Tuesday, June 5, 2007, marked an historic day for keen sailor Chris Bennett. For it heralded the launch of his very own motor cruiser, 10 years to the day since he started building it himself in his garden. Chris, of Cresswell Quay, had the boat as a retirement present, and has spent his spare time lovingly working on it ever since. "When I had it first, it was just a shell with a hull and a deck and nothing inside," Chris, a retired businessman, told the Observer this week. "I have kitted it out, done all the engineering work, all the wiring and all the woodwork," he continued. "It was not planned to launch the boat on June 5; it was just a coincidence." A crane was used to lift the 33-foot motor cruiser from Chris's garden and place it in the water. And it was indeed quite a spectacular sight as a crowd of around 500 people gathered at Cresswell Quay cheering as the vessel, appropriately named The Cresswell Star, was launched. Chris, accompanied by family and friends, then headed off on a maiden voyage down to the Cleddau Bridge. "It was a really superb day," added Chris, who will be mooring the boat at Lawrenny Yacht Station when he and wife Lynne are not off sailing.