BBA students launch Oughtred-designed faering

 

Photos of Eagdyth taken by Jenny Steer and Phillipa Gedge

Eadgyth built by students Boat Building Academy students Matt Goode and Jay Preston is a 16ft 6in  by 4ft 9.5in Iain Oughtred Elfyn design built in plywood, and  fitted out in sapele with oak detailing.

She has a balanced lug rig, and traditional kabes – strong timber supports for oars – rather than the usual rowlocks for rowing.

Matt chose the design after coming across an article about faerings – double ended Norwegian boats – in a magazine in the BBA boat bookcase. He liked the look of them but perhaps most of all its Scandinavian origins called out to his soul. After a little more research, Matt found plans for a more modern version drawn up by Iain Oughtred.

Having launched her, Matt reports that he is ‘absolutely chuffed’ with the boat, which he plans to use for family sailing with his son, Richard, and his wife – if she feels brave enough to sail with him.

For 20 years, Matt worked as an engineer in the automotive industry in Cardiff, but was made redundant in June 2011; while researching different career options, he came across the BBA website three days later started the first of four short courses, by the end of which he had been bitten by the boat building bug and enrolled onto the 38-week course.

After finishing the course Matt has now returned to Cardiff and has been doing voluntary work helping to fit out a 65ft schooner Prince Madoc, together with his son. Recently have been helping to set up the World of Boats, which opens at Cardiff on the 23rd August.

Jay is now employed by the Good Wood Boat Company  based in Cumbria.

The company prides itself on creating beautiful hand crafted classic boats using ‘responsibly managed and ethically sourced timber’. They are also the first boat building company to gain Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), certification meaning that all wood used to build their boats has come from responsibly managed forests.

St Ayles Skiff World Championships – 8th to 14th July 2013

 

Photos by Chris Perkins

Scottish Coastal Rowing Association officials have chosen Ullapool for the venue for the first world championships for coastal rowing in boats built to Iain Oughtred’s St Ayles skiff design.

Ullapool Coastal Rowing Club is delighted to be at the centre of organising the event, along with partner organisations the Loch Broom Sailing Club, Coigach Community Rowing and the Ullapool Harbour Trustees.

The growth of St Ayles Skiff building and rowing by communities internationally has been astonishing. The aim of the new event is to provide an opportunity for rowers from across the globe to meet in friendly competition.

Set on the banks of a on the banks of Loch Broom, a large sheltered sea loch in the North-West of Scotland, Ullapool is an excellent location for such an event.  The local rowing club says it is also well equipped to cater for visitors and the area’s community is accustomed to running large cultural events, and that Skiffie Worlds will be well within its capacity.

A full programme of maritime and land-based activities and entertainment is planned, culminating with a prize-giving and a boisterous ceilidh on Saturday 13 July.

For information check the growing website at http://skiffieworlds.com.

Brian Pearson’s photos of the latest Boat Building Academy student launch

  

  

  

 

Brian Pearson has sent over some of his photos of the Boat Building Academy’s student launch day on 7th December. Thanks Brian!

He seems to have had a good time: ‘It was a very joyful occasion, so thanks for the heads-up.’ He added that his party voted the Gartside-designed Skylark their boat of the day, though njo doubt others will have their own favourites.