Category: Small boats

Matt Stiles’ stunning Joel White rowing wherry

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Instructor Justin and dog Worthington guiding young Matt on his first time in
a narrow, round-bottomed rower. I don’t think he’s talking about a fish, but
about balance in a naturally tippy boat

Yvonne Green, principal of the Boat Building Academy at Lyme Regis (see earlier posts) has promised to send us material about the student boats launched a few days ago. The first comes from Matt Stiles:

‘Matt from Buckinghamshire was the youngest student on the March course. He is a qualified RYA Dinghy Instructor and is pursuing his love for sailing and woodwork.

‘He built a 20ft Joel White Bangor Packet rowing wherry, cold moulded with 1.5mm sapele veneers (two layers diagonal, final layer fore-and-aft) spiled to simulate carvel planking and finished bright throughout.

‘Matt confessed shortly before the launch that he’d never rowed, so academy instructor and Atlantic rower Justin Adkin gave him a crash course in what not to do and advised a dry suit. Matt, happily, didn’t capsize and the wherry looked fantastic.

‘Gav, Happy Christmas. It’s a pleasure dealing with you, and we love the site. Here’s to many more communications in 2009.‘

Many thanks for the photos of this terrific piece of work by Matt. Here’s to a great Christmas despite all the gloom, and here’s to many more many more projects from Lyme!

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Ben Crawshaw celebrates two years of his Light Trow, and weblog The Invisible Workshop

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Onawind Blue, December 2008

Down on Spain’s East Coast, Ben Crawshaw has written a post this week celebrating two years since he started The Invisible Workshop – his weblog about building and using his Light Trow light-weight plywood beach cruiser.

I can’t tell you how pleased I am that he’s enjoying his boat so much. Take a look also at his recent posts about the local polbeiros with their excellent hull forms, wild rigs and even wilder tillers; and also at his posts on the Battle of Lepanto and a locally built currach.

Nick Smith motor launch Lisa gets her name

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Lisa’s name, carved by Norman Gaches.  As usual, click on the thumbnails for a much bigger photograph

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Lisa’s flawless transom

Nick Smith has been in touch to report on progress building Lisa, a 17ft traditional West Country motor launch.

‘Lisa is looking almost complete, however there’s still lots to do.

‘The finishing off jobs are as important as the structural stuff, and I’m concentrating on the varnish work these days. The seats have been removed and varnished in a condition-controlled environment – that is, it’s heated, dust free and well lit. They now have deep gloss with no brush marks.

Sanders Sails of Lymington have built a super full cover. Whenever a customer or a doubting Thomas says to me the age old remark ‘oh but a wooden boat’s a maintenence nightmare’ I always reply that it isn’t true – just invest £500 in a good all-over cover, and every second you are not using the boat keep it covered.

‘This way the cover pays for itself in the first season, and the varnish work and paint work inside (apart maybe from the seats, which are small and easy to touch-up) need not be repainted for two or three seasons. The topside varnish may need a coat every year, but that’s a straightforward job, and the hull will need antifouling every year anyway.

‘It’s not rocket science – it’s common sense, I always say.

‘I should mention the name carving. I got world reknowned figurehead carver Norman Gaches over from the Isle of Wight to do it. He carved three “Lisas” and a “Yealm” in about an hour and a half, and it looks superb! It was all done by hand and eye, with no stencils.

‘That’s it for now Gav, more pictures after Christmas.’

Thanks Nick – it’s great to see her going together. I’m fascinated that Norman can create such nice, precise-looking work so quickly without stencils, and even more impressed that he dares to do it in a transom that’s already in place. Imagine the sinking feeling that would have followed if it had gone wrong – but of course, he did his job beautifully.

And a Merry Christmas to you Nick!

Nick has sent us quite a few photos of the Lisa project over the past few weeks.  If you’d like to see all our posts about his work, click here and scroll down the page. If you don’t already know him, Nick comes from Devon and specialises in new builds in clinker and carvel for  sail, motor and rowing power from 8ft to 28ft with a special emphasis on West Country style and design, and also takes on repairs and refits from 25ft to 50ft. He can be contacted by email at nick_smith_boatbuilder@yahoo.com and by phone on 07786 693370.