Tag: marine carpentry

Abingdon and Skabardis get to work on a Kenneth Gibbs Halcyon dinghy

Gibbs dinghy restoration (6)

Gibbs dinghy restoration (3) Gibbs dinghy restoration (2) photo (1)

Gibbs dinghy restoration (4) Gibbs dinghy restoration (5)

Kyle Abingdon of Abingdon & Skabardis Marine Carpentry based at Dargate near Faversham has written to say his outfit is refurbishing a Kenneth Gibbs 14ft Halcyon sailing dinghy.

It’s similar to one that Simon Papendick has been working on – see an earlier intheboatshed.net post.

Kyle and Maris (Skabardis) acquired the dinghy as part of a deal.

Her hull was in good order but she had a lot of rotten frames and rot at the bottom of her transom.

‘We have replaced more the half the frames – 16 – and repaired the transom.

‘We are now putting a new deck on her and then we will turn her over and varnish her.

‘It’s been a long time since she was in the water. Hope your enjoying the weather as much as we are!

‘Regards, Kyle’

A mystery carvel-built sailing dinghy – who made it and did it belong to a racing class?

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kyle abingdon, marine carpentry, carvel, dinghy, sailing boat

kyle abingdon, marine carpentry, carvel, dinghy, sailing boat

Can anyone help identify this boat bought recently by boatbuilder Kyle Abingdon?

Here’s what he says about her:

‘Gavin.

‘Please can you and your readers help to identify this mystery boat I have bought with mind to restoring her this winter? She’s a beautiful 14ft 7in x 5ft 2in carvel wooden sailing dinghy. She needs a lot of work but I couldn’t help myself.

‘She is quite heavily built. She has an elm transom, keel and stem pine planks and a mahogany sheer strake. She is a Bermudan sloop with a bowspirit and has a heavy galvanised centre board.

‘She looks a bit like an old Torbay J Class or West Lancashire Seabird but is a lot smaller than either of these. Please can you an your readers give me your ideas?

‘Regards, Kyle Abingdon

‘Abingdon Marine Carpentry, www.marinecarpenty.co.uk, tel 07737868421′

Thanks Kyle!

See an earlier query from Kyle about the AH Comben’s-designed Nosila here.

Two other recent requests for information concern Firth of Forth dreg songs used in the oyster fishery and a canoe yawl built by the Thames. If any boat boffins can help with any of these questions, I would be most grateful!

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