Faversham painter artist Derek Cox to show his work at the Fleur de Lys

The exhibition will feature paintings of boats, barges, coastal craft, ships and other vessels with a strong connection with Faversham.

The show is part of a long-term project to bring together information about the nearly 4,000 vessels that have been, and those that continue to be, directly connected with Faversham. 

This includes those either registered at Faversham or built or repaired in the town, or were owned or captained by Faversham people.

The show is part of a long-term project to bring together information about the vessels connected with the town, and Derek intends to publish a series of illustrated books and a DVD.

Replica 18th century shipwright’s workshop to be built at Buckler’s Hard

Buckler's Hard

This year sees the building of a new replica timber-framed 18th century shipwrights’ workshop at the old shipbuilding village of Buckler’s Hard by the Beaulieu River.

Once built using local timber, the workshop will become a centre for the teaching and study of traditional shipbuilding, working in partnership with the Portsmouth branch of the International Boatbuilding Training College (IBTC).

The school’s aim is to ensure the continuation of shipwright skills for the restoration of historic ships, and to support the traditional boatbuilding industry.

Nearby woodland will allow students to be taught about timber felling, conversion and storage.

The building project will also be used as a learning exercise, with students taught to use traditional tools and methods, and the building is planned to be raised in in early August 2014 using the traditional gin pole and block and tackle, and then pegged together with cleft oak trunnels.

Read more here and here.

Stirling and Son develops a new 9ft dinghy

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The new 9ft dinghy from Stirling and Son – the lower
photos show the materials and moulds

The Stirling and Son boatyard down at Morwelham near Tavistock must be one of the most picturesque anywhere – I enjoy the photos Will Stirling sends us for their setting almost as much as the boats.

Here’s what Will has to say about the dinghy in the photo.

‘Dear Gavin,

‘The dinghy is to go to Northumberland – but I can build another with a lead time of approximately six weeks.

‘She is 9ft long of mahogany planking with an oak sheer strake. All other timber in the boat is oak with copper fastenings.

‘The shape is a very stable one, as I’ve had had some near-capsizes getting into dinghies in the past. She has a mid-19th century shape with the bold forefoot and relatively full bow, while she is finer aft with a shapely transom.

‘After building this dinghy I have set down the shape in a full five-page A2 draught with A4 offsets, scantlings and materials list. I am to build the next dinghy from this draught and then make full size mould templates with the planking lined out and a little colour booklet with photos taken along the way. I will let you know when that is all prepared, probably in a couple of months.

‘Best wishes

‘Will Stirling’

I think that booklet might interest quite a few budding home boatbuilders, and when it’s ready I’d like to put up a post about it here Will!

See the Stirling and Son Wooden Shipbuilding and Repairs website at http://www.stirlingandson.co.uk or contact the company at 01822 614 259.

PS – If like me you’ve been admiring Will’s trestles, see some handy trestle plans here. Ok, they aren’t Will’s plans but they look quite similar.