Category: Rowing boat

BBA students build and launch Fleet Trow

Every spring and autumn, the Boat Building Academy folks send over some photos and a few words about their student’s  launches.

The shots above were taken by Jenny Steer and Derek Thompson, so my thanks to them and to the Academy.

Here’s what they have to say about the first boat launched at the BBA launch on the 3rd December last year:

‘A crowd of about three hundred people braved the cold to celebrate with the class of March 2014 at their student boat launch.

‘The sun shone as four boats, each built as part of the students’ intensive 38 week training, were launched into Lyme Regis Harbour for the first time.

‘Mayor of Lyme Regis Sally Holman and Academy Director Tim Gedge said a few words congratulating the group on their achievements.  Then the champagne corks popped as each boat launched.

‘Eleven students joined the Academy’s level 3 course boat building, maintenance and support’ course last March. Of all ages, some were local but others came from places as far away as Brazil and America.

‘The first to be launched launch was The Lost Tribe, a 12ft glued clinker Fleet trow.

‘Planked in marine ply, the Trow has a khaya stem with bright finished sapele thwarts and trim.

‘Trows are used on the Fleet, a lagoon located behind Chesil Beach in West Dorset, to transport mackerel caught off the beach across to the mainland, and for wildfowling.

‘The Lost Tribe is based on a 1970s example featured in the book Working Boats of Britain – Their Shape and Purpose by Eric McKee.

‘One of the builders, Nigel Chapman, worked as an engineer on the National Grid for 29 years before joining the Academy.?Spending time with friends who worked as boat builders – and seeing them enjoy the work they did – made Nigel want to develop his carpentry skills and train to become a boat builder too.

‘Nigel’s main partner in the build, Fred Faro, came to the Academy from Brazil, where he worked as field engineer and manager on heavy infrastructure projects. ?With a love for the sea and a desire to work with his hands using practical skills, he decided that becoming a boat builder would combine the two.

‘When Nigel was taken ill part way through the course, Fred and other members of the group completed the build.  On the day, Fred and Nigel’s wife Alison together launched The Lost Tribe.  We all wish Nigel a speedy recovery and look forward to him joining us again when he’s fit.  Fred is now at Palma Mallorca, working for Classic Yacht Shipwrights and Joiners.

For photos of The Lost Tribe’s build, see the Boat Building Academy’s website here.

PS – Here’s a real bonus. The good people at the BBA have agreed to make the offsets for the 12ft Fleet trow available via Intheboatshed.net.  Click on the drawing for the pdf.

offsets Fleet trow

 

A Thames lock keeper’s punt

Lock keeper's punt

This Thames lock-keeper’s punt was a featured of Chris Partridge’s childhood and having come down to him through his family, he’s sorting it out ready to put back on the water.

I must say I’m intrigued, as it’s a boat type I haven’t been aware of up to now. Read about it here – and no doubt in later Rowing  for Pleasure weblog posts as Chris’s project makes progress.

 

Ben Crawshaw’s book Catalan Castaway gets a splendid review from the Dinghy Cruising Association newsletter

Product-Shot-Castaway-768x1024

Light Trow sailor Ben Crawshaw’s book Catalan Castaway published by the excellent Lodestar Books has just received splendid reviews from not one but two writers in the latest edition of the Dinghy Cruising Association’s quarterly journal.

I must say I’m delighted – recognition for Ben and his book has been slow, so it’s great to see this glowing endorsement of his book.

Paul Constantine sums up Ben’s story like this:

‘Ben, with no previous building experience, builds the first 15ft 4ins Light Trow, Onawind Blue, from free online plans drawn by Gavin Atkin.

‘He sails it from an open beach on the Costa Brava and learns from experience. His love of his boat, the sea and solitude is dripping from every page… there are few dinghy cruisers more deserving of recognition than Ben.’

I don’t know Paul that I can remember, but I have had dealings with Keith Muscott over the years, and he’s a knowledgeable, experienced chap, who is unlikely to be won over without reason. Here, then, is a quotation from his review:

‘… I am sure that this book will find its way into the sailing canon eventually, where this young man’s love of life and his enthusiasm for recording his ideas, his experience and his practical achievements will always mark him out as a true individual – whether they be photographs of his beautifully presented meals, or well crafted boat parts, or written records of wonderful days spend at sea.’

See the review here. Read a sample of Ben’s book here.

PS – This may be the right moment to link to a charming illustrated article published by Duckworks Magazine about another of my designs, the easy and simple MicroMouse paddler. It was written by Mouseboat enthusiast Josh Withe, and, fittingly for a little paddler designed for small people, it’s in the style of a children’s story: Seagull the Mouseboat.