Three hundred kilometres in a 15ft boat

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Ben Crawshaw's Onawind Blue cruises on the coast of Spain

Light Trow Onawind Blue tied up somewhere on the Spanish coast

Ben Crawshaw of The Invisible Workshop is back from a 300 kilometre trip in his boat Onawind Blue and, not surprisingly, seems to be simultaneously shattered and happy. Why not leave a comment of congratulations on his weblog?

Here’s a quotation:

‘You can’t travel 300 kilometres over the sea in a little boat without a lot happening. We had our share of calms and light headwinds, we had long sessions of gut busting rowing under a blazing sun, we had contrary currents and large rolling swells; conditions so frustrating and tiring that I was ready to let mermaids lure me overboard into the cool waters. We had a rat stowaway in the forward locker for 24 hours and we ran aground off a small rocky island. We saw the Tramontana wind and helped heave a 30-foot sailing boat off rocks after it’s anchor dragged in the cove where we sheltered from the fierce blow. We had some fantastic sailing with following winds, at one point so strong that I could only continue sailing by rigging the double-reefed mizzen sail on the main mast and then, with only 1.2 metres of sail cloth, we still sailed at 6 knots. I discovered the most idyllic coves, met fantastic, welcoming people, got drunk, ate some great food and let the sea in through every pore in my body so that now, on land at last, life seems impossibly dry.’

Ben has a great story to tell over the next few weeks, and I’m looking forward to it!

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News from my inbox

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Jukung on Bali

• Jukungs on Bali
– see also this Indigenous Boats weblog entry on jukungs.

• An exhibition focusing on Bridlington’s tradition of fishing – and news of a new coble restoration – PS take a peek at the Bridlington Coble Preservation Society website for nice piece about the Siddalls who built the coble Three Brothers, including a splendid photo.

• Portsmouth’s Highbury College launches boatbuilding courses

• Strikingly weathered wooden boat on a beach in Spain

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My Bluestone schooner design in the spotlight

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It’s quite a few years since I drew the small two-masted Bluestone, but I’m delighted to see that she has turned up in a review of small schooner designs published by Paul Austin.

It’s great to know she hasn’t been forgotten. I drew her as my entry for a design competition run by the excellent Duckworks, and a certificate that still hangs on my wall reminds me that she won!

For those who prefer a simpler build, there’s also a set of drawings for a simpler multi-chine version of the hull.

To learn more about Bluestone, click here, and here