The restoration process of Partridge began in 1979 when Alexander Laird received a letter from Peter Saxby to locate an ‘old sailing yacht’. Peter was to provide the funds and Alex Laird would restore it. Alex experienced his Eureka moment in the Tollesbury mud at the sight of the attractive outlines of the hull, which was salvaged and towed to a quayside in Tollesbury on the River Blackwater in Essex, England. From there she was craned out of the river at high tide and transported to the Isle of Wight.
The hull was taken to Shalfleet House on the Isle of Wight. Over the next 8 years, whilst the hull was still drying out, Partridge was carefully restored with renewal and repairs to the frames, to the hull planking, to the tall deck beams. A new 9 tonne lead keel was cast.
In 1989 Partridge was taken from the garden in Shalfleet to Hythe Marine Services on Southampton Water where the lead keel was drilled off and bolted to the hull. The teak deck was laid by a shipwright.
In 1993 Partridge was moved to Groves and Gutteridge (Fairey Marine) marina in Cowes on the Isle of Wight where her restoration was to be completed under a purpose-built shed.
All the final details including the building of the mast and spars were executed in a small workshop rented from Harry Spencer at Spencer Thetis wharf. Partridge was restored as closely as possible to her original specifications.
