Category: Racing rowing and paddling

Slipway Collective plans rowing gig Young Bristol return to Beale – by water!

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Rowing gig Young Bristol sees some action

Rowing gig Young Bristol sees some action Rowing gig Young Bristol sees some action Rowing gig Young Bristol sees some action

Win Cnoops has been in touch to say that he and his Slipway Collective colleagues hope to bring the completed and now well used Young Bristol back to the Beale Park Thames Boat Show. They are looking forward to showing the Cornish rowing gig to visitors who saw the boat last year, when it was still only half-built.

I gather she has been worked hard in the meantime, and has won two races. The photos of the gigs locking into Bristol Floating Harbour was taken after the Avon Gorge Race.

STOP PRESS! Win tells me the latest plan is to row Young Bristol 80 miles or so from Bristol to Beale Park, following the Kennet & Avon Canal and a bit of the Thames. Apparently the Bristol Gig Club sees it as a good exercise!

The Slipway Collective will also bring a finished Whisp and possibly a Jolly Boat.

For earlier posts about this boat, click here, here and here, and follow this link for more on the Slipway Coop folks: www.slipwaycooperative.co.uk.

Tickets for the Beale Park Thames Boat Show can be bought in advance online via the Beale Park website, or by phone on 0118 976 7498.

Take a look at our extensive coverage of last year’s Beale Park Boat Show.


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The Beale Park Thames Boat Show 2008

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Beale Park Thames Boat Show

Beale Park Thames Boat Show Beale Park Thames Boat Show

Scenes from earlier Beale Park Thames Boat Shows. Could that be Adrian Morgan
and the editor of Classic Boat in the pretty double-ender?

Spring is almost upon us in Southern England, and together with the first blossoms and soft new leaves on the hawthorn comes a press release announcing the Beale Park Boat Show for 2008.

This year it runs from the 6th to the 8th of June.

Set around a scenic seven-acre lake by the River Thames in Berkshire, the show’s best feature is that visitors can take to the water in a variety of boats, including dinghies, canoes and coracles.

Children and partners not entirely in thrall to a well-placed boat nail can enjoy a range of entertainments including live music, a demonstration by Newfoundland dogs, a climbing wall, Mr Toad and various children’s activities. There will also be boating displays on the lake, stalls selling specialist foods and, of course, a beer tent.

Tickets can be bought in advance online via the Beale Park website, or by phone on 0118 976 7498.

I hope to get to the show myself on one of the days – you’ll recognise me in a moment, as I’ll be the guy rushing around photographing everything that looks remotely interesting!

Beale is the most important wooden boat show I know of in in England and Wales. Take a look at our extensive coverage of last year’s event.

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How to have fun racing punts and getting wet at Tuebingen, Germany

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Punt racing at Tuebingen Punt racing at Tuebingen

Punt racing, Tuebingen-style

Chris Partridge reports that the folk of Tuebingen race battling punts powered by hand-paddling. And then they drink beer or cod liver oil, depending on whether they’ve won or lost.

This is just the kind of harmless activity healthy young blokes should be allowed to enjoy, and it would be good to see something similar caught on in Manchester, Birmingham or at Camden in North London. Of course, I’m far too old for this sort of thing myself, particularly the cod liver oil part!

More seriously, has anyone else noticed that these boats bear an uncanny resemblance to the kinds of boats many people would expect Phil Bolger or Jim Michalak to design for the purpose? Read what Jim has to say about seas of peas.

Read all about these crazy, happy Germans at Rowing for Pleasure.

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