Gavin Atkin's weblog for the sort of people who like looking inside boat sheds. It's about old boats, traditional boats, boat building, restoration, the sea and the North Kent Coast
Chris Perkins shots of Aluna Ivy at Portsoy. As usual, click on the images for larger photos
These photos of the Aluna Ivy at Portsoy come from Intheboatshed.net supporter and award-winning amateur boatbuilder Chris Perkins, and follow some earlier shots provided by John Lamb. Thanks Chris!
Chris is currently heavily involved in building the first St Ayles skiff, an Iain Oughtred-designed rowing skiff developed for the Scottish Coastal Rowing Project, which plans to foster rowing racing.
Watch this beautiful Phil Bolger-designed Spartina with its convenient balanced boomed foresail sailing on an East coast river, captured here by the excellent Dylan Winter.
His collection of YouTube videos as he sails anti-clockwise around the UK is well worth watching for the boats, for the sailing and for his entertaining and trenchant commentary, with which I largely agree – although you may not. Take a look and see what you think!
The Spartina is a powerful example of the range of Bolger’s work. It’s a serious mistake to think that he only drew utilitarian sailing and motoring boxes: the man had a real designer’s eye, and used it in drawing up many of his output of many hundreds of designs. I’ve been collecting his books for years, but his published material is available to all in the UK via the national library system in the UK. It’s interesting, illuminating stuff that more people should know about.
There are very few Bolger boats in British waters, which makes this Spartina a particularly striking find.
Dylan was very taken with this boat, and its foresail in particular.
There’s a lot to be said for a foresail like this on a small boat where there’s not much danger of anyone being hurt by the boom. On a boat with a real foredeck on which someone might have to stand, however, it could be a different story.
Of course, I’m not remotely influenced by the massive compliment in the information that goes with this video!
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This attractive 1934 Billy Atkin-designed 25ft Matthews Sailer is up for sale – and it’s such a sweet boat I have decided to post some photos.
The Sailer described in the sales literature as a Seabird-type cruiser, and I gather she was built to plans that the Atkins lost in a hurricane in 1938. (By the way, I should explain that I’m not related to Billy and his boat designer son John Atkin so far as I know.)
Miss O has a four-cylinder Graymarine engine (I think this may be orginal), lots of nice bronze, including a screen for the companion way and a folding mast for use on the New York State canal system that can be raised or lowerd by one or two people. The owner and his wife haveve enjoyed the boat for several years and even honeymooned aboard – but have now bought something new.
