Dec26
Poole canoes – the motorised flat-bottomed skiffs of Poole Harbour
Poole canoes, photographed by John Lockwood
Home Built Boat Rally UK (HBBR) member John Lockwood has sent me these photos of a British Isles flattie I hadn’t known about until recently: the oddly-named Poole canoe.
The British Isles aren’t generally thought of as the home of flat-bottomed boats, and I can’t tell you how often I have told me that a flat-bottomed boat can’t work. And yet, there are quite a few around our inland waters and even on our coasts, including the turf boats and flatners of Somerset, the punts of the Rivers Thames and Cam, various gun punts, the Fleet trow and the Wexford cot. And, of course, going up-scale a range of lighters and coastal barge types including the celebrated Thames barge have flat bottoms.
So I was pleased a few weeks ago to learn of the Poole canoe a few weeks ago, and I’m now grateful to John for capturing these slender flattie skiffs with his camera before the original wooden boats disappear. I have the impression that they range up to around 22ft by 4ft or a little over. Thanks for the informative shots John!
A message from ‘Tranona’ on the PBO forum suggests that the boats built in the area for use in Poole Harbour were built by eye – and that British Seagull proprieter Mr Weyhope spent years experimenting to get the best speed out of the boats driven by a Seagull 102 model, which I’d guess was a 2hp type. Looking at the boats in these pictures, they mostly have the small amount of rocker I would expect for a low powered boat, though one or two seem to have rather flatter runs, which would suggest they were intended for a bigger power plant.
In this connection, some weeks ago I put up a post linking to an online ad in which someone was selling an old Seagull outboard still in its original packaging, and accompanied by a set of drawings for building a flat-bottomed skiff, which I suppose is likely to be one of Mr Weyhope’s designs. I’ve posted a tiny thumbnail of the drawings at the bottom of this post, and although it only affords a little information there seems little doubt that the ‘20ft trunnel boat‘ it presents is a Poole canoe, or something very like it.
I must say that I’m particularly interested in these boats at the moment, as they are so similar to a design project I’ve been working on for a friend for some time, and I can’t help feeling that they’re a kind of endorsement of the basic idea.
My project is a little different – my ‘client’ wanted a flat-bottomed design he could build in his garage and that would work with a 4-5hp motor rather than Mr Weyhope’s 2hp model – but the drawings I made before I’d even heard of the Poole canoe seem very like the South Coast boats. See my initial drawings here.
I plan to complete them as soon as I can decide whether the end of the prop should be inside or outside the transom when raised – I notice that the long wells seen in most of these photos imply that the prop is inside the well when the motor is raised – and yet I wouldn’t want to find a flailing prop in my well after hitting an underwater obstruction. Does anyone have any insights on this question?
By the way, I gather GRP Poole canoes are still made for fishermen by Salterns and that the yard has developed a higher powered 22ft model designed for sun bathing, fishing and exploring Poole Harbour, and powered by a 30hp electric start outboard. It even comes with a sun deck, picnic table, cool box, navigation lights, fishing rod holders, a tray in the stern for ring netting and flush decks. All of that seems a long way from the boats in the photos!
Thanks for the shots John!
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Max Dec 27th 2009 at 12:49 pm 1
Nice post Gavin, you can see why it would be a good boat for Poole harbour. I’m wondering if English Flatties were not more common on other sheltered waters for example the east coast rivers?
Max
Paul Mullings Dec 29th 2009 at 04:33 am 2
Seagull 102 is around 3.5 to 5hp depending on type
Gavin Atkin Dec 29th 2009 at 08:54 am 3
That’s helpful – thanks Paul!
Gav
John Dart Dec 29th 2009 at 11:33 pm 4
Very interesting article. As for the prop inside versus outside the transom, I personally favor the inside design. Should the prop foul on fish line, pot warp, seaweed, etc, one doesn’t have to hang over the stern to disentangle it.
As for having the prop swing upward upon impact, a lid or trap door over the well will prevent this. If not a full lid then a cross brace across the well that will hinge out of the way for raising and supporting the outboard, but will prevent the prop from flying up during impact.
John
Chris Waite Dec 30th 2009 at 02:27 pm 5
The rising outboard question. I have to agree that a thrashing prop inside a narrow tunnel does not appeal and I can see that hitting an obstruction and knocking up while on the turn could produce interesting results in instantaneous corrective design. Two thoughts:
1. Make the tunnel wide enough not to be fouled by the prop even with the engine rotated – this might be narrower than you think.
2. The Drascombe range have a raked stern with a slot and the prop eventually elevates to a point coveniently close to the transom, where it can be got at. The extreme version of this is the Sussex beach boats where the transom curls over into a (fish handling?) tray that also acts to provide lift from breakers when beaching and with a hatch of its own would make dealing with a fouled prop a doddle. I’m sure you’ve seen them.
Cee Dubbaya
duncan Jan 17th 2010 at 09:03 pm 6
FINAL EDIT!!
Have commented earlier privately about the independent convergence of these designs also in America; The operating environment and hydrodynamics appear to guide the design evolution.
Interesting to see the net/fish trays in the Poole configuration.
Probably and important consideration here in South Eastern Tasmanian Estuaries.
For beach cruising/camping with lightweight composite design, bouancy tanks either side of the tunnel and in the bow could be prudent, perhaps also with more rake in the stern.
With attention to hydro dynamics of the bottom section forward and with provision for moving load to a slightly bow down trim, it might also handle sail well.
Very interested to follow the contemporary evolution of this design.
(Lets get 4wd’s off the beaches!!!)
cheers Duncan
Ryan Jul 13th 2010 at 07:51 pm 7
Hello, very interested in this topic, i have grown up around poole canoes as my dad has always had one and occasionaly built one and i have had a couple since i was old enough. Any how im particuly interested if any one knows how to find the plan or any information for mr way-hope of seagull engines poole canoe. because i actually have the poole canoe that was originally built for testing seagull engines. Any how if you have any information then please let me no. Thanks Ryan
Paul Mullings Jul 15th 2010 at 01:18 am 8
Amazing that Ryan has the original Poole Canoe Gav, any chance of taking the lines off?