It’s always good to hear of a boat builder, repairer and restorer is busy despite the straightened and worrying times in which we live. Here’s Tiernan Roe’s newsletter about the doings at Roe Boats down at Ballydehob, County Cork:
Well it’s been a busy few months here at Roeboats. I’m currently finishing up the interior refit of a Squib keel boat, all of the wooden interior has been replaced with low weight plywood and epoxy coated to limit water absorption and hopefully keep the boat as a light as possible. Of course a fiberglass hull is going to be heavier than a wooden one and probably absorb as much water. Doing this job has reminded me of how much I dislike fiberglass as a material.
I’ve also been spending much of my free time developing plans for the Belfast Lough One Design ‘Jewel‘ class designed by Linton Hope. There’s not much information available about either the designer or the boats, but I think they could be excellent day-sailers/classic racers for the 21st century. More anon. [Read about the Jewels in Folkard on pages 309-312.]
I’ve also been busy building a 16ft micro cruiser for a repeat client. It’ll be a one-person, self righting, yawl-rigged sharpie very similar to the Catbird I built in 2010. I should have the planking finished soon: she’s scheduled for a May launching, just in time for summer.
Other news is that the boats I built for the HBO Game of Thrones TV series are featured in the trailer for season 3, which is way cool (I’ll have to get a tuxedo for all of the Oscars I might win). Watch it here you’ll see the boat around the middle of the clip, don’t blink or you’ll miss it. It’s the one on fire.
That’s all for now, next issue will most likely include the launching of the boat above and a schedule of where you can see some Roeboats on the water during the Summer.
Tiernan can be reached by phone (tel +353 (0)28 38973 and +353 (0)86 158 6937 [mobile]) and via his website.
I must say I’m amused about the Game of Thrones thing… I never imagined I’d be posting about it!