Victorian-style gentleman’s cutter Integrity is afloat and her mast is raised

  

Will Stirling usually tells me a little about how he feels about things – but sometimes its different – and I think his near-silence speaks volumes. He has every right to be immensely proud of his the Victorian gentleman’s yacht he has just launched.

‘Dear Gavin,

Integrity emerged from the shed a few days ago. After a tricky passage down the lanes she reached the main road where she reached a top speed of 40mph – despite head wind all the way, a fast passage it will be difficult to beat.

‘She was launched at Plymouth where we went on to ballast, and one afternoon we completed dressing the mast and it was craned into position. She’s on schedule for sailing by the end of the month.

‘Best wishes,

‘Will’

I look forward to hearing about how she sails. There are more pictures and a lot more story here.

Traditional yacht building and wooden boat repairers Stirling and Son is based in Tavistock in Devon, and can be reached via the Stirling and Son website, or by telephone at 01822 614259.

Photos of Stirling & Son Victorian cutter build

Stirling & Son Victorian cutter Integrity housed dovetail on companion (never to be seen again!)

Difficult-looking housed dovetail joint

Stirling & Son Victorian cutter Integrity ash and copper fastened blocks Stirling & Son Victorian cutter Integrity bronze bound bowsprit roller Stirling & Son Victorian cutter Integrity finishing the 24ft bowsprit

Ash and copper fastened blocks; bronze-bound bowsprit roller; finishing the 24ft bowsprit

Will Stirling of Stirling & Son has sent in some more photographs from the building of the Victorian-style cutter Integrity. Here’s what he has to say:

Integrity is coming on well. We are putting on her deck which has been an exercise in higher mathematics. It is tapered and swept so that the outboard planks follow the covering board yet the planks midships are on the centreline. A typically Victorian attitude of seeking the aesthetic with little regard for labour!

‘To us it seems relatively complicated; as one of the shipwrights wryly commented, perhaps that is why it died out! I shall send a photo of the sequence once it is all on.

‘Hope all continues well, best wishes,

‘Will’

 

Will and his colleagues are always up to something interesting, and he has a very interesting range of plans for traditional craft for sale. For more posts about Stirling & Son, click here.

Stirling & Son traditional yacht building and wooden boat repair is based at Tavistock, Devon. For more information see www.stirlingandson.co.uk.

 

Photos from the Stirling & Son yard

Stirling & Son Victorian cutter Integrity counter

Stirling & Son Victorian cutter Integrity is that straight! John Gallagher fitting the mast step Stirling & Son Victorian cutter Integrity Stirling & Son Victorian cutter Integrity safety boots

Will Stirling’s had his camera out over at the Stirling & Son yard and has come up with these photos.

They starting with the cutter Integrity’s impressive counter stern – click here for more about this project.

I’m strongly reminded of an original Victorian cutter named Leila we saw some months ago. Leila is  currently being restored at Southwold; see a post about her here.

The others show John Gallagher fitting the mast step; Ted Luck eyeing up the sheer and Will’s son Alf adjusting a batten he feels perhaps could be a little fairer. I can’t imagine a better place for any of these boys to play.

Thanks Will – you take a nice shot!

Stirling & Son traditional yacht building and wooden boat repair is based at Tavistock, Devon. For more information see www.stirlingandson.co.uk.