Gavin Atkin's weblog for the sort of people who like looking inside boat sheds. It's about old boats, traditional boats, boat building, restoration, the sea and the North Kent Coast
Phwoarrr! If you’re 16-25 and can find the reduced price of €1495 from somewhere, this might just be an irresistable opportunity: http://www.classic-sailing.co.uk/log/youth-15-25-bark-europa
Participants will sail in two legs of the Tall Ships Race on the Europa, starting from Lerwick in the Shetlands on the 22nd July, then across the North Sea to Stavanger in Norway, and then to Halmstadt in Sweden.
My thanks to Mike Goodwin for pointing this out!
This remarkable set of photographs from a boatyard on the Vietnamese island of Kim Bong were taken by Pete Williamson recently while on holiday in the area. They are published with his permission.
Here’s what he says:
‘The islands of Kim Bong and Thanh Ha on the Thu Bon river near Hoi An are I believe subsidised to preserve the crafts and way of life of the people, and are a major tourist attraction.
‘The wooden boat would apparently take three months to build, and sell for $1000 US!
‘The ”coracles” are in some ways similar to Welsh coracles, but lack the plank seat, have a woven skin and are propelled by rocking rather than paddled. They are apparently raced but are also used to remove the fish caught in the large nets seen in the river.
‘Regards, Pete’
Thanks Pete! Some great shots of boatbuilding in Vietnam here – the net is particularly beautiful, and the boats themselves are extraordinary – I’ve never seen trunnels used this way before, except as a way of demonstrating that it’s possible.
In fact I’ve recently been given a number of photos from Vietnam, and will post some more of them shortly.
Shetland fifie Swan, winner of the national flagship award
Humber sloop Spider T came second in a close contest
The Swan Trust deserve our congratulations on the fifie Swan’s victory in being made 2011 flagship by the National Historic Ships.
Humber sloop Spider T came second in a close contest.
The award presented to Swan goes to the owners of the vessel on the National Historic Fleet with the most impressive seasonal programme of public events in the forthcoming year. The winners receive a special pennant to mark her flagship status, and a grant of £1000 to be spent on the vessel’s upkeep.
A fifie herring drifter, Swan (LK243) was launched in May 1900 at Hay and Company’s yard in Lerwick in the Shetland Isles. Having survived two world wars and then falling into disrepair, this vessel has now been restored to her former glory by a team of dedicated volunteers. The judges were particularly impressed with the breadth of Swan’s summer programme which, starting in her home port, will take her to the Orkneys; along the Caledonian Canal; to Waterford to compete in the Tall Ships Race to Glasgow, and then to Norway, engaging throughout with the large number of young people who will form her crews, and inviting visitors on board wherever she goes.
Swan is one of some 200 vessels of pre-eminent national significance which together form the UK’s National Historic Fleet.
Swan Trust chairman Allister Rendell, said: ‘I am delighted that Swan has won… It is particularly appropriate that Swan has been selected, since the Tall Ships will be visiting Shetland this year.’
Runner-up Spider T receives a £250 grant which will also go towards supporting the vessel and promoting the Flagship of the Year scheme.
National Historic Ships director Martyn Heighton commented: ‘With the flagship award now in its third year, the quality of entries has gone from strength to strength. Swan is a worthy winner in a year of fierce competition.’
Humber sloop Spider T’s owner Mal Nicholson is a regular contributor to intheboatshed.net, usually on the subject of Spider T herself. For more posts about the Humber sloop, click here.