Category: Modern boatbuilding

Modern and plywood boatbuilding and plans

BBC TV programme about the Scottish Coastal Rowing Project is on the iPlayer now – catch it if you can

BBC Alba TV programme Scottish Coastal Rowing

The BBC Alba TV channel has made a programme about the amazing Scottish Coastal Rowing, in which communities build St Ayles skiffs designed by Iain Oughtred to kits supplied by Alec Jordan, and race them in a series of regattas and events across Scotland and beyond.

My thanks to Osbert Lancaster for the tip – see his weblog Forthsailor.

The growth of the new style of rowing over the past two years has been a phenomenon, with more than 40 of the boats built.

The programme’s available on the BBC iPlayer for the next few days. Catch it if you can!

For many more intheboatshed.net posts about Scottish Coastal Rowing, click here.

Iain Oughtred-designed Tammie Norrie built by BBA student

Tammie Norrie at Beale Park - Photograph by Emma Brice Launching Fiona's Tammie Norrie, with Gail in waders - Photograph by Derek Thompson LRPS

Fiona Molloy Tammie Norrie awaiting launch

Boat Building Academy student Fiona Molloy built an Iain Oughtred-designed Tammie Norrie – click on the images above for a much larger view.

Lancashire-born Fiona developed a new passion for sailing and shortly after threw in the day jobin management accounting in London in order to do something different and more practical for a while. In 38 weeks on the long BBA course she built an 13ft 6in  glued clinker Tammie Norrie using plywood and mahogany. She chose the boat for its combination of manageable size and stability.

The choice to do the BBA course wasn’t really a career choice for Fiona: she will go back to her previous job, though hopefully in a setting connected with the sea and boating. But first she’s spending this summer using her new skills to varnish her living room floor and attending some sailing courses on a cutter with the aim of completing an RYA day skipper qualification.

See a photo diary of Fiona’s Tammie Norrie build here.

BBA student builds Justin Adkin-designed fiberglass rowing skiff – then starts company to make and sell them

Jim's Justin Adkin rowing skiff off to sea. Photograph by Laurence Madill Jim's fibreglass rowing skiff. Photograph by Jon Palmer

Jim's fibreglass rowing skiff - Photograph by Jenny Steer Jim Little's fibreglass rowing skiff - Photograph by Jenny Steer

Boat Building Academy student Jim Little has built a fibreglass rowing skiff designed by instructor Justin Adkin.  (Earlier student, Jon Palmer, built a similar boat in 2009/10.)

The fibreglass boat is included on the course to introduce students to this method of boat building. It was designed for short- to medium-length coastal regatta rowing races, and has a solid fibreglass layup in chopped strand matt, built in buoyancy tanks, a modern pin gate oarlock and a fixed seat rowing set-up.

There was talk that it would race on Monday 8th August in the regatta at Beer, which is Justin’s village home, though I see how Justin did from the regatta website.

Jim worked in journalism, marketing and communication before dipping his toe in the water on one of the BBA’s eight-week woodworking skills course, which lead to him joining the 38-week long course. He has now set-up a business in Devon called Fox 14, which is making and selling the boats.

The BBA course launch day was windy for the small sailing boats built by the students, but Justin took the new skiff for a spin and came back chuffed after having successfully ‘surfed’ several waves.

To see a photographic diary of the build click here, and for the Fox 14 website click here.