Tag: fishing

St Leonard’s fishermen’s chapel, St Ives

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A memorial of an astonishing trip, presumably by a
member of the local artistic community

It was grey and rainy the day we reached St Ives, but I was nevertheless captivated by St Leonard’s, the little port’s fishermen’s chapel on Smeaton’s pier.

Typescript history

A typescript history (we don’t see many of them now!) shows that the building dates back to at least 1577, and has been renovated several times, most recently in 1971, when it was reopened as a small museum. In the old days, it seems, local fishermen retained the services of a friar who led prayers and services in the building.

There are some nice models, a touching memorial erected in 1959 to the fishermen lost to their families and community, and seats for those who wish to sit and pray, or simply think.

That engaging character Mike ‘Kipperman’ Smylie has some good stuff about the St Ives boats in his book Traditional Fishing Boats of Britain and Ireland, which you may find at ABE Books.

Interior, models and memorial, another plaque, and the exterior

And just outside I found the real thing – a mackerel driver. And
notice the ancient lifeboat moored just behind it

Freshwater – a skiff-like salmon trolling boat built by Adrian Morgan

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Freshwater – as usual, click on the picture for a much larger image

Launched in the last few weeks, Freshwater is a 16ft trolling boat built for salmon fishing in a loch near Aviemore. Built along the lines of a Scottish skiff with a narrow waterline, she is clinker-built of larch on oak, and has a small fore-locker and removable bench seats aft.

She replaces an older boat that was past her prime, and perhaps for this reason every effort has been made to prevent pockets of stagnant water causing rot – which is the reason for the unusual open gunwales.

Adrian reports that the price was under £5,000, excluding long-shaft Yamaha 6hp outboard. The boat is kept on a mooring on Loch Insh.

See Adrian Morgan’s website.

Some ancient photos of famous old boats

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Tilikum at Margate, with Captain John Voss
standing at the bows. As usual click on the
images for much larger photographs

Fishing luggers sailing out of Mevagissey,
Cornwall

Falmouth quay punt

Lowestoft trawlers in a shot that looks more like a
painting than a photo

West Mersea smacks looking very handsome on a near run

I picked up a dusty old book the other day, and found it contained many photos of some well known old boats. Here are just a few. I must say I was particularly pleased to find the Tilikum shot, as it gives a clear impression of what the boat was like when Captain John Voss had her and sailed such enormous distances. Voss’s book The Venturesome Voyages of Captain Voss is a jolly read, as you’d expect from someone who became a professional adventurer – there are some copies at ABE Books. There’s a bit more on Voss’s voyage here, and thanks to the kind folks at the splendid Duckworks forum, I’ve just learned that Venturesome Voyages is also available online.

On other topics, there are various intheboatshed.net posts on luggers to read and others on Falmouth quay punts, and on fishing generally.

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