Category: Working boats

Laura Tomkins’ photos of the Thames Sailing Barge Parade

Barge enthusiast Laura Tomkins has kindly sent me some fine, smile-inducing photos of the Thames Sailing Barge Parade, which was held yesterday.

The event seems to have had the same dramatic skies and occasional showers my pal and I encountered out on the Estuary as we sailed to and fro through the Copperas channel, but don’t the barges look great! Thanks Laura!

 

 

 

Barges on the telly: Jimmy Lawrence and Nick Ardley on BBC2 TV 29th and 30th September

Jimmy Lawrence talking about life on the barges

I gather that the first programme of the new BBC2 series Floating History of Britain goes out on the 30th September, and that it is to be about Thames sailing barges. I’m told it will include material from this year’s Thames Match.

I told also that the BBC Breakfast show on the 29th September will include an interview with legendary barge skipper, sailmaker and wonderful raconteur Jim Lawrence together with cruising sailor, long-time barge hand and author Nick Ardley, whose young life was spent on the barge May Flower.

Nick Smith 17ft carvel 7/8th inch Douglas fir on oak fishing and pleasure boat

You don’t see too many of these. West Country traditional boat builder Nick Smith is selling a new built 17ft carvel built launch fitted with a fully restored 10hp Bukh inboard – what he calls ‘a proper old thumper’.
He started building it from a 24ft, 36in log four years ago, but only completed a year and a half ago.
It’s an offer he’s unlikely to repeat – the centre line went together well enough, but once the planking started Nick realised that building in carvel even at this length and size wasn’t going to be an easy project. Really, he says, it needed two journeymen and was tough work on his own. From now on, it’ll be clinker all the way…
Due to a change in the original customer’s circumstances the boat hasn’t been afloat, but Nick has run the engine on the trailer, and has faired and repainted the topsides, which are still settling in.
The bilges have been filled for a few days so the planking has taken up.

See eBay for prices and details – but be quick, for the auction is only open for another day.Â