A VETERAN sailor is celebrating as he prepares to launch a boat he built with his own hands for the fiftieth year in a row.

Graham Stow, of Notcutts in East Bergholt began work on his Lysander Cruiser on Christmas Day 1963 and finished the following summer.

Now he is set to launch it once again from the sailing club in Manningtree.

“I just wanted to do some sailing and saw it at the boatshow,” said the 77-year-old Mr Stow.

“It took me six months to build it and it only cost £100 in total and it has definitely been worth it after all the years of service.

“It used to do about 56 trips a year but I have had to scale it back now I am older and suffering with a bit of arthritis."