Madagascar-bound former naval supply ship makes return to Conwy Quay!

“Island Reach” was purchased by Christian charity “Youth With a Mission” (YMAM) in December, and then sailed to Conwy from Greenock.

It will be converted and sent to Madagascar to assist with the nation's medical needs.

Steered by captain Jeremy McWilliam, who led a crew of seven, the boat left its mooring at Acton Bridge, Cheshire on Monday afternoon.

It stayed overnight in a lock on the River Weaver on Monday, before anchoring off the River Mersey yesterday.

It then anchored off in a sheltered position outside the Fairway Buoy off Conwy until high water, and came into Conwy Quay, right by the castle, on the high tide at about 12.30pm today.

The departure to Madagascar, via the Suez Canal in Egypt, has been set for high water on Sunday, April 9, 2023.

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Former naval supply ship to return to Conwy Quay ahead of Madagascar voyage

Boat on Conwy Quay being converted and sent to Madagascar

The boat is a 24-metre ex-naval, two hold, stores tender.

With a draft of only 2.2 metres, a strong hull, and good engines, she is well-suited for going up rivers and small inlets to reach communities in need.

Jeremy, who lives in Betws-y-Coed, said: "This boat was a naval vessel. She did 40 years in Scotland supporting the submarines.

"YWAM already operate medical vessels around the world, in places like Papua New Guinea, the Caribbean, and the Philippines.

"This boat was bought by the Swiss part of the YWAM charity, because Madagascar is a French-speaking country, and they already have medical teams working on day boats there.

"When we were offered this boat by a charity in Scotland, we bought it to make it a more 'liveable hospital ship'.

"Now we've done most of the steelwork, it's really over to the carpentry, and fitting out everything, which we're going to focus on now.

"We've got a lot of engineering to do, fitting out the cabins and a whole medical unit. If we've got the funds, then we want to fit air conditioning and a water maker.

"Downstairs, there are three rooms: one will be a dental unit, one will be a consulting room for the doctor, one will be a basic operating theatre, possibly eye surgery, doing cataracts and things like that.

"Above that, we've got four new cabins to accommodate the medical staff.

"The whole project, I think, will probably cost between £50-80,000. To sail to Madagascar is about 8,000 miles, so we're looking at about £50-60,000 in fuel.

"We're allowing about two months - one month from here to the Suez Canal, and then one month from the Suez Canal to Madagascar.

"The east coast of Madagascar is a bit like the amazon - it has lots of inland waterways and canals, but it's pretty remote from the main civilisation, so there is virtually no medical care on that side of the island.

"We're just supporting the groups already working down there, giving a bit more versatility. The boat will stay there (in Madagascar).

"We've got such a great group of people, and facilities, in Conwy, so it was recommended that we did the whole refit here.

"I'll see it through until April and then sail it for a month, then I'll hand it over."

You can watch a tour of "Island Reach" below:

Jeremy, who has been involved with YWAM since 1986, spent three years supporting refugees on a boat in Lesbos, and also worked in the South Pacific on a sailing ketch, going to the outer islands and sharing the Gospel.

Volunteers and members of Coleg Llandrillo are repairing and updating essential mechanical, electrical and electronic equipment on board to make it fit to sail to Madagascar.

Jeremy added: "Every Friday, we have a volunteer day- you arrive here at 9am, get breakfast and coffee; some people come to pray, others come to paint and help.

"We're always appealing for donations."

Jeremy also praised the work of Philippe, a Swiss welder who is due to leave the crew on Friday and return to his home country after six months on board.

He added: "Philippe did a discipleship school with YWAM, and their outreach was to Conwy.

"He later said he missed Conwy so much and asked if he could come back again!

"He's a very skilled metal worker, so he headed up the entire metal work project; he's done it all himself."

The ship was moved from Conwy to the River Weaver on April 25 so that substantial steelwork fabrication could be carried out.

This involved converting the holds and upper deck section to house the medical departments below the decks and additional cabin accommodation above deck.

“Island Reach” will stay at Conwy Quay throughout the winter while volunteers and contributors fit out the interiors to make the medical areas and cabins operational, ready for the journey to Madagascar.

YWAM Ships is the legal owner of Island Reach, but the principal of YWAM Maritime Academy is managing this project in Conwy.

Anyone in Conwy looking out for “Island Reach” will see quite a change, as the crane has been removed from the foredeck and extra cabin accommodations has been fabricated there.

Part of the work for existing volunteers and new ones to carry out in the coming months will include giving the boat a clean-up and a fresh coat of paint.

The four-cabin new deck accommodation steelwork is in place, while four new portholes and a water-tight door have been fitted.

New floorboards and bilge storage space have also been ordered, while fire and bilge alarms are all now repaired and working.

It is hoped that next stage of works on the boat will be complete by Christmas.

After that, the final stage can commence, which will include such tasks as fitting out dental and operating rooms, general sanding and painting, and beginning the promotion and advertising of the vessel and raising support for its voyage to Madagascar. 

Some of the work carried out on the boat has been shared on YouTube and can be found at: www.youtube.com/channel/UCS3u_1PDW19TeRKwU5lJnBg.