Carriacou sloops on Youtube

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Reader Larry Henry got in touch the other day to alert me to this video on YouTube promoting photographer Alexis Andrews’ two books (volumes I and II) celebrating the Carriacou sloops of Dominica. By January I expect to watch this daily, just wishing I could be anywhere that’s warm and bathed in the colours of summer!

One word of warning though – when I do watch it next it will be with the sound turned down. There are lots of videos on YouTube of the locals playing local music that I have to say is much more to my taste.

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The first model of an Ella sailing skiff


Ella skiff sailing model 4

Ella skiff sailing model 3 Ella skiff sailing model 2 Ella skiff sailing model 1

Matt Morello’s Ella sailing skiff model photos

Intheboatshed.net reader Matt Morello has sent me some photos of a model of the sailing version of the Ella skiff he has been working on, and once again I’m pretty chuffed.

One of my intentions with this series of designs was that they should be simple, conventional and easy to build, and that they should look ‘right’ – and although I haven’t had time to make a model myself, to me this little boat seems to fulfill my criteria.

Here are a couple of quotations from Matt’s emails:

‘Gavin,

‘Enclosed are some photos of my progress on an Ella sailing skiff model. She’s not quite done, but is close to finishing up nicely. I began it out of scrap balsa among other model boats I’ve been working on and I’m quite pleased with how she’s turning out. I can imagine that building her full-size would not be a difficult project to handle…

‘Thanks, Matt Morello, Connecticut

‘PS I wanted to let you know I enjoy your site immensely… Your site and the progress of your designs have been a source of endless entertainment, information, and encouragement for me.’

Thanks Matt – it’s a great pleasure to see and share these photos, and I’m very pleased you think intheboatshed.net is a force for good! I love the choice of background packing cases, by the way…

Seriously, I appreciate for feedback on my plans, both in relation to building and using the boats, I’m always pleased to receive photos, and grateful too for news of the adventures on which the boats sometimes take their owners.

To download the construction plans for the sailing version of the Ella skiff together with the drawings Matt has been working from, click here.

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Tiernan Roe completes a Ninigret

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Ninigret built by Duncan Sclare

It’s well worth taking a look at boatbuilder Tiernan Roe’s weblog to learn more about the John Atkin (no relation) Ninigret he has just built and sold.

The Ninigret is an easily-driven 22ft design originally intended for fishing in the rough waters of Block Island.

See an earlier Intheboatshed.net post about this project.

I think the builder and the new owner deserve our congratulations on a very nice looking boat, but I think there’s more to this story – for along with quite a few others I think boats that go reasonably fast on relatively low power and while consuming sensible quantities of fuel must be the way of the future.

John Atkin wasn’t a lover of big engines on fishing boats, and said the Ninigret would do 18knots with a 30hp outboard. Tiernan himself says that the fuel costs of this boat will be perhaps a tenth of what a RIB would soak up, and is planning to offer a range of low-power boats in the future.

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