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MasterCraftsmanN EWS FROM S OUTHAMPTON Y ACHT S ERVICESPiers Wilson, right, is with Alan Johnson MP,Minister of State for Employment Relations,Industry and the Regions, at SYS on a factfinding tour in 2002.Piers often uses the phrase “seriousabout service”, this was illustratedrecently when the superyacht ‘Le GrandeBleu’ (354’) called into Southampton UK forjust one day. The task was to mount a boatcradle in solid teak to accommodate a new68’ Sunseeker powerboat to be used as atender.“at SYS we have a slogan,‘where tradition andcraftsmanship meettechnology’, this applies to theOysters we build, as well asour repair and refit operation”The programme hinged on the SYS teamcompleting the task so the ‘Tender’ lyingalongside, could be winched on deck andthe yacht depart. Needless to say theprocess was completed on-schedule to thedelight of both the yacht’s representativeand the owner.At the time of going to press, SYS hasthree Oyster 82’s and two Oyster 62’s inbuild. The large shed is in full swing workingon a restoration project. Elsewhere in thePiers Wilson, Managing Directorlarge Saxon Wharf complex, work carrieson with other interesting projects such asthe Fife built classic ‘Belle Aventure’.Piers adds, “We have an excellent mixof current projects which suits thewealth of experience found in ourworkforce, and would welcome theopportunity to update and refit thelarger Oysters as part of our ongoingsupport for owners”.SUNKEN TREASURE IN RESTORHer cargo included zinc and tungsten, butmore importantly for this story, teak logsmarked BBTC which identified it being fromthe Bombay Burma Timber Company.OYSTERS ON PARADEIn conjunction with last year’s InternationalSouthampton Boat Show, probably themost successful show ever for Oyster,seventeen Oysters formed an impressiveraft of brokerage opportunities next doorto the SYS facility.Courtesy cars ferried interested partiesdirectly from the Show and illustrated thespace and benefits found at Saxon Wharfand SYS.Pictured above is a small piece of the teak log surface,complete with wormholes, seen against finished teak doors forthe refitted interior. The fine grain teak perfectly matches theexisting deckhouse in this new panel (right).The latest restoration project atSouthampton Yacht Services is somethingof a time warp. A classic 1907, 92’gentleman’s motor yacht currently beingrestored and refitted is benefiting from teaksalvaged from a cargo vessel sunk in 1917.On the 8th July 1917, the 6348 gross ton,330’ cargo vessel ‘PEGU’, on a voyage fromRangoon to Liverpool was sunk by a mine7 miles off Galley Head in Ireland.