TALLY HO
A 1910 old sailing yacht, bought for $1, transformed and given a new lease of life.
Leo Sampson Goolden is a Boatbuilder and Sailor from Bristol, England. Back in 2013, he founded Sampson Boat Co as a platform to propel his passion for this craftsmanship. Back in 2017 Leo bought TALLY HO, a very old English sailing Yacht, with the end vision of getting it back on the water and sailing again.
Leo first came across TALLY HO in a remote part of Oregon, where sadly she had been left to rot for decades. Seeing a huge amount of potential and a rewarding project on the horizon, he decided to try and save this historic vessel. So handing over the $1 he paid to call TALLY HO his own, then moving her by truck 550 miles to the Olympic Peninsula, Leo got to work!
For the past seven years Leo and his team have been rebuilding the TALLY HO from the keel up with the help of a lot of amazing people – fully funded through his YouTube channel, which takes you on a journey from start to finish. In April 2024 the TALLY HO made its grand launch for the first time in several decades – a crowd gathering at Port Townsend and our little Hobbit stove onboard and ready to see the world!
TALLY HO was on the verge on being destroyed when Leo rescued her. He knew that the scale of the project he was taking on was not a small one. The hard work, craftsmanship, grit and determination that Leo and his team have oozed in the YouTube videos documenting the build is so inspiring.
Being out at sea in all sorts of weather conditions can cause that longing for warmth and cosiness – this is where our little Hobbit stove comes in. Leo has always had a wood burner in all of the boats he has previously lived on, so having a Hobbit installed on the TALLY HO was a must to create that warm, ambient atmosphere. Watch the video here of the team installing the stove.
TALLY HO has now hit the water and it looks absolutely beautiful. Leo and his team have done an incredible job at getting what was once a decrepit sailing yacht, back to looking like its brand spanking new. Leo continues to add videos to the Sampson Building Co YouTube channel, so go have a look and subscribe!
