Category: River boats

Gary Vaughan’s fascinating collection of postcards, including Faversham Creek

 Oare Creek above the bridge 1905

Oare Creek and Hollowshore, 1955 Faversham Creek, showing shipyards 1940 Faversham Creek 1960 Pollock's sideways launch

Postcard collector Gary Vaughan has a fascinating website showing his many images of old Kent, including quite a few of Faversham and Faversham Creek in particular – this is just a small sample!

Notice how large ships used the creek, how hard the creek shore was back when the sluice gates were used regularly to wash the mud from the creek, and how different the area above the bridge used to be. They’re all eye opening to those of us who have only come to know the creek in recent decades – even the launch from the sideways slip at Pollock’s Yard is  a surprise.

Got to his Faversham Creek page, or to his home page to see many more.

Marcus Lewis makes progress with Mayflower dinghy to be shown at the Southampton Boat Show

Marcus Lewis Boat Builder Mayflower dinghy Marcus Lewis Boat Builder Mayflower dinghy

Marcus Lewis Boat Builder Mayflower dinghy Marcus Lewis Boat Builder Mayflower dinghy

Fowey, Cornwall boat builder Marcus Lewis has sent in some photos of his latest project, a 14ft Mayflower dinghy that he’s currently building to take to the Southampton Boat Show.

Mayflowers, which are gunter-rigged and have steel centreplates, were formerly made in Plymouth by Skentlebery’s. If this sounds like the boat you’re looking for, I’d contact him soon as it might well sell at the show!

Meanwhile, those who saw the last set of photos from Marcus may be pleased to know that the newest Fowey River dinghy, No 61, swept the board in its class with eight wins in eight races. We were told that the folks that commissioned the boat were experienced racers, but Marcus will have every reason to be delighted with such success.

PS On the 4th September local small boat sailors have organised their two-yearly Try a Troy Day. Everyone’s invited to turn up to the Fowey Gallants Sailing Club between 10.30 and 2.30 to be taken out for a sail in a Troy, completely free – donations to junior sailing at the club will be accepted however! Marcus says that they usually get 100-120 people turning up, and that it’s a really great day, weather permitting!

Try a Troy at the Fowey Gallants Sailing Club poster

Marcus Lewis builds a new clinker-built Fowey River sailing dinghy

 Marcus Lewis Fowey River dinghy

Marcus Lewis mayflower dinghy time lapse 002 Marcus Lewis mayflower dinghy time lapse 005

Fowey boat builder Marcus Lewis has got in touch to show us these photos (top) of the latest clinker-built Fowey River sailing dinghy that he has built.

‘This is number 61 in the long established local class. It was built in the spring and launched a couple of weeks ago.

‘Named Puffling, she is built of Canadian spruce with mahogany sheer strake, thwarts, gunnels and steamed oak ribs, all rivetted together with 1300 copper rivets.

‘She was built for champion Dart 18 catamaran sailors Kim and Sarah Furniss, who live near Fowey, and have now decided to sail something more sedate but still challenging given the fickle winds and frustrating tides of Fowey Harbour.

‘They have already raced Puffling successfully already in the Wednesday evening and Saturday afternoon races.

‘My latest project is a 14ft Mayflower dinghy, which is gunter rigged and with a steel centreplate. These were formerly built by Skentlebery’s in Plymouth, (there’s an article in Classic Boat magazine in January 93 for those with an extensive collection).

The company has licensed me to build them, and am building one ‘on spec’, hopefully in time to show it on the Wooden Boatbuilders Trade Association stand at the Southampton Boat Show. If any reader’s in the market for a newly built gunter rigged dinghy of about this size, I might be well worth getting in touch with Marcus right now – his website is at www.woodenboatbuilder.co.uk.