Bob Telford’s first race sailing a dinghy with a standing lug

standing-lug-sail1

Standing lug sail from W P Stephens classic Canoe and
Boatbuilding for Amateurs

Bob Telford called by the yard currently restoring his impressive Maurice Griffiths-designed Idle Duck (type the word Idle Duck into the search box top left for more on this boat), only to find himself roped in to what sounded like an interesting round-the-buoys outing. Instead, though, it turned out to be a learning experience…

‘I knew something was afoot when I trundled into the inner sanctum known to some as Alan’s Community Center, for Retired Shipwrights, Dockyard Mateys and Associated Layabouts, and saw him and Peter look up, saying ’just the man…d’you fancy sailing in the Swale Match in me dinghy?

‘”Yes,” says I, without thinking.

‘The boat is a 10-ft lug rigged clinker job, so there I was, on my own, in a dinghy I had never rigged, let alone sailed, heading for the line for a race against four 16-ft fully crewed gaff-rigged dayboats.

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Read the rest of Bob’s story: Continue reading “Bob Telford’s first race sailing a dinghy with a standing lug”

Roach takes her first voyage after her restoration

Roach takes her first voyage after her restoration

Roach

A lot seems to have been happening over the past couple of weeks while I’ve been away. One of them has been Roach’s first voyage following her restoration. The author or Roach’s Adventures (see the blogroll column to the right of this post) reports as follows, and has posted some very nice photos:

‘I do believe it is true that yachts have personalities, and in the time that I have been working on Roach, specially afloat in the marina, we have started to consolidate our relationship. She is a tetchy little teenager that requires lots of attention – she wants good looks so that she can get a good looking boyfriend – and I am the one that has to provide the endless stream of pocket money that will pay for rather expensive top-brand make-up.

‘Roach has her tantrums, and I was on the receiving end of one in the marina earlier this week… ‘

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Read more about Roach’s first voyage here: http://roach1948.blogspot.com/

Bristol Channel pilot cutter and yacht Carlotta is being restored

Carlotta

Carlotta Carlotta

The Bristol Channel pilot cutter Carlotta was built in 1899 by William H Halford of Gloucester, England for the Cumberland Sea Fishery Committee for use in patrolling the fisheries in the Cumberland area. She was nevertheless built to the same scantlings, materials, design and layout as two pilot boats built previously by the Halford yard, St Bee’s and Brittannia.

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She was converted into a yacht in 1907, and from then on had an extraordinary history Click here to read more: Continue reading “Bristol Channel pilot cutter and yacht Carlotta is being restored”