with handover at Morgan Marine (or any other Marina in the UK or Europe).
Jeanneau Cap Camarat 7.5 DC Series 2: The Next Generation Day Cruiser!
The new Cap Camarat Day Cruiser line with its sleek lines and protective cockpit, allows for all types of marine activities, as well coastal cruising – with family and friends.
The Cap Camarat 7.5DC Series 2 features extended lines and a wraparound windscreen, while offering an entirely redesigned cockpit. The generous U-shaped cockpit saloon, which is modular and secured by a gate, enables ease of movement around the boat and to the wide swim platforms, for easy access to the water. The aft bench seat features a reversible seat back, enabling an alternate orientation toward the aft for swimming and a sundeck on the starboard swim platform.
This new model is not short on cruising comforts: the interior is voluminous with wide windows in the deck and hull. It offers a generously sized double berth with a view of the sea, good storage areas and a separate head compartment. Cruising of course is safe and comfortable, with a co-pilot bench seat facing the sea and a perfectly integrated Bimini (or cabriolet top), all with the famous Michael Peters designed hull. Its more than just a Day Cruiser – it’s a classical ‘weekender’!
When you step into the cockpit, the layout of the new 7.5 DC is easy to understand. It features a full beam aft bench with a cushion-topped walk through to starboard, plus a port bench that merges with the co-pilot’s seat to create an unbroken C-shaped seating section that wraps nicely around the cockpit edge. To make the most of the deck space the cockpit’s furniture is finished off with a rotating helm seat to starboard and a set of moulded foredeck steps to port of the dash. When you come to a standstill, the rotating helm seat and the reversible backrest on the co-pilot’s bench enable you to exchange the five forward-facing seats for a seven-person dining station. For sunbathing you can fill the central deck space with a cushioned infill, creating a large family sun lounger without obstructing the passageway fore and aft. A perfect recipe for a great day cruiser! There are additional touches as well such as the infill for the sun lounger is not made of heavyweight plywood but from lightweight aluminium. It weighs virtually nothing enabling you to manoeuvre it easily and there are many satisfying elements such as this to make your life that bit easier.
The design of the aft arrangement on the 7.5 DC also impresses. The Series 2 takes advantage of the long swim platforms with a set of simple cushions that turn the entire portside into a full-length, sun lounger. Elevated aft mouldings keep you secure and the combination of the stainless arch over the engine well, dedicated rail for the starboard platform and the top grab rails make movement in and around this part of the boat very easy.
Making your way below deck you find the primary forward storage space can be accessed by hinging up the bed, complete with mattress, on a powerful ram, with a further compartment beneath the forward-most part of the bed. There is plenty of room to move around below deck as well. There is also a transverse single bed beneath the forward part of the cockpit sole. Tucked away behind the removable ladder that brings you down from the cockpit, it offers a place for an adult guest or a couple of small children to spend the night on.
Engine options up to 300bhp are available but with Yamaha’s impressive F250 outboard motor 30 knots is available in approximately eight seconds and it can achieve well over 40 knots at wide-open-throttle.
Whilst the 7.5 DC S2 is certainly quick and agile, it’s also quiet and solid. The wind deflection created by the long wraparound screen is also outstanding, for all occupants.
Jeanneau has worked hard to make its new Day Series 2 cruiser as simple to use as possible, and it really does show. It looks slick, it feels solid, it cruises beautifully and it’s full of great design features.
To pre-order this stunning new model, or for further details on this or any other Merry Fisher, please call Oli, Ric or Steve in the Morgan Marine Sales Office: 01206 302008.
We can supply this new model fully prepared, antifouled, and ready to go with handover at Morgan Marine (or any other Marina in the UK or Europe).
Available to order for this October, the NEW 2020 model Merry Fisher 38 FLY. This is a new flagship for the incredibly successful Merry Fisher range and surely to be an exciting addition to the line up!
Inside, many details have been designed to increase window area, to give a bright living space with magnificent 360° views. A side door, recessed side decks, an open cockpit (sheltered by the flybridge overhang), double doors and a large platform… nothing beats the amount of open-air living available on the 38 FLY, with three incomparable living spaces.
Sundecks and a spacious swim platform enhance usability as well as comfort on deck.
Down below, the Merry Fisher 38 Fly has a very spacious owner’s cabin and an attractively proportioned double cabin. The head compartment includes a separate shower stall (With WC outside the shower) and features all the hallmarks of a quality Jeanneau interior.
Available with two options on twin inboard Volvo shaft drive engines and bow thrusters, the Merry Fisher 38 Fly is a fantastic modern power cruiser… great for family fun and leisure on the water.
Length overall: 11.43 m / 37’6″
Hull length: 9.98 m / 32’9″
Hull Beam: 3.84 m / 12’7″
Standard Draft: 0.83 m / 2’9″
Weight: 8271 kg / 18234 Lbs
Fuel capacity: 2 x 400 l / 2 x 106 US gal
Water capacity: 330 l / 87 US gal
Available Engines:
Volvo 2x D4 300 (2x300CV/Hp)
or
Volvo 2x D6 370 (2×370 Cv/Hp)
To pre-order this stunning new model, or for further details on this or any other Merry Fisher, please call Oli, Ric or Steve in the Morgan Marine Sales Office: 01206 302008.
We can supply this new model fully prepared, antifouled, and ready to go with handover at Morgan Marine (or any other Marina in the UK or Europe). CE category B for 10 / C for 12.
Following on from its all-new model launch in 2019 of the range topping Merry Fisher 1095, Jeanneau have taken another leap forward with the concept of cruising aboard outboard powerboats, of 10 meters and over, with the a new Flybridge version of its award winning 1095.
Already unique in its category, having twin outboard engines and three cabins, the Merry Fisher 1095 is now well ahead of the trend boasting this Flybridge version.
The Merry Fisher 1095 Flybridge features all the same great qualities of the normal Merry Fisher 1095: good interior volume, comfortable bench seat at the helm, a high-performance hull design, modular cockpit, recessed side deck, great storage volume and the usual high comfort level enjoyed by the entire Merry Fisher range.
The new Flybridge offers an additional ‘living’ area enabling the pilot to enjoy the sun and sea spray from a dedicated helm station, includinga forward sundeck and a folding co-pilot bench seat. The bench seat can be transformed into a sun lounger or an xxl sundeck, it’s your choice! The Flybridge also includes multiple storage solutions and can also accommodate an optional Bimini. As with all the Merry Fisher range there is a vast host of extras that can be specified at the build stage. With over 40 years’ experience Morgan Marine can give you the best possible advice as to what options you should consider having fitted at the factory.
Now, with its unique design, the Merry Fisher 1095 Flybridge easily assumes the title of a luxury long-distance family cruiser.
This new model will be officially launched in a world premiere at the Cannes Boat Show in September. For more details on the show:
To pre-order this stunning new model, in blue-hulled ‘Legend’ version or classic white hull, or for further details on this or any other Merry Fisher, please call Oli, Ric or Steve in the Morgan Marine Sales Office: 01206 302008
We can supply this new model fully prepared, antifouled, and ready to go with handover at Morgan Marine (or any other Marina in the UK or Europe). CE category B for 8 / C for 10.
Earlier this year the prestigious Motor Boat & Yachting Magazine annual awards were revealed. Winners were picked across multiple categories covering pretty much all the options available to potential motorboat purchasers. Jeanneau, unsurprisingly, received nominations in several categories but probably the most hotly contested was ‘Sportsboats and RIBs’.
The winner? Jeanneau’s fantastic Cap Camarat 9.0 WA!
Below is the release from MBY Magazine after the awards were announced:
The Cap Camarat range has always been one of practical, value-conscious boating. Not ostentatious but solid and dependable, a natural step into the world of boating and an ideal tool for a family to enjoy themselves on the water.
The 9.0 is different though, it still has these important elements but with this model, Jeanneau has created a boat that will also keep the driver happy. With a pair of 250hp Yamaha outboards it will achieve a top speed just short of 50 knots and cruise anywhere from the mid-teens to the mid-40s. The hull rides softly and grips tenaciously when pushed from the helm but at no point feels like it might turn around and bite you.
It’s a versatile craft too, available as either a walkaround with a sociable bow area or as a centre console with a cuddy cabin for overnight stays or some shelter if the weather turns.
Jeanneau could have so easily built a safe and sensible 30ft sportsboat but instead it created a boat with the creature comforts expected of a Cap Camarat and endowed it with real ability and exhilarating performance, which must be applauded.
The Cap Camarat also took the prize in ‘best for fun’ category at the International Best of Boats Awards (BOB) in Berlin, November 2018.
The Cap Camarat’s traditional V-shaped hull was designed by Michaël Peters at Jeanneau. Ensuring stability and excellent seakeeping as well as secure handling at speed – perfect for family cruising or those more sporty days out! The layout and utilisation of space on Jeanneau’s Cap Camarat 9.0 WA make her the ideal boat for day trips or weekend cruises. The vast cockpit benefits from a helm station with seating for two, a well-equipped port-side galley and plenty of storage options. Inside, the Cap Camarat 9.0 WA features a very large double berth, a saloon that also converts into a double berth, a head compartment with separate shower, a breakfast area and again, plenty of storage options.
Getting ready for first sea trials with Operations Manager Oli Miller on board
Helm Master system in action – outboards rotate at different rates to improve manoeuvrability.
Just this month Morgan Marine took delivery of an award winning Jeanneau Cap Camarat 9.0 WA(which had been on order for stock) it sold immediately to a customer for use in Southern Spain. All the pre-delivery work and outboard rigging (including Yamahas great new Helm Master system: https://yamahaoutboards.com/en-us/home/rigging/all/helm-master)was carried out on site here at Morgan Marine before being signed off after sea trials by the customer. We then shrink-wrapped the it for its long overland journey to Southern Spain, to a very happy customer!
Its a wrap! Nearly ready for its overland trek to Southern Spain…
Currently delivery times on the Jeanneau Cap Camarat 9.0 WA are very good so if you would like to discuss how you can be at the helm of one of these amazing boats please give us a call on 01206 302008. Competitive finance, moorings and storage all available here at our 10 acre Essex boatyard. https://morganmarine.com/boat/jeanneau-cap-camarat-9-0-wa-10184/
Well, after weeks of planning, many, many, man-hours spent cleaning and preparing display boats, organising refreshments, arranging entertainment, etc. etc.it was all over too quickly!
Morgan Marine’s annual Showboat event held last weekend (6 & 7thof July) has become a well-regarded event in many new and old (as well as prospective) customer’s calendars. With a great line-up of new and used boats, this year bolstered with the addition of the Highfield RIB’s and Sea Ray dealerships (taken on just recently), and some great entertainment for young and old; alike a great weekend was always on the cards.
Saturday was the big day with plenty of entertainment as well as food and drink, with Sunday being a more relaxed general open day and overspill for invitees who could not make the Saturday.
Probably the jewel in the crown for many visitors across both days was the stunning Jeanneau Leader 40, which took pride of place on the concourse as you approached the show. https://morganmarine.com/boat/jeanneau-leader-40-10163/
Although the new Sea Ray’s with their superb build quality and finish drew many admiring glances. Our SPX 210 in particular, with its gleaming black hull, had many visitors who couldn’t seem to take their eyes off it!
Both Oli and Graham Miller took to the stage in the afternoon to introduce themselves to the guests as the new owners of Morgan Marine and James the Harbour Master also said a few words regarding the harbour and its beneficial effect on the local economy. Alan Goggin also took the opportunity to wave farewell to Ric and Steve Morgan and to welcome the Miller family. Finally, George Jepps gave a very informative talk on predicting the weather!
The highlight of the entertainment had to be pianist and composer Carl Joseph on the Saturday (Below)… Carl studied at The Royal Academy of Music and King’s College and has performed as a soloist worldwide and at venues in the UK including The Royal Albert Hall, Sadlers Wells, Young Vic, St. David’s Hall Cardiff, Chichester Festival. He has played at 4 V-Festivals, several BAFTA awards, for The Prince’s Trust, British Fashion Awards, Paris Haute Couture Week, Chelsea Flower Show and a host of celebrity parties. To say it was a coup for Ric Morgan to get him down to the show as part of the entertainment is an understatement. He really ‘wowed’ the audience. Just take a look! https://youtu.be/Tv9qvMAilyY
In the mix as well was Marcel Entertainments doing everything from table magic to balloon modelling for the children, as well as a traditional Punch & Judy show. In between all this the excellent Oo la la band managed to squeeze in some great covers of well-known tracks.
So with the drink all drunk and the food eaten, the entertainers exhausted along with most of the Morgan Marine staff; the day ended respectably at 8pm (on Saturday) with many guests wishing they could stay longer. Maybe next year!
Built in 1902, The Preußen (usually Preussen in English) was the first five-masted tall ship ever built. It was a German steel-hulled windjammer built in 1902 for the F. Laeisz shipping company and named after the German state and kingdom of Prussia. It was the only ship of this class with five masts carrying six sails on each mast within the world merchant fleet. (Until the Swedish sail cruise liner Royal Clipper was launched in 2000!). Its hull length was 433′ (132 m) and carried 47 sails…There were other five masters, but none of them by definition was a tall ship.
The sturdily built ship could weather nearly any storm and even tack in force 9 winds. In such conditions eight men had to hold the 6 1⁄2-foot-tall double steering wheel. She was successfully used in the saltpeter trade between Germany and Chile, setting speed records in the process. Under good conditions, the ship could reach a speed of 20 knots (37 km/h). Her best 24-hour runs were 392 nm in 1908 on her voyage to Japan and 426 nm in 1904 in the South Pacific. Due to her appearance, uniqueness, and excellent sailing characteristics sailors called her the “Queen of the Queens of the Seas”. In early 1903, she sailed an unequalled record voyage from Lizard Point to Iquique in 57 days.
In 1910, just 8 years after her launch, she sunk in the English Channel due to damage from a collision with a small cross-channel steamer, ‘Brighton‘. Contrary to regulations, Brighton had tried to cross her bows, underestimating her high speed of 16 knots. Legend has it the skipper said: “a sailboat can’t go that fast” – after which the two collided. The Master of Brighton was found to be responsible for the accident and lost his licence as a result.
The wreck of the Preussen
Preussen was seriously damaged and lost much of her forward rigging, making it impossible to steer the ship to safety. Brighton returned to Newhaven to summon aid and the tug Alert was sent to assist Preussen. A November gale thwarted attempts to sail or tug her to safety in Dover Harbour. It was intended to anchor her off Dover but both anchor chains broke and Preussen was driven onto rocks at Crab Bay where she sank because of the damage inflicted on her. While crew, cargo and some equipment could be saved from Preussen, with the keel broken she was rendered unsalvageable.
Today, just a few odd ribs of Preussen can be seen off Crab Bay at a low spring tide. A sad end to an iconic ship, that due to her record setting ability and uniqueness may well have been around even today, had her speed not played a part in her downfall…
The Suffolk Show is held at Trinity Park on the outskirts of Ipswich. Conveniently located just off the A14 and easily accessible from all parts of the county and from Essex, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.
This last day at the show promises some great weather! Some come and say hello!
We are stand number Red 442
If you are looking for us at the show we are between the Lexus stand and Fiat car stands and near the Flower show. You can just see one of our boats from the roadway that runs in front of the flower tent and catering, if you look into the car sales area you can see our boats and we are tucked beside them.
We have a Merry Fisher on display as well as a Highfield 540 DL RIB. We also have a selection of wet suits, clothing, shoes and our great value inflatable paddle boards!
For further details on the show itself as well as times, ticket prices and detailed directions etc. go to: https://suffolkshow.co.uk
Copperas Road in Brightlingsea is the main drag through Shipyard Estate that leads directly to Morgan Marine. Strangely, we rarely refer to it in our address details, as being the largest boat yard in Brightlingsea and therefore Shipyard Estate, we are very easy to find! The name Copperas Road though has always been intriguing to us…. most of the road names in the town tend to have a nautical flavour or relate to various types of industry the town has harboured over the centuries. (i.e Oyster Tank Road – where the local Oyster catch would be purified in large tanks – prior to the industries decimation after the big freeze in 1963 when it was possible to walk from Brightlingsea Hard to Point Clear, on the iced over estuary. Take a look at this fascinating vintage newsreel for more information on this) https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-oyster-fishing-at-brightlingsea-1963-online
So, some investigation was in order! The road name in fact commemorates the now long-gone Copperas works at Brightlingsea. One Philip Morant, an 18th century historian of Essex refers to it in 1768, and a ‘Copperas House’ is marked on the 1777 Chapman and Andre map.
The Copperas industry was an important industry in eighteenth century Essex. It involved gathering of Pyrite nodules (commonly known as Fools Gold but also in this instance as ‘Copperas stones’ – technically bisulphide of iron, FeS2) from local beaches, where they had been washed out of the London Clay, and then allowing them to oxidise for several months in open vats. This lengthy and hazardous industrial process converted the nodules to ferrous sulphate (green vitriol), which was an essential chemical for making dyes, ink, and several industrial chemicals such as sulphuric acid. It is claimed that it was the world’s first industrial chemical process – over a century before the Industrial Revolution.
Pyrite, or Fools GoldCopperas crystals – the end product.
It is claimed that Copperas was manufactured in Brightlingsea as early as 1542. In 1674, the famous Essex naturalist John Ray published an account of refining metals and minerals in England and in this book, he describes the technical aspects of Copperas manufacture at Brightlingsea: The pyrite stones were first packed into heaps with scrap-iron in large rectangular wooden containers and then moistened. The action of the air, water and bacteria oxidised the pyrites into ferrous sulphate (green vitriol or Copperas) and sulphuric acid. The solution was then removed to leaden tanks or boilers. Extra scrap iron could be added to react with the sulphuric acid and produce more ferrous sulphate. The water was evaporated by heat to concentrate the solution. It was then removed again to a cooler, where wooden rods or branches were placed into the liquid, causing Copperas to crystallize on them. The Copperas crystals could then be scraped off and packed into barrels for shipping.
Copperas Token
Copperas pickers were often paid in ‘Copperas tokens’ (as shown).The inscription 1736 Walton *I*K means John Kirby, the owner of the Walton Copperas House at that time, and owner (like the Hopkins family before him) of the copperas house in Copperas Road, Brightlingsea. Paupers as well as Wives and children of fishermen were often employed to gather the Pyrite nodules from the beaches. The collected stones were normally gathered into heaps on the shore where they remained until they were eventually loaded onto flat bottomed barges, or hoys, which were used to transport them the short distance along the coast to one of the local Copperas Houses. Its assumed the tokens were redeemable for usable currency probably at Copperas House although it’s also possible the workers could only use them against food and goods supplied by the company…
In 1848, the miller John Archer built a sloop for exporting Copperas stones, still being collected locally, although by 1850 the Copperas works had closed.In the 1870’s and 1880s the Archer family purchased the rights to collect Copperas stones from the shore at Harwich, although the industry had by then been long in decline. The stones were still being processed in Ipswich and London however.
A small bit of Brightlingsea history, that maybe wasn’t so small after all!
Both Oli and Graham Miller took to the stage in the afternoon to introduce themselves to the guests as the new owners of Morgan Marine and James the Harbour Master also said a few words regarding the harbour and its beneficial effect on the local economy. Alan Goggin also took the opportunity to wave farewell to Ric and Steve Morgan and to welcome the Miller family. Finally, George Jepps gave a very informative talk on predicting the weather!
