HJ Mears boat builders, Devon

Alex Mears of Seaton boat builders HJ Mears sent over these recent photos of recent jobs in the yard. Here’s what he says:

‘Hello Gavin,

‘I’ve attached a few photos of the 25ft mahogany-built weekender for a chap at Dartmouth. We’re just starting to turn the bilge with the planking, and as a result she’s beginning to show her full Mears-style lines! We’re not known for sleek pieces of furniture; more the traditional beach working and harbour launches that require a sturdy old fashioned build.

‘There’s a couple photos in there of a Beer Lugger in Larch, that’s currently on the stocks too. She’s 16ft with an ample 7ft beam.

‘The owner of the 25ft boat said he came to us as he liked seeing the consistency of our boating lineage since the 40s. He also likes building by eye; as the project can evolve as he desires at every stage. We hope to have her planked and ribbed by new year, provided not too many other jobs get in the way!

‘We’re looking for a completion around July 2014 – it would be earlier but there’s a few commercial fishermen who don’t take ‘not yet’ for an answer!

‘Anyway hope you and your readers find these of interest. Feel free to ask any more questions.

‘Cheers for now,

‘Alex’

It’s worth taking a moment to look at the HJ Mears site, by the way – each of the photos on the home page turns out to be a useful link to ‘Contact’, ‘Restoration and repair’, ‘Moorings’ and so on. It turns out that I’ll be travelling down to Sidmouth in the summer to play for the annual folk festival, so I’m hoping to get a chance to drop by and perhaps shoot a harbour stroll…

Thanks Alex!