HBBR heroes on their way to Beale Park

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HBBR’s raiders on the Thames

I’m grateful to UK Home Built Boat Rally stalwart and top class lapstrake boatbuilder Chris Perkins for sending me these photos of fellow members on their raid, making their way from Lechlade to Beale Park for the Beale Park Thames Boat Show. The shots include one of Chris Partridge of Rowing for Pleasure – see if you can spot him – and one of Chris Waite in his excellent self-designed rowing skiff Octavia. See this post for more on Octavia.

The boats are all home-made (of course!) and the river is not a prime sailing area for small boats (it’s better with a tall rig), so they bravely paddled and rowed all the way. A distance of 60 miles is a significant trip if you’re not an athlete, so hats off to them, I say.

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5 thoughts on “HBBR heroes on their way to Beale Park”

Bob Holtzman says:

June 20, 2009 at 1:50 pm

Looks like a great time with some nice craft. Any idea about the ID of the white sailing canoe (probably glued-lap) being single-paddled?

Reply
1. Gavin Atkin says:
  
  June 21, 2009 at 3:53 pm
  
  I think it's one of the Selway-Fisher canoes. See http://www.selway-fisher.com/
  
  Gav
  
  Reply
Gary Sanderson says:

July 5, 2009 at 10:23 pm

Hi Bob. I believe the canoe you ask about is mine. I bought it as an unfinished project so am still waiting for someone to tell me what it is. The closest we've got is a Selway fisher "Christine" Shape wise, however this canoe is 15' long & 43" wide, so is a little larger. She is 6mm ply stitch & glue & the breast hooks & thwarts are my own addition, as is the std opi rig without the boom as it is too low. I am modifying to a taller mast so that I can put the boom back to increase sail efficiency. Lea board & rudder are 10mm ply simply bolted together.

Gary

Reply
Bob Holtzman says:

July 7, 2009 at 11:29 pm

Gary,

Well, even if it remains a mystery, she's a very appealing boat. Nice work!

Bob

Reply
Gary Sanderson says:

July 9, 2009 at 3:27 am

Thanks for your kind coments Bob.

Just to correct myself, the lea board & rudder are made from 12mm ply not 10. If you are considering a canoe of this type & size I would suggest that you find one that has some rocker in it. This one is perfectly flat so tracks well but is not easy to turn, which can be a pain especially when trying to tack under sail. That is my only complaint with her though.

One of the appealing aspects of ply is that even with a craft of this size it can be carried & managed by one man.

All the best

Gary

Reply