Tag: boat plans

A sailing Ella skiff in Catalonia

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Catalonia-based writer and sailor Ben Crawshaw (of Light Trow fame and theinvisibleworkshop) has got in touch to say that together with friends a chap called Bosco has built this example of the sailing version of the my 12ft flat bottomed Ella skiff design in his area – so far, Ben has only managed to photograph the boat but plans to sail it soon.

I had no idea – and my jaw dropped when I heard about it, and then sagged even more when I looked at the shots. (Click on them to see a much larger image, by the way.)

Folks are telling Ben that the little boat sails well, but I will of course be very interested in his verdict.

The photo shows that she has been built pretty robustly in the local style, but I can’t say I’m complaining! She looks great to me. Plans for the Ella skiff are here.

Damien O’Grady reports on sailing Murray Isles Aurette dinghy

Damien O'Grady's Auray punt

Australian Damien O’Grady has sent us this photo and a short report of his experience of sailing Murray Isles’ Aurette small Auray punt design.

Auray punt fans may remember he wrote a short report of his experience of building the boat a while ago. The plans are included in my book published by International Marine,  Ultrasimple Boatbuilding.

See the photos and what Damien had to say in his earlier post here.

This is what he says now he has rigged the boat as specified in Murray’s plans. I’d say it sounds just right for a dinghy of this size:

‘Hi Gavin

‘I finally made the mast and yard from what is here called white beech [it’s called hornbeam here – ed], which I soaked with Sikkens Cetol HLS. I put two canvas collars around the mast – one at the point where it passes through the foredeck, and one where the yard rubs up against it – I stitched these on using heavy duty thread, criss-crossed as you would put laces on your boots. The halyard passes through a simple “dumb sheave”, just as is suggested in your book, which I made by drilling a 12mm hole and working it with a D-section file.

‘You can see most of the arrangement in the attached photo, in which my son is hoisting the yard for the first time. The tack has a line that attaches first to the mast, and then to the little bulkhead just behind the foredeck – this serves to hold the mast in place in case you capsize. I shaped the spars just as shown in your book. I reinforced the foredeck aperture with glass tape.

‘She needs plenty of wind to really get going, but she can handle pretty much anything you throw at her. I’ve had her with that much wind that the bow is almost buried under the bow wave, and you have to shift your weight aft to compensate. Very forgiving for kids to begin sailing in. As an adult, if you capsize, it won’t be because of the wind – it’s more likely to be bad balance on your part.

‘That’s it – I’m very fond of her – my son has been seduced by the speed and glamour of the RS Feva, so now he only takes out the little Aurette to humour me, but that’s fine. I’m thinking next of making a light boom for her, to keep better sail shape.

‘Cheers!

‘Damien’

PS – Damien has sent over some additional measurment information for the rudder not included in the published plans. See them here: rudder_extras

Ben Crawshaw’s book Catalan Castaway is available to order

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I’m delighted to be able to announce that Ben’s colourfully illustrated 224-page book will be available from Lodestar Books in a few days and is now available to order, priced at £15 in the UK, £17 Europe and £20 outside Europe. [NB – this book is now debing delivered!]

It tells an amazing and exciting story, as the publisher’s notes make clear:

‘A sail-and-oar adventure in our own boat, one having the inevitable beauty of a form which accurately meets function – this is the dream of many of us. But Ben Crawshaw shows us that the dream is nearer to our grasp than we may think.

‘In Gavin Atkin’s Light Trow design he found an affordable boatbuilding project which would require the most simple and accessible of materials, and just basic woodworking ability.

‘Within months he was afloat in Onawind Blue, and his book Catalan Castaway recounts his day-sails, beach-camping cruises and a challenging longer voyage, over a five year period on the Catalan coast of Spain, where he lives with his partner and young family.

‘Onawind Blue has been Ben’s passport to the traditional maritime community of the region, so in addition to her own exploits we learn of the indigenous boat types, many now endangered, and the dedicated band of people who keep them alive.

‘Ben’s increasingly ambitious adventures have sometimes made him draw on deep reserves of physical and mental strength, as has his personal battle with the ‘giant octopus’ of serious illness, happily now at bay.’

Read a sample chapter of Catalan Castaway here.

For more posts about Ben Crawshaw and his boat Onawind Blue, click here. Also see Ben’s excellent weblog, Theinvisibleworkshop.