Category: Sailing ships

The Carvel Project, of Norway

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Sterns from book about Norwegian carvel book

Sterns illustration from the Carvel Project

The Carvel Project

In 1999, the Hardanger Ship Preservation Center began a project to systematically review carvel boat building in Norway, including the history of the technique, its introduction and dispersion, variations within the technique, and technology. The Carvel Project does not cover all of the differing types of carvel-built vessels in Norway.In this document we have limited the discussion to vessels that have been least documented; working vessels between 35 and 100ft in length. Such vessels have often been built by smaller, family-owned boatyards. They are built with relatively simple tools, and designed by the master of the boatyard, using half-models or drawings.

The Beale Park Thames Boat Show is this weekend – so try not to miss it!

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Beale Park Thames Boat Show

Photo courtesy of the Beale Park Thames Boat Show organisers

Motor cruiser and Wharram catamaran at the Beale Park Thames Boat Show

Contrasting boats on the water at the Beale Park Thames Boat
Show – an elderly motor cruiser and a Wharram catamaran.
Thanks to boatbuilder Fabian Bush for the photo

Falmouth quay punt drawn by Percy Dalton

A newly discovered Percy Dalton drawing of a Falmouth quay punt
found by the folks at boating booksellers Dalton Young

Earlier today I found myself reflecting that quite a few of the people who contribute to intheboatshed.net are likely to be at the Beale Park Thames Boat Show this weekend. Naturally we’re planning to be there on Saturday and looking forward to meeting as many of them as possible.

I’d encourage any reader who can get there to make the trip as well. For boat building and boat restoration enthusiasts, part of the success of Beale Park is that it’s a show that works on many levels.

Those who admire exquisite craftsmanship will find it, while those who need to be encouraged to build their first simple plywood boat will find that as well.

There are also stalls selling recycled bits of boats and old books, cut-price chandlery, smart bronze bits and pieces, top-quality hardwoods and plywood, sophisticated glues and resins. And then there are the sociable membership organisations. The Eventide Owners, the Dinghy Cruising Association and the rest, are all there to talk with show visitors, and they’re easily interesting enough to make for an interesting conversation.

But on second thoughts perhaps I won’t be able to stand and talk for too long – after all, I’ll be making sure my camera is full of photographs to keep this weblog going through the winter months!

A man called John Short

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John Short, otherwise known as Yankee Jack, sitting on the breakwater at Watchet

John Short, otherwise known as Yankee Jack, sitting on the breakwater
at Watchet. Thanks to the EFDSS/Cecil Sharp Collection for
allowing us to use this image

John Short statue by the harbur at Watchet

The John Short statue by the harbour at Watchet

Still on the theme of Watchet, I’d like to introduce readers to a man I hadn’t even heard of until my parents decided to buy a holiday cottage in the little town some years ago.

My ignorance that was my loss. John Short is commemorated in Watchet as Yankee Jack (he earned the nickname sailing in Yankee ships during the American Civil War) and is remembered for being a great seaman. However, he was an even greater singer: Yankee Jack had a tremendous memory and had learned many songs during a widely-travelled seagoing career. In fact, he provided the English folk song collector Cecil Sharp with a splendid collection of sea songs and shanties, many of which have become the standard versions we still know today.

These days, John Short the sailor and singer is represented by a fine statue by the harbour in Watchet, but I think his greatest memorial must be the songs, which from Sharp he sang in fine style with lots of melisma – that is, frequent changes of note within syllables. I only wish I knew of recordings that we could hear!

There’s an impressive list of his songs at the English Folk Dance & Song Society website.