Jan07
Gorgeous film of Galway hookers racing
My long-standing sailing and Internet friend Peter Vanderwaart today tipped me off about this Youtube clip of a collection of Galway hookers, and cheered me up no end.
I gather it was made for a television series featuring the boats broadcast on TG4, but I haven’t been able to work out how to see the programmes via the station’s website. But aren’t these heavy, shapely wooden boats just the bee’s knees?
There’s an enthusiastic few paragraphs about the hookers at the Sailing Anarchy post for today, which seems a nice if slightly surprising thought when you consider the modern, high-tech kind of boating that site usually features. It’s not somewhere I link to very often.
Thanks Peter!
9 Comments »Culture: songs, stories, photography and art, Events, Locations, Racing sailing craft, Traditional carvel, Working boats
Max Jan 7th 2010 at 08:11 pm 1
Brilliant
thomas Jan 8th 2010 at 03:27 am 2
Gavin, thanks for this. Even the overly heroic soundtrack didn’t seem out of place. Just too short.
Wim Jan 9th 2010 at 07:02 pm 3
Gavin,
The site of the series: http://www.tg4.ie/bearla/clar/abnt/abnt.asp
TG4 LIVE (rightcorner of the site) is the channel’s BroadbandTV service offering their current programmes. The material remains available for viewing for 35 days after transmission on TG4.
I think these 35 days have been expired.
Wim
jay cresswell Jan 9th 2010 at 08:42 pm 4
brilliant, just brilliant
Dan Newton Jan 11th 2010 at 05:41 pm 5
Thanks Gavin, for the lovely video. Howard Chapelle has plans for the Galway Hooker in his American Small Sailing Craft. I built a model that my children and I sail on our neighbor’s pond.
Dan
Gavin Atkin Jan 11th 2010 at 06:26 pm 6
I don’t recall that – it’s some years since I read the book, but I may look it out tonight.
Do you have any photos of your model to share please?
Gav
Gary Mac Jan 11th 2010 at 07:51 pm 7
Hi Gavin,
For more on the Galway Hookers – (for those addicted):
Have a look for work by An Eamon & Ciane de Buitlear.
DVD – The Islandman
The Galway Hookers by Richard J Scott ISBN 0-9547915-0-9 includes a DVD – Huiceiri (Hookers)
Book/DVD/plans – three booklet set – Shipwrights:
1. The Galway Hooker ISBN 0-9549023-0-0 (3 page drawings include offsets)
2. The Canvas Currach ISBN 0-9549023-2-7
3. The Wooden Currach ISBN 0-9549023-1-9
( this is a loverly bit of work)
and
Traditional Boats of Ireland
http://www.tradboats.ie/
(a tome – I’m still working through this one)
Gary Mac
Gavin Atkin Jan 11th 2010 at 08:43 pm 8
It’s true – American Small Sailing Craft includes something that in the mid 19th Century was called an Irish cutter, and which Chappelle says was really only a slightly modified Galway hooker. He adds that there’s a drawing of a Galway hooker in Dixon Kemp and I’ve just taken a look – and by Harry he’s right.
Gav
Catching up with the traditional boat blogosphere – recent stuff from some peers « Chine bLog Feb 17th 2010 at 03:04 am 9
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