Category: Traditional clinker

Clinker plans and boatbuilding

Building a clinker dinghy

A speeded-up video showing how a craftsman builds a beautiful dinghy from just two moulds. It seems rather like a kind of magic… 

Thanks to reader Tom Edom for the link!

Hay’s Boatyard and the Mousa ferry, Lerwick

Our pals Tina  and Vic Smith visited Shetland earlier in the year and took these photos.

Here’s what Vic says about them:

‘The excellent, very impessive new Shetland Museum has been built on the waterfront of Hay’s Dock in Lerwick, and includes Hay’s Boatyard, an old boat shed on the same site

‘The present boat shed was built around 1900 to replace an earlier shed built in 1844, though there has been boat building on this spot since at least the 18th century.

‘The shed was restored in 2015 and fulfils the same role today as when it was a commercial going concern: repairing, renovating and building craft to traditional Shetland designs including the famed sixareens. An entry from the museum building next door leads to a gallery where visitors can see the work in progress.

‘When we visited, one of the current projects was the Loki, which was originally built in the Boat Shed in 1904 under her original name of Maggie Helen. More than a century later she had returned for restoration. This is a long term project.

‘The small island of Mousa is the location of the oldest surviving ‘broch’ – an Iron Age roundhouse in Scotland (and therefore the world). Visitors to the island use a small ferry to get there.

‘In the ferry terminal on the mainland side is the Robina, a rowing boat that ferried visitors across in times gone by.’

 

Montagu whaler Swan and whaler no. 124/1964

Montagu whaler 124/1964

Bristol charity Rocking the Boat Bristol member Steve Evans is rebuilding a 1964 Montagu whaler named Swan, but are short of oars, mast and sailing kit. If anyone has these they can offer, Rocking the Boat would be most grateful for your help. Email me at gmatkin@gmail.com and I’ll pass the message along.

In addition, Rocking the Boat has another Montagu whaler (built:  Portsmouth 1964, no 124) that we would like to give to someone who wants to finish its rebuild. It’s basically sound but needs a new home, and is at present lying in Bristol.

Steve has this to say about the story of Swan and whaler no. 124/1964:

‘She was reputedly built in Malta and was once owned by Berni Bruen, who wrote the Song of the Montagu Whaler (scroll down this page to find it), and later by Graham Brown in Falmouth .

‘After Graham passed away, Jonny Mills from Falmouth Marine School took her under his wing and completed some major repairs with students.

‘The story then shifts to Bristol where she now lies and is being further renovated with a possible showing at the Semaine du Golfe, Brittany next May.

‘There is much work to be done and either fabrication or sourcing of the two masts and oars to complete the project by retired chaps under the aegis of All-Aboard Watersports and Rocking the Boat Bristol.

‘The Beagle Project , based in Devonport, have been most encouraging in our project and gave us the second whaler, which sadly bwe find we cannot find the resources to complete. We are therefore looking to a group or individual who would be interested in taking her on before we have to cut her up. She was built at Portsmouth in 1964 and is numbered 124.

‘If you are interested in the boat or have any oars / sailing kit for our boat Swan, I would very much appreciate contact from you.
There will be more to follow on Swan’s Story in later writings.’

Thanks Steve! Please contact him either via Rocking the Boat Bristol (link above) or email me at gmatkin@gmail.com and I’ll pass the message along.