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
Reader Fraser McGruer sent us this link to his video of the Boat Building Academy students’ launch day summer 2011, which took place a couple of weeks ago.
I don’t often like the music people use as background to their videos, but I very much enjoyed this one, and I hope you do too.
‘Proud builder’ and ‘thumbs-up’ photo featuring Ian Davidson’s wife Liddy were taken by Chelsea Davine and James Bird respectively; the last two were taken by Derek Thompson LRPS. Many thanks to you all for permission to use these shots
Emma Brice of the Boat Building Academy at Lyme has sent me the first of five instalments showcasing the boats built by the Academy’s class of March 2010.
Ian Davidson’s 18ft strip planked gaff rigged daysailer Annie, designed by Tom Dunderdale, is the first of its kind to be built. After a lot of thought, Ian invented the name Kisuli after the three women in his life, daughters Kimberley and Susy and wife Linda. Then he found out Kisuli means dizzy in Swahili – apparently the women in question have have forgiven him.
The 18ft boat built by Ian and Keian Gillett, among others, has a shallow draft and will be used for sailing outings on Chichester Harbour – it is big enough for Ian to take his family out. It’s a pretty craft, and it would be great to hear how it sails.
Ian’s a keen sailor, and boats and the sea have always been part of his life and describes himself as a fixer with a thing about wood. After serving in the army for 37 years, Ian joined the Academy to learn a skill that he could practice and be proud of.
In the New Year Ian will tackle a house fit out, and afterwards will look for work as a marine carpenter in Hampshire.
Keian, who was Ian’s main partner on the build is a chef who gained a reputation on the course for making excellent bacon sandwiches. From London, he also loves sailing and is now off to Singapore to help a friend with the complete refit of a 43ft strip-planked boat, and from there will join another friend in the Sailing for Sustainability community project in Fiji, building wooden catamarans.
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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
If you’re in the area, don’t forget the Boatbuilding Academy’s students are due to launch their boats at Lyme on Saturday, starting at 8.30am. Read this earlier post to find out what boats will be included this year.