West Mersea houseboats. ARTEMIS in the centre L'ESPERANCE on the right.
ARTEMIS was an 81ft wooden yawl built by Summers & Payne at Southampton in 1900, which eventually became a houseboat at West Mersea. in 1994 she was sold and went to Germany for restoration. She then sailed for just three months before problems with rot in the new planking were found. The planking has been removed, but she is currently in a tent in Hamburg awaiting a new sponsor.
Date: Before 1991