Category: Suppliers

Boat builder Will Stirling’s hopes for Row to the Pole

Row to the Pole Filming from Devon Island Row to the Pole loose pack in Barrow StraightRow to the Pole six man ocean rowing boat Row to the Pole Preparing for departure Row to the Pole six man ocean rowing boat

Following our previous post about the Row to the Pole expedition to draw attention to the rapid loss of polar ice, boat builder and historian Will Stirling who has been skippering the BBC camera team boat has written in with the following heart-felt message.

Will’s an excellent photographer, and attached the shots above. Thanks Will!

‘I do hope that the rowers are able to highlight the extent of ice melt through their extreme endurance test.

‘Whilst there are geographical and climatic cycles that cause ice advance and retreat, the issue of our time is the speed of the melt. The melt is faster than a natural cycle, much faster. The Inuits have a good deal to say about it. The visual landscape has changed significantly within the last five years. There is no multi-year snow or ice on land. Previously permanent ice caves disappear in the summer. This year they have even noticed a few mosquitos up there.’

PS – See photos of one of a couple of Will’s latest small boat building projects here.

Strange and beautiful landscapes from the Row to the Pole expedition to Magnetic North

Row to the Pole photographed by ANTONY WOODFORD  Row to the Pole photographed by ANTONY WOODFORD

Row to the Pole photographed by ANTONY WOODFORD Row to the Pole photographed by ANTONY WOODFORD

These fascinating landscapes come from members of the Row to the Pole expedition led by veteran Arctic explorer Jock Wishart.

Click on the shots for a much bigger and better view: all but the last image are taken by Antony Woodford by the way – so thanks Antony!

The expedition sponsored by Old Pulteney Whisky aims to row to the Magnetic North Pole to demonstrate how much ice has gone from the area through global warming, and it certainly seems strange to note that until recent years the rocks and land at these high latitudes probably haven’t seen the sky for hundreds of thousands of years. That’s my guess, but no doubt the expeditions scientific advisers can provide the real figure.

The seriously scary information these rowers want to get across is that at its current rate of melting, the polar ice cap could disappear completely in three decades.

Doubtless this would have a profound effect on our weather systems.

Regular readers may recall reading that boatbuilder and historian Will Stirling is skippering a BBC camera boat following the expedition.

Row to the Pole photographed by ANTONY WOODFORD Row to the Pole photographed by ANTONY WOODFORD Row to the Pole photographed by ANTONY WOODFORD

Row to the Pole photographed by ANTONY WOODFORD Row to the Pole


 

Boat Building Academy students launch a stripper canoe with sailing rig

Strip-built canoe under inspection at the harbour. Photograph by BBA student and photographer Derek Thompson LRPS BBA Director Tim Gedge presents Chris Smith with his certificate after the launch. Photograph by Jenny Steer

Chris on his maiden sail. Photograph by Jenny Steer Chris, Colleen and Cally preparing the EllaJen's maiden voyage. Photograph by Jenny Steer

 

 

 

Boat Building Academy student Chris Smith from Dundee built this Selway-Fisher designed 16ft Canadian sailing canoe, with the help of included Paul Hutchins, who is from the South Devon.

Named EllaJen, the canoe is strip-planked in western red cedar, with a resin-infused inner laminate giving a lighter structure and higher quality finish. Chris chose the design because wanted to build something a bit different, and a canoe he could sail as well paddle fitted the bill.

Find out more about Chris’s canoe at his blog here, and see a photographic diary of the build here.

Before joining the Academy, Chris completed a degree in marine sport technology, which enabled him to kit the canoe out in modern racing dinghy style, with a light-weight carbon-fibre mast and racy rigging and control lines.

Chris has now now applied to take a masters degree in maritime engineering science at Southampton.

Co-worker Paul is busy establishing a workshop and business in Tavistock specialising in traditional and bespoke joinery, traditional boats, shepherd’s huts and gypsy wagons. The business is called Tavy and Tamar Boat Builders and he can be reached at tavytamarboats@live.co.uk.

PS – While we’re thinking about the BBA, don’t forget the raffle to raise money for a permanent workshop at Lyme for Gail McGarva. There are just a few days left, and the prizes include an eight-week woodworking course and £100 towards materials for a personal project piece, a five-day traditional wooden boat building or wooden boat restoration short course, and a day with Gail in her workshop. More than £1000 has been raised so far, and tickets will also be available at the Lyme Gig Regatta on the 14th August – which is also the day of the draw.