Category: Boating, boats, ships and the sea

Classic Motor Boat Association boats at the Beale Park Show

Motorboats at Beale 16

Motorboats at Beale 13 Motorboats at Beale 14 Motorboats at Beale 17 Motorboats at Beale 15

A seriously cute Italian speedboat in the rain at the Beale Park Thames Boat Show. As usual, click on the thumbnails (including the big one) for much larger photos

Motorboats at Beale 11 Motorboats at Beale 12

This Avenger 21 made from carbon fibre belonged to offshore powerboat racer Tommy Sopwith, and was a tender to his yacht Philante V

Motorboats at Beale 9 Motorboats at Beale 10

Thunderbolt III belonged to hydroplane racing legend Len Melly

Motorboats at Beale 7 Motorboats at Beale 6 For sale at Beale

Motorboats at Beale 1 Motorboats at Beale 2 Motorboats at Beale 3

Two Broom speedboats. The upper example is for sale: see the third image above

1964 Tremlett 14 Zulu originally built for inshore racing

This message from a reader arrived just today and I hope the writer won’t object to my using his words anonymously: ‘I have had more fun on the internet since signing on to your site than I have in the last three years. You do a great service. Thanks A. Reader, USA’

Onawind Blue arrives in Ibiza after crossing 68 miles of open Mediterranean sea

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Onawind Blue with her new sails back in April. Hopefully we’ll be able to replace this with a shot from Ibiza shortly!

I’ve just heard that Ben Crawshaw sailing his Light Trow named Onawind Blue has arrived in Ibiza after leaving Javea on the Spanish mainland at 1am on Monday morning.

With favourable southerly winds she covered the 68 nautical miles from Javea to to Talamanca Bay on the east side of the island in 19 hours. I seem to remember I originally designed this little boat for sheltered waters, but Ben’s steady progress in adapting it to his purposes has been impressive. Well done Ben!

For more and to leave your congratulations in his comments, go to Ben’s weblog The Invisible Workshop.

Rowing in surf, with windows?

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Jersey skiff

The skiff in question – photo published with the permission of photographer Walter Bachteler. Thanks Walter!

A reader has been in touch to ask what this boat might be. Does anyone know? And why does it have windows to allow the rowers to see the level of the water?

See the photos in question at Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/65538230@N00/3405009991/in/set-72157616150345313/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/65538230@N00/3428080202/

PS It turns out this is a Jersey skiff used in lifeguard competitions, and that the ‘windows’ are holes intended to free the boat of water when it starts to fill in surf.  The point is clearly made by a series of astonishing photos from the 2008 Asbury Park Lifeguard Challenge – thanks to Jim Mason for indicating the way, and to everyone else for a splendid set of comments and links.

PPS

Jim later sent me some more links, which are too good to miss.

http://www.lifeguardart.com depicts the men and women of the South Jersey beach patrols using the version of the Jersey beach skiff that originated in Atlantic City and environs. It is round-bilged and fuller-bodied than the flat-bottomed Seabright skiffs used up on the northern beaches. It is also heavier by 50 lbs. and not self-bailing.

Also check out the http://www.lifeguardraces.com galleries at http://web.sendtoprint.net/proofbook/galleries.asp?CouponID=Lifeguard

Thanks Jim! Some of the Lifeguardart images in particular are superb.