The Pill dry-dock is indicated upon a November 1840 map below  : 'Ashmeads Plan for Dockising the Crockerne Pill'. At this date the dry dock was owned by the Lord of the Manor and the tenant was George Wilkins de Winton. Many thanks to the Pill Village website for this info. [667]

◊ c.1885 - left - A newspaper photograph of the Dry Dock at Pill which later served as part of Mr Charles Cooper's boatyard. Mr. Cooper (probably Mr. John Cooper) is the bearded gentleman centre-stage in front of a Gloucester pilot's skiff. The skiff is distinguished by its white bulwarks. The boatyard consisted of a saw-pit which required the services of a 'top-dog' and an 'under-dog' to push/pull the sawblade manually through the timbers ; adjacent was a boat building yard and a boat-breaking yard.

Each boat-yard evolved particular criteria for the design and methodology of building the sailing pilot vessels. Pilots owned their boats and some preferred speed whilst others felt that seaworthiness was the overriding factor. In each case the design intent was to build a vessel which could be sailed quickly with a minimal crew, safely in all weathers, out as far as Lundy to collect, or return to sea, merchant vessels. [666]