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
Sailing yachts used for cruising, or as cruiser-racers.
This delicious little canoe yawl ‘inspired’ by George Holmes Eel is for sale over at the Albert Strange Association website.
I suggested to a pal that he might consider buying it and he replied that it is indeed ‘pure bliss… and therefore undeserved’.
She’s 21 by 7ft, with a draft of 3ft. Built in 1972, she was extensively rebuilt by Jamie Clay ten years ago.
If you’ve been a good girl or boy lately, why not make an offer?
This is the 23ft 8in tabloid cruiser described in Howard Irving Chappelle’s classic book Boat Building: A Complete Handbook of Wooden Boat Construction.
If you’ve read Chappelle’s book, you’ll likely know this design and will have been intrigued by it – I’d guess that it has something in common with New England lobster boats and Hampton boats of the past.
The photos here were kindly sent to me by Randal Cooper of Goolwa Masts. Randal reports that the boat, which is made of strip-planked cedar, is about 20 years old and is owned by a young employee of his. Randal also says that the boat is quick under sail compared to trailer yachts the same age and that there’s a plan afoot to enlarge the rig.
I’m in two minds about the idea – on one hand the rig as laid out in the plans is snug, but on the other this centreboard boat is really a big dinghy and if it gets knocked down will be too big to right. You takes your choice…
There are several other interesting sets of plans in Chappelle’s book. Are any others afloat, does anyone know? Do you have photos, please, and how do they perform?
Photos by Herve Cohonner
If you’re anywhere near Northern Brittany next weekend, I’d suggest calling into Paimpol.
The paimpolais are holding their two-yearly festival featuring many historic and traditional vessels (including pilot cutters, fishing boats and the wonderful giant luggers known as bisquines), and a series of sea songs and shanties concerts and events. The photos above should give some idea of the atmosphere you can expect!
Visiting craft include Aigrette (Southampton), Aime Hilda (Ploumanac’h), Andante (London), Arriana (Calstock), Astrolabe (Saint Malo), Belle Hortense (Le Légué), Brilleau (Portsmouth), Christina II (La Rochelle), Diex Aie (Ouis Treham), Elise of London (Douarnenez), Embruns (Bordeaux), Esmerelda (Carentan), Etoile de France (Saint Malo), Etoile Polaire (Saint Malo), Eulalie (Paimpol), Face au Vent (Saint Malo), Fanfarlo (Nantes), Fee de L’Aulne (Binic), Ilsham (Den Heldar), Irene Jack (Dartmouth), Joshua (La Rochelle), Kett (Plymouth), Le Grand Lejon (Saint Brieuc), Lukes Minnie (Penzance), Naima (Dahouet), Neire Maove (Saint Malo), Notre Dame Des Flots (Granville), Oikia (Dieppe), Saint Bodic (Le Légué), Soutien de Famille (La Rance), Vigilance (Brixham), Witchazel (Emsworth), Veronica (Brixham), Taillefer (Auray), Sainte Heanne (Erquy), Le Renard (Saint Malo), and La Granvillaise (Granville).
Photo by Pierre Majek