Gavin Atkin's weblog for the sort of people who like looking inside boat sheds. It's about old boats, traditional boats, boat building, restoration, the sea and the North Kent Coast
This is John Krause on a fishing outing in his recently built Julie skiff made from ply and epoxy. He adapted the 15ft-something rowing skiff’s transom slightly for use with an electric outboard, but it still looks pretty well, don’t you think? Well done John!
There are more pictures at John’s weblog.
Julie skiff boat building plans are available to download for free here. Free plans for similar boats at 14 and 12ft are also available on this page.
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.
Cork Harbour One Design Elsie, with CHOD Querida (yellow) behind photographed by Tiernan Roe (click on the thumbnails for bigger images)
County Cork boat builder Tiernan Roe sent in these photos of Fife-designed yachts including Cork Harbour One Designs at Glandore Classic Regatta last week.
(Regular readers may remember that last year Tiernan won a lot of praise for a John Atkin-designed Ninigret. )
Here’s what he says:
‘Glandore is one of the most picturesque and sheltered harbours on the West Cork coast, and every two years the Glandore Yacht Club hosts one of the best classic boat events in Ireland. In the intervening years they hold a classic boat summer school which is also very interesting.
‘This year the few days sailing started in glorious sunshine and almost summer like conditions but alas it degenerated into a typical Irish summer of gales and rains. Well apparently 40 per cent of our rain falls in the summer months. The Romans were right when they called the place Hibernia, meaning ‘wintry’.
‘The blue boat is Elsie a Fife-designed Cork Harbour One Design built in 1896, while the yellow boat is Querida another CHOD of same year. They are they only two currently left racing in Cork and they are beauties to look at and to sail.
‘I’m currently researching the possibility of building one if I can find a client. I’ve already secured the co-operation of Fairlie Restorations, the holders of the Fife archive.
‘As the CHOD is just over 30ft long she’ll fit in a 40ft shipping container, which allows for easy and secure transport to regattas far and wide. However, if the boat is to be effectively dry sailed in this way, it also raises the issue of whether a modern construction technique would suit better – hence the need for research.
‘The white boat Sian (below) is a Fife One Design from Wales designed in 1926. The Fife One Designs are like a smaller Dragon (Dragons were also sailing at the regatta) but much much prettier if that’s possible. They’re the standard club boat of the Royal Anglesea Yacht Club.
‘As I was supposed to be crewing (acting as ballast!) in one of the boats this year I had hoped to get some photos of the boats sailing but I ended up helming for them, so I didn’t get a chance – so I took these shots later from a small ply punt.
‘Regards, Tiernan’
It’s particularly interesting that Tiernan is working on the idea of building one or more CHODs. If the idea appeals to you, contact him via his website.
