Category: Rowing boat

A charming little Auray punt on the Gulf of Morbihan

Small Auray punt on the Gulf of Morbihan in Brittany Small Auray punt on the Gulf of Morbihan in Brittany

 

Small Auray punt on the Gulf of Morbihan in Brittany Small Auray punt on the Gulf of Morbihan in Brittany Small Auray punt on the Gulf of Morbihan in Brittany

Small Auray punt on the Gulf of Morbihan in Brittany Small Auray punt on the Gulf of Morbihan in Brittany Small Auray punt on the Gulf of Morbihan in Brittany

It’s nice to see Auray punts still in use on the Southern Brittany coast more than a century since British yachtie Claude Worth first recorded them and suggested they would make good tenders. This one seems to be set up for both rowing and sculling.

Click here for a post on Worth’s observations, and here for more on Auray punts generally.

Julie’s 5ft 2in tall – which I guess makes this cute little child’s boat about 6ft long, or marginally longer.

What about that Frisian cow dazzle paint job though? Does it make it seem longer or shorter?

Stirling & Son take a clinker-built 14ft sailing dinghy to the Southampton Boat Show

Stirling & Son Sailing Dinghy Hull (1) Stirling & Son Sailing Dinghy Hull

Stirling & Son Sailing Dinghy Hull  Stirling & Son Sailing Dinghy Hull  Stirling & Son Sailing Dinghy Hull

Stirling & Son Sailing Dinghy Hull  Stirling & Son Sailing Dinghy Hull

This 14ft clinker-built sailing dinghy close to the main exit (and entrance) at the Southampton Boat Show will have been quite a relief for eyes suffering from shiny-white GRP-fatigue.

She was built by Stirling & Son, and is of mahogany on oak with copper and bronze fastenings. All fittings are bronze and yellow metal, including the centre-plate. The rigging is three strand buff polyester, and the sail is in Hayward’s Clipper canvas with tanned stitching and hand-sewn leather work. She is also varnished inside and out with Blakes products and has a gold-leaf inlaid cove line.

We were away during the show, but I gather Will Stirling and his small team also took a 12ft rowing dinghy built to the same specification, and were selling sets of plans and five postcards of boat building work that no doubt were taken by the same hands that took the shots above.

Stirling & Son is based in Tavistock, Devon and can be contacted via the website at www.stirlingandson.co.uk or by ‘phone on 01822 614259.

A sailing Ella skiff project goes together in Mauritius

Moffett family build sailing Ella skiff in Mauritius Moffett family build sailing Ella skiff in Mauritius Moffett family build sailing Ella skiff in Mauritius

William, Marie and Josef Moffett are building the sailing version of the Ella skiff on what looks like the verandah of their home in Mauritius – see photographs here, here and here. To get the latest instalment, click on the ‘boat’ button for a menu of galleries.

I always have my fingers crossed when an early example of a boat is being built, but so far I’m very pleased – she’s turning out to be a sweet little thing, and everything seems to have fitted as it was meant to do!

Free plans for building the sailing version of the Ella skiff can be found here; plans for the rowing boat version are here. The Ella also has two larger sister ships: the Sunny skiff and the Julie skiff.