Category: Traditional carvel

Traditional carvel plans and boatbuilding

An update from Will Stirling of Cutters & Luggers down in Cornwall

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An update from Smuggling Luggers & Revenue Cutters An update from Smuggling Luggers & Revenue Cutters An update from Smuggling Luggers & Revenue Cutters

The Duke of Bedford’s boathouse (note the blocks in the foreground), a rebuilt
Tamar Valley salmon skiff, a skylight from the Garlandstone, and
Garlandstone, the WWII Naval pinnace and Alert, all mentioned below

We’ve also received these splendid photos and an update from Will Stirling of Revenue Cutters & Smuggling Luggers. I’m sure many readers will remember his knockout 18th-century inspired design and build project Alert last year (see previous posts) and will be interested to know what he’s been up to in the first half of 2008. In fact, he seems to have a tremendous lot of work going on!

Connoisseurs will notice some good sheds here too…

‘Dear Gavin,

‘I’m spending a lot of time banging in nails!

‘We have a 150 ton West Country trading ketch Garlandstone on the slipway and are beginning a programme of further restoration after she suffered a period of neglect.

‘The upper works of a 40’ Admiralty pinnace built in Scapa Flow, Orkney during World War II are in the process of being entirely replaced. This has included redefining her sheer as it had been pushed out of shape after many years landing on the beach.

‘We have just completed a completed rebuild from a new backbone up of a Tamar Valley Salmon Skiff. An original member left in the boat has the rope marks where the net led over the side.

‘We have also restored the Duke of Bedford’s boathouse for the Tamar Valley Trust and extensively repaired a neglected cornish punt.

‘We have an MOD contract from the flagship of the Royal Navy, HMS Victory, to build a new 26ft ship’s cutter to a draught from the National Maritime Museum to an 1805 specification form D. Steele’s ‘Naval Architecture’.

‘Cornish Master Shipwright Ted Luck is now helping me and lending much valuable experience to the operation.

‘I received an MA in Maritime History from Exeter University and a distinction for my thesis ‘What Factors influenced the design and construction of Revenue Cutters between 1770 and 1850?’

‘Four photos attached and I will send more when I take them,

‘Best Wishes

‘Will Stirling’

I don’t know about you, dear reader, but Will’s report has left me breathless!

See much more at Will’s website: Revenue Cutters and Smuggling Luggers

Sue and Michael Feather’s photos from last year’s Albert Strange Association rally

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Albert Strange Association rally 2007 Hardy

Hardy glows in the evening sun of the 2007 Albert
Strange Association annual rally

Sue and Michael Feather are old friends from my university days, and Mike and I are both enthusiastic traditional-style English fiddle players – so although we don’t run into each other too often, it’s fair to say we still have quite a lot in common.

So I’m very pleased to point to this page of their photos of the 2007 Albert Strange Association annual rally. Mike tells me that Sue takes most of the photos, by the way.

Among the boats in the photos is Sheila, which I originally took to be Adrian Hayter’s Sheila of Sheila in the Wind fame. In fact Hayter’s boat was Sheila II, and was last heard of ashore in New Zealand, as Dick Wynne points out in his comment (see below). He also says that one of the Charms shown in Sue and Mike’s photos is actually a sister ship of Sheila II.

Mike F has some remarks to make about these boats:

‘You have a link to the Albert Strange Association on your intheoatshed.net weblog, which has an article by a very good friend of ours, Jamie Clay, about the yacht Venture.

‘Jamie talks about the superb handling characteristics of these yawls under jib and mizzen in heavy weather. I have witnessed some very impressive seamanship of this type – for example the yawl Sheila entering Shotley Marina Lock in a force 5/6 under sail alone.’

Scary-but-impressive is what I’d call it!

And also from Sue and Michael’s site, check this page of photos showing a peregrine falcon scaring the hell out of a flock of godwits. Notice the characteristic pink colour of the grand old East Anglian house…

Don’t forget to call in at the Albert Strange Association’s excellent website.

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Percy Dalton’s Fal Estuary oyster dredging boat plans available from bookseller

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St Melorus plans on sale from Dalton Young

Plans for Percy Dalton’s Fal Estuary oyster dredging boat St Melorus are
available from booksellers Dalton Young

Looking at the 2008 Beale Park Show exhibitors’ websites I noticed this drawing of the St Melorus on the Dalton Young site. The company is a specialist bookseller, I’m delighted to see my book Ultrasimple Boatbuilding appears to have pride of place on its virtual shelves.

On looking around, I also noticed it also sells a set of plans for a Fal Estuary oyster dredging boat drawn up by Percy Dalton.

Drawn up originally for local boatbuilder Terry Heard to build in wood at his yard near Mylor, the St Melorus design is 28ft long, 26ft on the waterline, has a beam of 9ft and a relatively shallow draft of 4ft 4in, all under an impressive sail area of 700sqft.

As drawn, the St Melorus has a large open working cockpit and no engine, as these were are banned by local bye-laws still in effect today.

However, Heard’s yard, Gaffers & Luggers, went on to use the wooden boat as a plug for a GRP version, though I gather the hull has been adapted somewhat to create a cruising version complete with an engine and coach-roof.

Percy Dalton Fal estuary oyster dredger painting

One of Percy Dalton’s small paintings. The boat may not be of St Melorus,
but there’s clearly a strong family resemblance! Thanks go to Stuart
Young of Dalton Young for allowing us to use this image. Click in the image
for a full-sized version of thissmall painting. There are more samples here

See the list of exhibitors at the Beale Park Thames Boat Show web pages. Take a look at our extensive coverage of last year’s event.

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