Turnover day for the first St Ayles skiff designed by Iain Oughtred

[ad name=”intheboatshed-post”]

St A Skiff 461

St A Skiff 353 St A Skiff 421 St A Skiff 457

Chris Perkins’ photos used with permission. Click on the thumbnails for much larger images. Please do not repost on forums and elsewhere without permission from the photographer

The first St Ayles skiff currently being built in Alec Jordan’s workshop has reached an important landmark – turnover day. For more on the St Ayles skiff and the Scottish Coastal Rowing Project, click here.

Award winning amateur ply lapstrake boatbuilding specialist Chris Perkins has been involved, and here’s what he has to say about it:

‘Week three has passed with less visible progress: scraping and sanding the surplus epoxy eats away at the hours without appearing to advance the build significantly. Hopefully care at this stage will show in the finished result.

‘The “significant event” for this week occurred on Thursday evening when, after some delay assembling the strong arm bunch, the skiff was turned up the right way for the first time. She looked pretty good while on the mould but achieved a step change in the looks department when seen from a “proper” perspective for the first time. Iain Oughtred has produced yet another stunning design; I think she is a real beauty.

Cromartie Timber have produced some excellent larch for the thwarts and thwart beams, and it is probable that the internal fit out will be completed by the end of next week. There will still be lots of the interminable sanding and scraping to do but the boat should be painted and on the water in the first half of October. A few more volunteer helpers would be very welcome to move things along!

‘Cheers

‘Chris’

Thanks Chris! See Chris Perkins’ weblog here.

If you’re in the Fife area and feel like getting involved in an exciting project, why not contact Alec Jordan at alec@jordanboats.com?

Don’t miss something good – sign up for the free weekly intheboatshed.net email newsletter now!

A skiff on a lonely New Zealand beach

[ad name=”intheboatshed-post”]

IMG_0161

IMG_0162 IMG_0164 IMG_0163

IMG_0160

Regular intheboatshed.net reader Paul Mullings found this skiff on a beach while strolling by the Manukau Harbour, Auckland, New Zealand and was so uplifted by its simple elegance that he decided to send in a clutch of photos.

‘Hi Gav,

‘I chanced upon this delightful skiff when out and about today and thought I should share it with you – it certainly lifted my spirits and instilled a modicum of jealousy too!

‘Paul’

So here’s the question: assuming that it was built to published drawings, which were the plans this builder used? Answers to the Comment link below please!

Also on the subject of doings in New Zealand, weblogger Andy White has written to say that Devonport Yacht Club is holding an exhibition of the work of North Shore designers from the 4th to the 11th October as part of a heritage festival for Auckland. Read more here at Andy’s weblog and also here.

Don’t miss something good. Sign up now and start receiving the free weekly intheboatshed.net newsletter as soon as next week!


Thames Festival Classic Rally at St Katharine Docks, 2009

[ad name=”intheboatshed-post”]

Image034

Image032 Image036

Jim Vandenbos’s mobile phone photos of the 2009 inaugural Thames Festival Classic Rally. If anyone else has photos they’d like to share, please email me at gmatkin@gmail.com

The first Thames Festival Classic Rally at St Katharine Docks, London last weekend was a success and seems likely to be be repeated next year.

I couldn’t make it for reasons not unconnected with my broken ankle, but my pal Jim Vandenbos dropped by to see Lord Boris’s Thames’ Festival after the cricket at Lords finished early.

Among other things he was keen to see the rally at St Katharine’s Dock and beetled over to take a look. When pressed for numbers he guessed that there were something over 30 classic boats in the dock, including Arthur Ransomes’ Nancy Blackett as seen in the novel We didn’t mean to go to Sea, and a very nice Uffa Fox Fairey Marine yacht. He also says there were a good number of visitors strolling around the dock.

If Jim’s right, I’d say 30 boats was a good, healthy number.

Event organiser Ian Welsh told intheboatshed that the rally had been a success. ‘It went very well indeed, the entrants loved it and so it seems did the St Katharine’s people – so fingers crossed we’ll do it next year again. We already have lots of ideas for next year.’

More photos have been posted by the organisers on their website.

The rally also made The Times – see the story here.

Don’t miss out on something good – subscribe to intheboatshed.net’s free weekly email newsletter now.