The winner takes it all.

We're back!

John Milnes' stunning Tammie Norrie took "Most Professional Looking Boat"

Its been a busy week.

Firstly there was Beale Park Boat Show with,

not only,

 the WaterCraft Amateur Boat Building Awards (ABBA)

but also,

the Cordless Canoe Challenge,

plus all the usual sights to see at England's premier Boat Show for "Proper Boats".

Then there was the HBBR Thames Raid part two,

from Pangbourne to Walton-on-Thames over five days.   

So plenty to report over the next few days. 

Above is John Milnes' immaculate Iain Oughtred designed Tammie Norrie. 

  

John's boat took the prize for "most professional looking boat" and well deserved it was too!

John is a retired nuclear submarine captain and told us his next build might be a wooden sub, "its really just a big barrel".

We decided to co-opt him into the HBBR as he's a kind of handy guy to have around. 

Congratulations to John for a well deserved win.

HBBR member Peter Martin also won an award for

 "The Most Innovative Home-Made  Boat"

Peter's boat is a Paradox micro cruiser, designed by Matt Leyden. 

It is finished to a very high standard. personally I think the paradox is a matter of taste, but they are serious sea boats capable of epic journeys, and you can sail them in your slippers. 

Read about Peter's build and see more photo's here. here Johanna. 

Also in the competition was Paul Hadley's  Illusion, based on Matt Leydens tiny Elusion. 

sadly not a winner, Paul did row and sail her on the Thames Raid and deserves a medal for determination.  Here's Paul on the left chatting to Cee Dubbs.

This year there was a new category for kit-built boats. I entered The Coot as she was going to be there for the Thames Raid anyway, and as a cheapskate I'll do anything for three days free entry to the show. 

  

So here she is with her fellow competitors either side. Farthest a Selway-Fisher Cegall kit by Seabird Boats and nearest the camera a Selway-Fisher Northumbrian Coble plank kit by Alex Jordan. 

And I am very very pleased to announce that my little boat won the section.

 I am truly Chuffed to Bits.

More details of the Cordless Canoe Challenge, and the Thames Raid II to follow.