Category: River boats

An 1890s sailing canoe for today’s home boat builder

Beth

Beth Beth Beth

Beth Beth Beth
Beth

It seems to me it was at least ten years ago that Mike Storer’s Beth lug-rigged yawl sailing canoe design first caught my interest, but maybe it’s just that I’ve thought often about the design and my shaky memory is just playing its tricks again.

Influenced by racing sailing canoes of the 1890s, the Beth is a design that should interest anyone with a yen for a boat that is simple in form and easy and cheap to build, while offering real sailing performance.

Before going any further, however, I should warn you that Continue reading “An 1890s sailing canoe for today’s home boat builder”

‘Phwoar!’, says Light Trow builder Ben Crawshaw

Onawind Blue

Light Trow Onawind Blue

Just back from a jolly holiday (in the Ariege region of France, and very pleasant, thanks) I was absolutely delighted to read about the mounting excitement that Ben Crawshaw is feeling over this project to build my Light Trow design. I’m pretty excited too, so I hope regular readers will forgive me for drawing attention to his project once again.

Ben is building the first boat from the plans and I’m delighted with the job he’s doing. The photo above shows the new boat with its decks cut out and laid across the sheer: ‘Phwoar!’ is how he describes it in his blog, and after all his hard work he deserves Continue reading “‘Phwoar!’, says Light Trow builder Ben Crawshaw”

A rumble at Potter Heigham Bridge

We’re going to be away for a few days, so I won’t be around to put up any new posts.

In the meantime here are the photos I promised a few days ago, and I think they may cause some controversy.

They show a drama unfolding at Potter Heigham Bridge during the Three Rivers Race. As so often in sport, they show how might – in this case weight – so often plays strongly to its advantage. No doubt the crew of the heavy boat here were only doing what they felt they had to, but no doubt also the guys in the Norfolk punt would have had a different view, as would most of us watching from the bridge. What would you say?

It all starts with a lightweight and expensively rigged Norfolk punt arriving, mooring to lower its mast and then paddling towards the bridge. So far, so good.But at that moment a half-decker and a heavyweight Broads cruiser steal onto the scene. This is a race, remember, not a scene from everyday cruising life on The Broads.

Rumble Rumble Rumble

At this point, you’ll notice, our friends in the punt decide that they can’t afford the damage the heavyweights might Continue reading “A rumble at Potter Heigham Bridge”