Tag: traditional boats

Chris Perkins’ photos from the Beale Park Boat and Outdoor Show

I’m most grateful to Chris Perkins for giving me permission to raid his impressive collection of photos from this year’s Beale Park Boat and Outdoor Show.

Chris is a lovely, meticulous photographer, and seems to have the knack of being unobtrusive when he’s shooting – no-one in his shots seems to pose for the camera! See his full collection at Flickr but please don’t use them without his permission!

From the top left they show three Watercraft magazine Amateur Boat Building Awards entries:

  • Agape a Nottage 12 designed by Fabian Bush and beautifully traditionally built by Richard Harvey (three photos)
  • Curlew, a Nick Smith-designed traditional launch built in the traditional way by Richard Pease (two photos)
  • Strummer, an Iain Oughtred-designed Ness Yawl built in clinker ply by Ian Prior
  • Polly, an Iain Oughtred designed Swampscott dory built in the traditional way by John Kingston (three pics – and isn’t she gorgeous!)

There’s also a general shot of the competition entries.

Also we have a currach (two pics); a Thames skiff set up for camping (two photos), the Old Gaffers Association menagerie of small boats on show, an oldish ply-looking river launch; Moiety, built by Nick Smith, a bit of repair work going on outside the International Boatbuilding Training College stand (principal Nat is wearing the black hat); Kipperman Mike Smylie playing the kipper xylophone (black hats are in fashion, gentlemen); and some typical scenes on the water at Beale Park (six photos).

National Historic Ships network Shipshape East Anglia meets for the first time at Lowestoft

Shipshape network

Shipshape East Anglia members network at the International Boatbuilding Training College, Lowestoft

Over 40 boatbuilders, historic vessel owners, suppliers and trainees met as a group earlier this month for the first time at a meeting organised by the Shipshape Network in East Anglia.

The forum took place at the International Boatbuilding Training College (IBTC) at Lowestoft, where they were addressed by National Historic Ships UK policy and project manager Hannah Cunliffe.

The event marked the launch of a series of new Shipshape East Anglia pages for the region – these list and detail 85 historic vessels in the area, and over 50 boat building companies and specialist suppliers. The IBTC is to act as local hub for network and is to provide local support and advice to members, a regional base and access to facilities.

Regional projects presented at the event include:

  • services and facilities at Excelsior Yard, Lowestoft
  • the regeneration of the Whisstocks boatyard at Woodbridge, Suffolk
  • Stem to Stern Heritage Training and work experience
  • Rescue Wooden Boats, the charity set up to restore, maintain and use examples of heritage maritime wooden working craft in North Norfolk

The Shipshape Network is managed by National Historic Ships UK, the independent government funded organisation representing the interests of historic vessels in the UK. The Network provides a framework for all those with an interest in ship conservation and is home to the National Directory of Skills & Services, promoting the regeneration of traditional maritime skills and techniques.

Videos from Rescue Wooden Boats

Rescue Wooden Boats has now put up some 70 short films, many of them of old time fishermen talking about their work and lives – here are some examples.

The organisation also has a substantial online photo archive.Â