Feb29
Gavin Atkin
Sven Yrvind’s new boat, designed in collaboration with Matt Layden
Legendary Swedish small boat voyager Sven Yrvind has designed a new boat in collaboration with Matt Layden, who is equally well known for his adventuring in small self-built sharpies fitted with chine runners.
Yrvind’s new boat has a Layden-style form, with a deep and heavy sharpie hull that allows the runners along the chine to work like a keel - holding the boat up to the wind without the draft a conventional keel would require.
Far from being the sort of wildmen who compete to cross oceans in progressively smaller boats shorter than themselves, these gentlemen have impressive track records in small boat cruising and some useful ideas about how these kinds of boats should be built. Yrvind’s latest boat is interesting, as it seems to complete a circle: for while it’s possible to see Yrvind’s influence in several of Layden’s earlier designs, the American designer’s influence on the Swedish sailor’s new boat could not be more obvious.
Share this with friends using the Share this link below.
Boat plans and books of plans, Boatbuilders and restorers, Cruising yachts, Culture: songs, stories, photography and art, Events, Sailing ships, Small boats, Techniques
Feb29
Gavin Atkin
Chris Perkins’ photos from the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival at
Portsoy, 2006. Thanks Chris!
Chris Perkins took pity on my remark that I couldn’t see any strictly traditional boats in the photographs I had from the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, and kindly sent me these shots from the 2006 event. They show lots of small sailing boats, traditionally-built motor boats and even a steam launch.
I’m even more struck that Portsoy is a typical fishing community centred very much on the sea - indeed it seems to be holding on to the land by little more than its fingernails.
If Chris’s name is familiar, it should be - he was the winner of the Iain Oughtred-designed Macgregor sailing canoe that took away top honours at this year’s Beale Park Boat Show. Follow this link for more intheboatshed.net links relating to him and his boat, and his friends in the UK Home Built Boat Reggatta.
Share this with friends using the Share this link below.
Boat plans and books of plans, Boatbuilders and restorers, Cruising yachts, Culture: songs, stories, photography and art, Events, Locations, Motor yachts and boats, River boats, Sailing ships, Small boats, Steam launches, Suppliers, Working boats
Feb28
Gavin Atkin
Jolly sailing weather at the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, Portsoy; the smart-looking
skipper in the first photograh could be Iain Oughtred; another view of the harbour
It must be nearly dinner time - for the release describing the programme for the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival at Portsoy scheduled for June 20–22 this year has me drooling - though for food not for boats. I can’t even see any traditional boats in the photos they’ve sent out this year, but the old place looks every inch the grimly interesting Scottish fishing station nevertheless. If only someone would send me up there on a press ticket!
Here are some edited highlights of the festival:
- A delectable programme of spectacular nautical sights, creative Scottish crafts, sumptuous local produce and the finest in traditional music and entertainment are set to delight the crowds. The theme of this year’s event is to be ‘Salmon Cobbles and Silver Darlings’ in recognition of the planned restoration of the historic Salmon Bothy at Portsoy. More than £390,000 has been raised to restore the building.
Once complete, the building will include an exhibition profiling the salmon fishing industry alongside the social and industrial industry of Portsoy.
- Music A range of celebrated artists from the folk scene are set to take to the stage, starting with Irish folk phenomenon the Rapparees at the Friday Night Showcase Concert. The five-piece festival favourite ceilidh band Mak-a-Rak-it return once more on Saturday night with their lively traditional Scottish music and song, and melodies and music will be in the air throughout the festival thanks to a variety of colourful buskers who will mingle with the crowd each day.
- Food Tempt your tastebuds as the local produce including fish, meat, bakery products, cheeses, sweets and drink, all sponsored by local company Downie’s of Whitehills. It certainly sounds as if it would satisfy a man’s inner kipper!
- Crafts A selection of heritage demonstrations will also take place over the three days, including smoking fish, throwing pots, turning wood and smithying.
Iain Oughtred’s boat plans are available from Classic Marine.
Share this with friends using the Share this link below.
Canoes, Cruising yachts, Culture: songs, stories, photography and art, Events, Locations, Motor yachts and boats, Racing rowing and paddling, Racing sailing craft, River boats, Sailing ships, Small boats, Suppliers, Techniques, Working boats
.