Following the tragic loss of the historic Sailing boat Keewaydin to fire, we are aiming to raise funds to help support Spike Davies who was rebuilding the vessel at the time.

Spike Davies is a master Shipwright who was tasked with saving Keewaydin, a 1913 Lowestoft Fishing Trawler, after the tragic death of Paul Welch the previous owner. The restoration had been in progress for two years and had only been possible with the help of community donations and generous volunteers. Spike has lost not only the vessel itself but also all of his tools and equipment, which are the life blood of his trade.

Keewaydin was due to be launched at the beginning of March 2026, which would have been just two weeks after the fire, which makes this tragedy so much more upsetting. The end goal was in sight and we are desperately sad to see the efforts put in by Spike and his team go unrewarded. Spike was the centre of a dedicated group of volunteers, shipwrights, and willing individuals who all gave their time freely to attempt to save this piece of maritime history.

There has been an overwhelming outpouring of sadness for what has happened and we dearly wish to turn this heartbreaking event into a positive moment that reflects the power of community spirit and generosity. Please help to support Spike at this difficult time. Even a small donation can really help.