Category: Traditional carvel

Traditional carvel plans and boatbuilding

Teal’s Life in Ireland – a weblog to watch

I’ve just been reading and greatly enjoying Adrian Nowotynski’s weblog about the restoration of the Teal, a well known Falmouth Quay punt. 

The boat celebrated her 100th birthday just before Christmas, and from what I can see she’s not so far off returning to the water.

Like many of her kind, Teal makes a lovely looking little cruising boat and Adrian seems to be hugely enjoying the job – it’s a darned good thing from Teal’s point of view that he’s a carpenter by trade and so comes to the job with certain advantages many of us would lack.

One of the best things about Adrian’s weblog is his willingness to discuss the nitty gritty of the job – so there’s plenty to read and think about, another is good clear photographs. Read what he has to say here.

1908 Falmouth-built rowing boat White Owl is restored and back on the water

White Owl arrives at the Museum White Owl Launch

The 1908 15ft rowing boat named White Owl has been restored at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.

White Owl was built in Falmouth in 1908, by Jacketts Yard, which priced her at ten shillings per foot – one of Jacketts’ best known customers was the Newlyn School painter and photographer Henry Scott Tuke. See his entry at the Wikipedia website to see some of his works and for his story.

Although White Owl has undergone extensive work, she is said to retain much of her original timber.

The conservation and restoration was started by the well known local boat builder Ralph Bird before he died, and finished by a team of Museum volunteers led by Henry Wylie.

The team is now starting work on restoring a Mevagissey tosher.

Sea Queen was built at Mevagissey in 1924 by legendary boat builder Percy Mitchell – she was in fact only the second boat he built. The first stage of her restoration is being funded by a donation from one of the Museum’s trustees and the Museum is currently seeking funds to purchase the materials for the remaining work.

Percy Mitchell’s son Gary will be giving a lunchtime lecture at the NMMC 3 March next year, where he will be discussing his father’s life and work – he built no less than 360 boats ranging from dinghies to racing yachts. To book seats call 01326 214546.

Sea Queen

Ernest Dade’s book of drawings Sail and Oar reprinted by Lodestar Books

Ernest Dade 3

 

Ernest Dade 1 Ernest Dade 2

These lovely drawings by the artist Ernest Dade feature in a new volume from Lodestar Books – and if you’re in need of a gift or two it’s available in time for Christmas at a very reasonable £12!

As an artist, Dade trained with Albert Strange and shared his master’s passion for sailing and sailing craft. First published in 1933, the book Sail and Oar contains 100 of his lively and also historically accurate sketches, accompanied by some striking captions.

I particularly like one that reads: ‘The old smacks brought a very powerful odour with them when they returned after six or eight weeks at sea. They could be smelt some miles away.’

One of the local fishermen of the time said this of Dade’s collection of drawings: ‘These pictures… are true in every way. Mr Ernest Dade lived the life, knew the men, and sailed in the various craft he draws so well. It is a record of things passed away.’

Read more about Ernest Dade’s Sail and Oar at the Lodestar Books website.