Tag: launch

Rowing skiffs and pleasure boats on view on Channel 4 On Demand

[ad name=”intheboatshed-post”]

Lazy days
Peter Freebody in his workshop

I said I’d post again about Channel 4’s Classic Ships series when I had a moment to do so, and so I will. This programme is another exellent half hour including film of Alaska on the River Thames, legendary Thames boatbuilder and restorer Peter Freebody talking about the boats he works on and about developing a rowing craft somewhere between the Thames skiff and the Thames dinghy, and some splendid footage of the silent steam craft on Lake Windermere – including a demonstration of the Windermere steam kettle, which can boil a gallon in seconds.

There’s also just a glimpse of a waterman manoeuvering a Thames lighter using nothing more than a couple of sweeps. Impressive stuff.

I don’t know what restrictions may apply to watching Channel 4 On Demand programmes, but if you can see this, it’s a must! Click here.

An invitation for 5th December – see the Boatbuilding Academy student boat launch

[ad name=”intheboatshed-post”]

Sadie Snowdon Johnny Tyson Teddy at sea

dsc_0528 cirrus-with-mike-broome-bba-instructor-designer seapod-the-peapod-5

Some of the boats Academy students have built in the past: Sadie Snowdon’s dory; Johnny Tyson’s whitehall; Edward Hoogewerf’s Ebihen;Marc Chivers’ pilot punt; Bob Hinks’ Cirrus; and Charlie Hussey’s Seapod the Peapod

Boatbuilding Academy principal Yvonne Green and colleagues have extended an invitation to intheboatshed.net readers to see students launch their boats at Lyme, starting at 8.30am on the 5th December.

The boats are an interesting collection, and will include:

  • an 8ft traditional pram dinghy built using trunnels and without adhesives or metal fixings
  • a 16ft 6in half-size sgoth niseach
  • a 16ft cold-moulded motorboat based on a design by C G Pettersson
  • a 15ft 11in Haven 12 1/2 designed by Nathaniel Herreschoff
  • a 16ft 10in double-ended clinker Tirrik designed by Iain Oughtred
  • a 15ft Chestnut strip-built canoe built from Western red cedar
  • a 7ft 10in Auk glued clinker dinghy, again designed by Iain Oughtred

I won’t be able to make it – I live in Kent – but I hope the weather gets better by early December, as I doubt there’s a boatbuilder in the world who would want to test their boats for the first time in the kind of wind we’ve been having too much of lately!

By the way – if any readers do manage to get along and would like to send in some photos and their impressions for publication, I’d love to receive them at gmatkin@gmail.com!

For more on the Boatbuilding Academy, click here!

13ft electric launch by Andrew Wolstenholme launched at the Boat Building Academy

[ad name=”intheboatshed-post”]

Phil Evans JFDI

Phil Evans workshop Phil Evans in progress 2 cornering the market in G clamps

JFDI 1 I made this The Blues Brothers and their Dad go boating

Boat Building Academy principal Yvonne Green has sent a series of photos from the student launch day down in Lyme back in June, which I will be publishing over the next few days.

Today’s photos are of a 13ft electric motor launch designed by Andrew Wolstenholme and built by student Phil Evans with help from other students, especially ‘Blues Brothers’, Will Howard and Mike Brenton. We aren’t told how they acquired their soubriquet on the course – perhaps someone will oblige using the comment link below this post – but congratulations to them all.

The launch is built with three layers of veneer: the outer layers are sapele, with an inner layer of Douglas fir.

For more of Andrew Wolstenholme’s designs and plans, click here.