Category: Sailing ships

An update from Will Stirling of Cutters & Luggers down in Cornwall

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An update from Smuggling Luggers & Revenue Cutters An update from Smuggling Luggers & Revenue Cutters An update from Smuggling Luggers & Revenue Cutters

The Duke of Bedford’s boathouse (note the blocks in the foreground), a rebuilt
Tamar Valley salmon skiff, a skylight from the Garlandstone, and
Garlandstone, the WWII Naval pinnace and Alert, all mentioned below

We’ve also received these splendid photos and an update from Will Stirling of Revenue Cutters & Smuggling Luggers. I’m sure many readers will remember his knockout 18th-century inspired design and build project Alert last year (see previous posts) and will be interested to know what he’s been up to in the first half of 2008. In fact, he seems to have a tremendous lot of work going on!

Connoisseurs will notice some good sheds here too…

‘Dear Gavin,

‘I’m spending a lot of time banging in nails!

‘We have a 150 ton West Country trading ketch Garlandstone on the slipway and are beginning a programme of further restoration after she suffered a period of neglect.

‘The upper works of a 40’ Admiralty pinnace built in Scapa Flow, Orkney during World War II are in the process of being entirely replaced. This has included redefining her sheer as it had been pushed out of shape after many years landing on the beach.

‘We have just completed a completed rebuild from a new backbone up of a Tamar Valley Salmon Skiff. An original member left in the boat has the rope marks where the net led over the side.

‘We have also restored the Duke of Bedford’s boathouse for the Tamar Valley Trust and extensively repaired a neglected cornish punt.

‘We have an MOD contract from the flagship of the Royal Navy, HMS Victory, to build a new 26ft ship’s cutter to a draught from the National Maritime Museum to an 1805 specification form D. Steele’s ‘Naval Architecture’.

‘Cornish Master Shipwright Ted Luck is now helping me and lending much valuable experience to the operation.

‘I received an MA in Maritime History from Exeter University and a distinction for my thesis ‘What Factors influenced the design and construction of Revenue Cutters between 1770 and 1850?’

‘Four photos attached and I will send more when I take them,

‘Best Wishes

‘Will Stirling’

I don’t know about you, dear reader, but Will’s report has left me breathless!

See much more at Will’s website: Revenue Cutters and Smuggling Luggers

Video of the schooner Virginia

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Schooner Virginia video

Schooner Virginia documentary. Click on the
image to see the video

My pal Mike Goodwin is a sailor, a boatbuilder and an artist. He’s also one of the most thoroughly salty people I know: he grew up in a family in which many members made their living at sea and much of his life has focused on it, and early on in life he actually knew and worked with the great Howard Irving Chappelle.

I was touched when he wanted to share the Virginia video above with intheboatshed.net, as she’s a splendid sight and I know he’s rightly proud to have taken part in the building of her. Click on the image above to play the short video.

Paintings and drawings from British Sea-Fishermen by Peter F Anson

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Fishing boats from Anson

Fishing boats from Anson Fishing boats from Anson Fishing boats from Anson

Fishing boats from Anson Fishing boats from Anson Fishing boats from Anson

A small selection of images from the book British Sea-Fishermen. I’d
like in particular to draw attention to the first image below the main picture,
as it shows the interior of an admirable boat shed!

I’ve just been reading Peter F Anson’s charming and informative book British Sea-Fishermen, written for the Britain in Pictures series, and published in 1945. The paintings and drawings above are a small selection I’ve chosen from the book, and I trust you like them as much as I did!

A little later, I’ll put up some of the pages, and the colour illustrations.


Book a room in South-East England