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
There’s a high definition version featuring different music here. The film was taken by Troy class racing yacht skipper John Forsyth, who captured his material by strapping a camera to various parts of his boat.
We’re glad he did. My thanks to Fowey traditional boat builder Marcus Lewis for pointing out this one!
PS –Max, who writes the Bursledon Blog has a post on the Troys, and a few nice photos.
Fowey, Cornwall boat builder Marcus Lewis has sent in some photos of his latest project, a 14ft Mayflower dinghy that he’s currently building to take to the Southampton Boat Show.
Mayflowers, which are gunter-rigged and have steel centreplates, were formerly made in Plymouth by Skentlebery’s. If this sounds like the boat you’re looking for, I’d contact him soon as it might well sell at the show!
Meanwhile, those who saw the last set of photos from Marcus may be pleased to know that the newest Fowey River dinghy, No 61, swept the board in its class with eight wins in eight races. We were told that the folks that commissioned the boat were experienced racers, but Marcus will have every reason to be delighted with such success.
PS On the 4th September local small boat sailors have organised their two-yearly Try a Troy Day. Everyone’s invited to turn up to the Fowey Gallants Sailing Club between 10.30 and 2.30 to be taken out for a sail in a Troy, completely free – donations to junior sailing at the club will be accepted however! Marcus says that they usually get 100-120 people turning up, and that it’s a really great day, weather permitting!
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Troy class yacht Ruby restoration
Taking the lines from a 1947 9ft dinghy
Down in Fowey in Cornwall, boatbuilder Marcus Lewis has been as busy as a bee, and a few days ago wrote to tell us what he’s been doing, and about some of his plans. Here’s what he has to say:
‘I have been busy building another Fowey River class dinghy, which is due for launching in a couple of weeks and I’m also part way through a serious restoration of Ruby, a Troy class yacht built in 1930. She has needed 75 per cent of her planking replaced; lots of new parts including new horn timber, transom, transom knee, stem and stem knee, and gunwales, steamed oak timbers and keelbolts; and new ply deck. Hopefully they will be enough to see her through the next 80 years!
‘I have attached some photos of a 1947 9ft rowing dinghy that is past repair. I am taking the lines off her in order to make some moulds and to make up plans that I intend to make available.
‘Also, have cleared out the internal bits of the Percy Mitchell-built tosher and will also be taking lines off her in the near future. If there are a couple of interested people who wanted to spend the weekend helping to take off the lines, and then have a copy themselves, I would be glad of the help – and it would galvanise me into getting it done!
‘Marcus’
Thanks Marcus. That dinghy is a nice shape – I will be delighted to help you promote the plans when you have them ready. I’d have thought there would be someone out there to help you take those lines, not least because it would be an opportunity to practice something we normally only read about in books.
If you’d like to help Marcus take the lines from the tosher in his yard, contact him at Fowey, Cornwall on tel 07973 420568, email marcus@fowey9.freeserve.co.uk . His website is at www.woodenboatbuilder.co.uk.
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