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
Traditional carvel plans and boatbuilding
Reader Fraser McGruer sent us this link to his video of the Boat Building Academy students’ launch day summer 2011, which took place a couple of weeks ago.
I don’t often like the music people use as background to their videos, but I very much enjoyed this one, and I hope you do too.
I spotted this fascinating map drawn by Kipperman Mike Smylie on his stall at the Nordhorn Fest der Kanäle this weekend and wanted to share it – it’s here with Mike’s permission. It shows how Viking, French and Dutch influences turn up in traditional fishing vessels.
The slightly fuzzy snap was taken with my phone but it’s worth a good long look – some of it will be fairly obvious, but there are some surprises, such as the French influence on the north-west coast of Ireland that I have somehow missed in the past. I should spend a little time reading up on Irish traditional craft…
See our post on Mike’s latest publication on herrings, the herring trade and of course how to eat them…
Tonight we have a few more photos from our trip to the Norfolk Broads just over a week ago (see the previous instalment here). I’m still smiling…
Most of the photos in this post were taken on an unforgettable balmy summer evening at Horsey Mere, which is looked after and managed by the National Trust – and an excellent job they make of it. Apart from the windmill and a little cafe, there are even some wonderfully welcome showers for visiting boat users. It’s a real example of what could be done elsewhere.
I should add that there is also the splendid Nelson’s Head pub just a pleasant stroll away…
And finally – a walk to the beach just a mile from the Mere. It seems so strange to sail on inland lakes and yet be so close to the sea.
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