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
Clinker plans and boatbuilding
Last week I was lucky enough to be able to visit retired boatbuilder Eric Paine and his friend Len, who are together building a traditional timber-built South Coast fishing vessel. The project continues to be stunning!
Eric believes this to be the first new boat of its type to be built for 45 years.
To see earlier posts about Eric and Len’s build see Building a new traditional fishing boat for Dungeness and Progress on the traditional fishing boat for Dungeness.
Eric Paine and his team of two are making progress on the amazing new traditional fishing boat they are building, which is intended for use off Dungeness beach. Read an earlier post about the project here.
I always like a bit of video of the process of putting in the ribs; somehow to me it feels like the moment when a hull becomes a boat, and there’s something quite magical about those hot, flexible rigs as they go in.
Thank you so much for the video and pictures fellas!
Ben Wales has written to say that he has made the trip to Sandwich to see the 1930s ferry and pleasure boat Southern Queen and reports that she’s in dire need of new owners prepared to look after.
Here’s what he has to say:
‘On Saturday I drove a round trip of 330 miles to visit the undiscovered classic wooden passenger boat Southern Queen, with the view to purchase her and restore back to her former glory.
Launched in 1935 as Heart’s Content for Charles Cload as one of four 45ft open carvel constructed launches to operate at Plymouth, she was built by the legendary Cornish boat builder Percy Mitchell of Porthmellon.
In the 1970s Heart’s Content was sold and operated on the River Dart in Devon and sold in 1991 again to operators in Tenby and renamed Caldey Queen, and then to Dover Harbour Tours in 2001 and renamed Southern Queen.
In 2016 the Southern Queenthen went to to Sandwich River Bus.
She sadly sank on her moorings in September and was raised and brought ashore, with her future now in doubt.
She has fallen on hard times and need of urgent TLC as will in need a new stem head, apron, transom repairs and several new planks replaced as well as re-caulking.
The restoration work is still possible with the right owner or team, but sadly I have limited resources as to funding and time to undertake this work on my own.
I appeal for anyone, group or organization that could step in and undertake her restoration. She deserves to be on the National Ship’s Register and no doubt her complete history is yet to be discovered.
Interested parties are invited to contact Sandwich Marina for further details as well reasonable offers for the owner by 29th March. I believe after that date her future may well be bleak and she may be broken up.
Ben
Thanks Ben! Hopefully someone will step up!