Keeping Avona Afloat

Keeping Avona Afloat Our 'restoration' of Avona, a MFV conversion. Formerly a Danish fishing trawler built in 1957

A little treasure from Avona’s past: this footage was filmed on board HG 133 Hanne Vinther during her transport from Hir...
13/11/2025

A little treasure from Avona’s past: this footage was filmed on board HG 133 Hanne Vinther during her transport from Hirtshals to the UK.
This journey marked the end of her Danish years and the beginning of her life as Dawn Louise.
If anyone here remembers the transport, the crew, or the fleet that travelled with her, I’d love to hear your memories.

Paul Crowther North Sea Patrol Trawlers at sea

Sporing af et dansk fiskefartøjs liv (nu “Avona” i Storbritannien)Hej alle! Jeg er i gang med at restaurere en dansk træ...
10/11/2025

Sporing af et dansk fiskefartøjs liv (nu “Avona” i Storbritannien)

Hej alle! Jeg er i gang med at restaurere en dansk trætrawler fra 1957 i Bristol Harbour, England, og har nu samlet hele dens danske historie takket være hjælp fra danske arkiver og HG-Klubben.

Skibet blev bygget i 1957 på A/S Frederikssund Skibsværft og arbejdede mere end tredive år langs den danske kyst under flere navne og ejere:

År Navn Reg.nr. Hjemhavn / Ejer
1957–1972 Morten Jensen (L 421) Lemvig H. M. S. Jensen
1973–1974 Teneriffa (S.E. 200) Sønder Esbjerg / Bornholm G. H. Rasmussen fra Neksø
1975–1976 Tabita af Strandby (F N 294) Strandby M. Thomsen
1977–1982 Onkel Sam (R 219) Ringkøbing P. M. Poulsen
1983–1985 Bethori (H G 133) Hirtshals Jakob J. Pedersen
1986–1989 Hanne Vinter (H G 133) Hirtshals Thorkild V. Larsen

Hvis nogen husker disse fartøjer, besætninger eller har fotos, avisudklip eller havneminder, vil jeg meget gerne høre fra jer.

Hun sejler nu igen (langsomt!) som Avona i Bristol Harbour – hendes danske sjæl lever stadig.
⚓️ [indsæt evt. et aktuelt billede + et gammelt dansk foto]

Kilder: HG-Klubben.dk / Arkiv.dk / Rigsarkivet / lokalarkiver.

26/10/2025

One side complete — and what a milestone! ⚓️
After months of work on Avona’s port side — removing rotten rubbing strakes, sealing seams with oakum and pitch, stripping and repainting guard rails, and replacing stanchions — she’s solid and shining once more.

It’s taken time, patience, and a lot of oakum under the fingernails… but she’s standing proud again. 💙

From Thyborøn to Bristol 🌊Restoring the 1957 Danish fishing trawler once known as Morten Jensen (L421, OMNE) — later Onk...
08/10/2025

From Thyborøn to Bristol 🌊
Restoring the 1957 Danish fishing trawler once known as Morten Jensen (L421, OMNE) — later Onkel Sam, Linette, Bethori, Hanne Vinther, and Dawn Louise — now sailing again as Avona in Bristol Harbour, UK.

Hello from Bristol Harbour, UK! 🇬🇧⚓️

I’m restoring a Danish fishing trawler that began her life in Thyborøn. She was launched in 1957 at A/S Frederikssund and originally named Morten Jensen (L421, signal letters OMNE).
Her first owner and skipper was Harald Morten Stovey Jensen, with Jens Peter Thunbo listed as day skipper and Kaj Thyssen as crew.

During her Danish working years she also carried the names Onkel Sam, Linette, Bethori, and Hanne Vinther, before later becoming Dawn Louise in the UK — and today she sails again as Avona.

I’m hoping to trace more of her Danish history — photographs, memories, crew stories, or fishing records — and would be so grateful for any help or local knowledge.

I still have her original Danish logbook, written by hand, and would dearly love to have it translated one day. If anyone here enjoys reading old Danish handwriting or maritime notes, I’d love to hear from you.

Tusind tak for your time and any leads you can share 🙏💙
– Kirsty Holton

Hej fra Bristol Harbour i England! 🇬🇧⚓️

Jeg restaurerer en dansk fiskekutter, som begyndte sit liv her i Thyborøn. Hun blev søsat i 1957 på A/S Frederikssund og hed oprindeligt Morten Jensen (L421, kald OMNE).
Den første ejer og skipper var Harald Morten Stovey Jensen, med Jens Peter Thunbo som daglig skipper og Kaj Thyssen som besætningsmedlem.

I sine danske arbejdsår bar hun også navnene Onkel Sam, Linette, Bethori og Hanne Vinther, før hun senere kom til Storbritannien som Dawn Louise – og i dag sejler hun igen som Avona.

Jeg håber at finde mere om hendes danske historie – billeder, minder, besætningshistorier eller fiskeriregistre – og vil være meget taknemmelig for al hjælp eller lokal viden.

Jeg har stadig hendes originale danske logbog, skrevet i hånden, og vil meget gerne have den oversat en dag. Hvis nogen her kan læse ældre dansk håndskrift eller maritime notater, hører jeg meget gerne fra jer.

Tusind tak for jeres tid og enhver information, I kan dele 🙏💙
– Kirsty Holton

Back aboard Avona for more boat chaos ⚓️🚿This week we test the shower head (and yes, it actually works!), argue about be...
23/09/2025

Back aboard Avona for more boat chaos ⚓️🚿

This week we test the shower head (and yes, it actually works!), argue about beams and paint 🎨, fit a salvaged teak shower tray from Trinity Marine 🛠, and learn what happens when an extension lead goes rogue ⚡️.

Oh, and Grace eats a banana. Properly eats it. 🍌😂

Come see the madness unfold!

This week aboard Avona, we backtrack a bit and then charge full steam into more boat chaos...🚿 Paul tests the shower head — and it works! 🎨 He also sneaki...

New episode on you tube :-)
23/06/2025

New episode on you tube :-)

This week aboard Keeping Avona Afloat…Paul tackles a shower mixer with absolutely no instructions (don’t worry, he calls the bodgery “clever customisation”),...

16/06/2025

We’re sharing something a bit special: a glimpse of Avona’s mighty Danish Grenaa engine firing up — with the help of the brilliant Rob Skuse, who knows her inside and out.

This demo was filmed before we became Avona’s keepers, but watching her heartbeat come to life gives us goosebumps every time. She starts on compressed air — no electrics, no nonsense. Just pure mechanical soul.

Rob also works aboard the MV Balmoral (moored just down from us in Bristol), which shares the same engine heritage — though Balmoral’s is a six-cylinder beast, and Avona’s a rugged four.

We’ll need Rob’s help again one day when we’re ready to poodle around the docks. For now, here’s a little tribute to this beautiful machine — and the people who’ve kept her ticking.

🛥️ Built: 1957, Denmark
🧰 Engine: Grenaa Diesel, 4-cylinder
🎞️ Featuring: Rob Skuse & former owner Robert Kirby
🎥 Subscribe for more salty restoration chaos → https://www.youtube.com/

New Episode!!
16/06/2025

New Episode!!

In this episode of Keeping Avona Afloat, we dive into the dirty and the beautiful.Paul finishes the grouting in our future shower room (the head), while I’m ...

New episode showing a part of Avona's past
08/06/2025

New episode showing a part of Avona's past

Rare photos from 2010–2021 and the story of her last transformation before we bought her.In this special episode of Keeping Avona Afloat, we take a look back...

Don't miss this week's episode!
25/02/2024

Don't miss this week's episode!

Removing the head from the below deck bathroom.

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