Category: Designs and designers, boat plans,books of plans

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Ashcroft and Chappelle – are their dinghies related?

Tom Dunderdale’s Iota

Tom Dunderdale’s Iota

I have been intrigued by Tom Dunderdale’s commentary relating to his Iota dinghy design for some weeks (see it here), not least because I am in the happy position of being able to test Tom’s suggestion that the 10ft dinghy design Howard Chappelle gives in his classic work Boatbuilding may have been inspired by an earlier design by Herbert J Ashcroft.

Being a book nut, I happen to own the Chappelle book, and another first published by Ashcroft in 1927. Ashcroft, I should explain, spent much of his life developing a Continue reading “Ashcroft and Chappelle – are their dinghies related?”

Betty needs a home

Betty, 1927

Tally Ho

Albert Strange’s Betty, as Tally Ho, won the 1927 Fastnet Race, but today she’s an abandoned motor fishing vessel named Escape, and may be found languishing in the harbour at Brookings, Oregon, according to the swish new Albert Strange Association website.

The original plans, including accommodation details, are available at Continue reading “Betty needs a home”

Boat building and cruising inspiration from New Zealand

John Welsford’s cruising dinghies

John Welsford’s cruising dinghies John Welsford’s cruising dinghies John Welsford’s cruising dinghies

John Welsford’s cruising dinghies John Welsford’s cruising dinghies

Navigator Jaunty and Pathfinder Varuna photographed by David Perillo

Take a look at these photos – I can’t imagine how anyone could look at them without feeling inspired. The scenery is the coast of New Zealand, and the boats are a Navigator and a Pathfinder, both large cruising dinghies designed by John Welsford.

Just as we slide gloriously into summer here in the UK, it seems odd to think of John and his countrymen and women slipping towards their winter. But we shouldn’t feel too sorry for them yet, judging by Continue reading “Boat building and cruising inspiration from New Zealand”