Gavin Atkin's weblog for the sort of people who like looking inside boat sheds. It's about old boats, traditional boats, boat building, restoration, the sea and the North Kent Coast
Photos taken by the Victorian photographer PH Emerson and published in the book Pictures from Fen and Field, dated 1887. More great shots by Emerson of fishing boats and turf boats can be found on the wonderful Retronaut, and and also here, and prints to hang on you wall can be bought here.
River Fowey boat builder and restorer Marcus Lewis has written in to report that he’s spotted an 18ft clinker-build sailing boat for sale close to his own premises. Here’s what he says:
‘Hi Gavin: I was doing a small job at the St Winnow boatyard on the River Fowey, and spotted this 18ft or so centreplate dinghy, the ownership of which has just passed to the proprietors.
‘Built by Harry Feltham of Portsmouth, it doesnt look in bad condition. It needs some tender loving care, but the buoyancy bags inside are still inflated, a compass still installed, and there is a mast, though I’m not sure about sails. The owners of the boatyard want to sell her, and I shouldn’t think she would be very expensive – and someone could pick up a classic boat at a good price.
‘I dont know if she is a class? maybe someone out there knows more?
‘She needs to be snapped up before a season out the water on a trailer (in the baking sunshine we are bound to get) wont do her any favours.
‘If anyone’s interested, they should contact St Winnow Yachts on 01208 872327.’
Thanks Marcus! Let’s hope she catches someone’s eye.
Fancy one of David Moss’s highly regarded canoe yawls?
They don’t come up very often, but there are no less than two of the lovely strip-planked boats for sale right now at canoeyawl.org: the 13ft Ethel, which currently belongs to canoeyawl.org editor Dick Wynne; the other is the 15ft 6in Bunny, now owned by Nigel Field.