Port-na-Storm

Life Weighing You Down?

2012-01-26T01:40:00.002Z

I epoxied the decks onto Katie yesterday. I have a coffee jar full of self tapping screws which were given to me in 1985 by Davie Burns my next door neighbour in Scotland. They have been used and re-used for all sorts of projects. Quite a few of them went into my old Wolseley. I used them to temporarily fix the decks to the gunwales, they're back in the jar now for the next time.

Aye Waste Not Want Not Laddie.

Above is my stash of lead weights liberated from Her Majesty's Map Factory about twenty years after they stopped using paper charts. There's an old divers weight in there too. The middle of the deck was tending to spring up a bit and needed persuading to lie down. The after deck, below was even more bouncy so I had to do some improvising and stealth landscaping.

Ratcatcher John got in touch to ask why I was building with reinforced concrete, no doubt he'll have some quip about my strange launch trolley.

Allegro Alegretto

2012-01-22T21:35:00.001Z

My good friend Cee Dubbs is nudging my elbow encouraging me to give an update on Katie Beardie. This may be because the designer is keen to see how this builder is interpreting his creation, but its also because, as first mate and chief medical officer he's trying to get a line on-board and tow me out of the doldrums.
Suffice to say that life on the domestic front continues to be what you might call challenging with little prospect of improvement, which has left little time for boat work and even less emotional energy to write about it. I do appreciate the sentiment though, so here, dear reader, is the latest on Katie.

I have found a little time over the last few weeks and so some progress has been made, but I must admit its been a bit sporadic and a bit like a military two-step, two forward and one back,and that's on a good day. Looking back I'm really not sure why I did things in the order I did or even why I did them at all but I'm sure I had a good reason at the time. I know I didn't have a plan.
I decided from the off that this boat should have some buoyancy built in, and fixed, solid buoyancy at that, not that pneumatic kind which has a habit of escaping at the precise moment you need it. I did some experimenting with expanding foam, thinking that it would be easier but quickly gave up the idea once I realised that even with foam which will expand to ten times its original volume it would take a truck load of cans and an empty bank balance to achieve my ends.
The theory here is to have enough buoyancy to keep me and the boat safe, thereby increasing my confidence, making me less twitchy and more relaxed thereby reducing the likelihood of a mishap in the first place. However when the inevitable does happen and I take a tumble there will be enough buoyancy to keep me afloat. Well it makes sense to me.

Its worth remembering that if this was to happen while in full expedition mode the holds will be full of camping gear significantly increasing the all up weight of the boat.

I've deliberately kept the cockpit relatively small so that she will hold less water when swamped. I am quite glad to give up any suggestion I might want to sleep on board as I'm sure that with such a narrow beam the result would be vomit inducing. A nice firm bed on the cold hard ground is more my thing.

So the hull is split into five sections. The central cockpit, two luggage holds with hatches fore and aft, and an area of fixed buoyancy at each end.
With the hatches on and watertight there will be enough buoyancy to keep the boat afloat fully laden with the crew aboard and the cockpit swamped. Should one or both of the hatches be breached then It may not support my weight but at least I'll have something to cling on to.

The additional floatation in the cockpit, under the side decks, is there to provide a little additional support when trying to get back in after a spill. Some folks will say that you shouldn't have buoyancy so high up as it makes it difficult to right the boat if it turns turtle. This is probably true for a broad beamed dinghy but I don't think it will be an issue on such a narrow waterline, and I'm hoping it will in fact add some extra stability. We shall see during the capsize trials (!)

You will no-doubt be admiring the cave lockers I have designed in. Once you are sitting in this type of boat it is damn near impossible to move around, so you'd better have all those little things you'll need close at hand. Drinks, snacks, bailer, waterproof bag with camera etc.

I was going for a clean cut, Swedish furniture store look but I think I achieved 1970's Austin Allegro interior trim instead. The Allegro, was actually quite a good little car but will forever be remembered as the only production vehicle ever sold with a square steering wheel.

Next time, that damned coaming.

Going anywhere nice this year?

2012-01-04T21:24:00.000Z

Now that the consumer-fest disguised as pagan/quasi-religious festival is well and truly over and Santa's baubles have been wrapped up in tissue and stashed away in the attic for another year, there isn't much left to brighten these dark and dreary January days.

Traditionally, when people still had money or at least credit cards, this was the season to book your holidays. A couple of weeks in Costa del Sangria in July to look forward to. Just the thing to dispel the January blues.

The forums have been quiet for a few weeks, but now there are stirrings. People are getting restless, making plans, there is loose talk of weekends on the water, and even longer trips down stream.

Over in West Sussex in the shadow of mighty Arundel Castle, Cee Dubbs is beavering away on his latest creation, a 12' version of his Premis.

In Oxfordshire not a cock-horse ride from Banbury Cross, Timmo is converting his ideas into something more solid.

I hear word that over in The Cotswolds timber is being sawn and plans bought for a strip plank canoe.

And down a Devonshire lane one of Francois Vivier's prettiest designs is well under way.

There has even been some activity on Katie Beardie at Port-Na-Storm today.

At least five new boats, and there may be more, together with a few regulars, and at least one first timer from overseas, all intending to take part in the 2012 Thames Raid.

This year we are re-visiting the upper reaches from Lechlade to Pangbourne, to arrive in time for, and possibly even take part in, the Beale Park Boat Show.

There's nothing like the anticipation of a trip in good company, to brighten up a drab winters' day.

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T18:37:00.000Z

The Port-Na-Storm researchers have spent literally minutes looking for the very best material to

entertain you on this Hogmanay.

This is the best they could find before slipping off to the pub.

Its got the oldest ocean going paddle steamer in the world, PS Waverley A world famous comedian before he was famous and some banjo playing.
Why? because your worth it.

Thanks for dropping by, have a great new year.

Merry Christmas Part 2

2011-12-24T21:33:00.000Z

Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T19:04:00.000Z

Thames Raid 2

2011-11-08T15:26:00.001Z

Now that autumn has arrived with its mists, and even the mellow fruitfulness has passed, the summer seems a long time ago. The latest edition of Water Craft magazine contains a pleasant reminder of the trip the HBBR stalwarts took down the River Thames during five days in June.

We gathered at the Beale Park Boat Show where the Friday and Saturday were lovely sunny summer's days, however Sunday the day of our departure dawned damp and misty and got steadily wetter and windier as the day went on. There was talk of mutiny in the ranks, a postponement perhaps, or even a triumphal departure followed by a sneaky return under the fence and into the beer tent to wait for better weather, but schedules, camp-site bookings, and an appointment with a mini bus at the other end to get us back to the start and our cars meant it was now or never.

So while visitors huddled under umbrellas and exhibitors started to pack up, we set off. Thankfully the weather did improve during the week, and we all had a splendid time, although its a long time since I've been as wet as that first day.

Here then is a brief slide show of the trip with a suitably damp soundtrack. Some of the photos are very low res. taken on mobile phones and some are just blurred through misty lenses, but I think it all adds to the general ambiance of wetness.

Speed Bonnie Boat

2011-10-23T23:00:00.000+01:00

I got a phone call from Alec Jordan a couple of weeks ago. I've known Alec for a few years now and recently his calls have been to introduce me to new Coot builders who have joined the ranks building from one of Alec's kits. We have quite a self help group going now. So I was quite surprised this time when Alec asked me what size my garage was!

Alec has been the main instigator behind the Scottish Coastal Rowing resurgence which I've written about previously here Fae Fife? and here Happy Birthday Skiffies.

You'll remember that Alec got together with Iain Oughtred who designed the fantastic St Ayles Skiff to encourage competitive coastal rowing and provide kits so that communities could build their own boats cheaply.
The project took off and the St Ayles Skiff has now become very popular throughout Scotland and abroad with communities and groups finding a common cause in building these beautiful boats and then going out to thrash their neighbours from near and far.

Alec felt there was a case for a smaller boat which could be rowed by one or two people maybe with a lightweight cox. It could be used by clubs when there wasn't a full crew available or by people who wanted to build and own their own boat. And so the Wemyss Skiff came about.

Once again the boat was designed by Iain Oughtred and this shows in the distinctive lines and close family resemblance to the St Ayles skiff. The boat is 16ft 6ins overall and has a beam of 4ft 9ins.

Once the prototype "Swan" was built Alec took it up to Portree on Skye to let Iain try her out, which is where these photos were taken. The top photo shows Iain trying her out single-handed with Alec below and the pair of them pulling together in the last one. You can see how much flare she has, giving her bags of reserve buoyancy making her a very good sea boat. She is also rumoured to be very fast!

There is some development work to be done to include buoyancy tanks and kits should go into production at the end of November. So if you really hurry you might just get one for Christmas.

Alec told me that Iain had already started thinking of ways to improve her even more, including making her longer, but Alec was concerned it wouldn't fit into an average modern garage, hence the phone call !!

Alec is marketing kits for the Wemyss Skiff from Jordan Boats

You can find out more about Scottish Coastal Rowing here.

Here's one I made earlier.

2011-10-19T21:58:00.000+01:00

I've had literally hundreds of enquiries (well one actually) about the progress on Katie Beardie recently.

So its time for an update.

Regular Readers will remember that Katie was launched back in July, but that was only to see where she floated, and if Cee Dubbs and I had got our assumptions right and that my ass was in the right place.

Everything looked to be tickety boo so it was back to the Port-na-Storm research and design lab for some development work.

Of course nothing happened for several weeks while I dealt with the ongoing pleasures and challenges of being son, husband, father, and grandfather, sometimes all in the same sentence. I'm sometimes a brother too but my sister likes to have me all to herself on the phone. Usually for a couple of hours. However, I digress..............

There are of course no detailed plans for Katie, well actually there aren't any plans at all, other than two sheets of A4 showing how to cut the ply for the planks, and I even managed to make a resounding cock up of doing that! So when it comes to internal layout, rudders, centreboard, sailing rig etc. the world is indeed yours to doodle with.

I love this aspect of the build, it reminds me of knocking up carts and rafts when we were kids. You got an idea in your head and immediately started to build it with whatever happened to be lying around. Straight from your head to the wood. However it does mean you can waste a lot of plywood!

I made my rudder and centreboard ages ago, because I like to get as many of the fiddly jobs as possible done before the hull is built. However it does require quite a bit of guess work if you haven't built the hull its going to go in yet.

I decided on a centreboard because a) that's what the old Victorians had. b) I think it will work better than a lee board c) a centreboard fits snugly inside its case where a dagger board has to be lifted out and then it gets in the way. d) a centreboard acts as a depth sounder while a dagger board just trips you up.

Of course the great big obvious elephant in the room is you have to have a centreboard case bang in the middle of the boat just where you don't want it. So the challenge is to try and make it as unobtrusive as possible while still trying to ensure it actually does its job as intended.

And so, here we have it. A low profile case, with a longish board resulting in a high aspect ratio foil i.e. deep and narrow which should theoretically do the job.

After a conversation over at HBBR when Frogsider discovered the hard way that he had under engineered his rudder I consulted the good doctor and we agreed that the 6mm centreboard I'd made probably isn't going to take the lateral forces expected of it once I get in and the wind starts to blow. So after hunting around the garage floor a piece of 4mm ply was found and the two duly sandwiched together. Thickening up the board of course meant the case had to be widened so the old Japanese Pull Saw split the case and wider spacers were inserted.

The jig-saw ripped a hole down the middle of the floor and the case was epoxied in against the new centre bulkhead. At this point the horn on the centreboard had to go as it would foul the bulkhead. A little detail which hasn't quite been resolved yet. You can also see where I've started to shape the side decks, the forward mast step and a hard-board template for the coaming.

The eagle eyed will have spotted that the original board is as flat as the proverbial witch's, due to its lack of thickness so the opportunity was taken to carve some shape into the new wider board.

While I was at it the rudder needed beefing up, I also decided I didn't like the shape of the original so this time I just made a new one out of some spare 6mm and then gave it some profile to match the centreboard.

Onward ever Onward...............................................

Rear of the Year

2011-10-03T21:45:00.000+01:00

Here's a quick run round the rest of the boat show with a few of the other boats which took my fancy.

I've been an admirer of Francois Vivier's boats for quite a while now. His boats are all very traditional in design, obviously drawing on French heritage, and he seems to have a superb eye for a sheer.

I've had one of his boats on my future build short list for a year or two, but which one?

At first I was drawn to the Beg-Meil with it's side decks and bowsprit, very classic, but then the more work like Ilur, which is the same hull with a lug rig, or the Aber, which is a little bit smaller but very pretty.

Francois has recently extended his 8 and 10 foot tender Morbic up to 12 foot, and it was really good to see it for real, somehow it looks much more attractive in real life.
Decisions Decisions!

This one was built by Adrian Donovan.

Will Stirling who trades as

Stirling and Son

brought along a couple of his smaller boats.

This gorgeous 14ft Clinker Dinghy really is a stunner, and shows how it should be done.

Its good to see she has a beautifully finished traditional Lug Sail rig.

This 12ft Rowing Boat is also a bit of a stunner.

Will builds a range of boats from little tenders right up to his Smuggling Lugger Alert.

He very enterprisingly brought along sets of plans for the public to purchase, presumably as much for their aesthetic appeal as anything.

And Finally!
But by no means least .

I give you........

Eve, all the way down from the Northern Isles of Scotland is an Orkney Yole built by
Ian Richardson of Stromness.

Now the weather up there can be a bit extreme, so their boats have to be robustly built, which this one certainly is, but they also have to be capable of handling the conditions.

Just look at these lines, look at the curve of the sheer,

Look at those firm bilges and that deep keel.

The deep protected cockpit .

But oh! Dear Reader, feast your gaze on Ian's speciality,

The eliptic stern.

Now , how do you go about doing that in clinker ply?

Morwenna

2011-09-28T19:00:00.000+01:00

I promised to show you some of the nicer boats and friendlier people at the Boat Show.

Out on the pontoons, amongst all the white plastic, nestled into a corner, sat Morwenna.

She is a Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter.

Morwenna is run as a Charter business mainly around the south coast, so of course the guys were drumming up interest, hoping for business but they did it in such a friendly and open way it seemed rude not to have a look round.

As you can see here, although the boat is traditionally built and rigged she has all the modern conveniences.

Down below there is plenty of room with the paid crew in the stern and the paying crew up forward in their cosy bunks.

"Guests" are expected to get involved in sailing her, supervised by Skipper Stewart. It must be very confusing at first getting used to all those ropes. I thought my little Gaff Rigged Coot had too many lines on her, look at this lot!

So the mainsail throat halyard will be the buff coloured one, no not that buff one, that buff one!

I know at least one HBBR member who would just love it, eh Wayne?

You can find out more about Morwenna on their site

traditional-sailing.com

Crisis What Crisis?

2011-09-25T21:43:00.000+01:00

The world may be heading off to hell in a handcart financially speaking but the the great white boat building industry seems to be carrying on as normal.

I spent a couple of hours at The Southampton Boat Show today. Such is my enthusiasm for this festival of all things decadent that I normally don't go near the place unless there are free tickets around, I really do have better things to do with £20. But once again my mate Peter came up with the goods and so there we were rubbing shoulders with lots of other folk who couldn't afford the boats either.

However it seems some could afford them, show tittle tattle has it that a Russian chap turned up the other day and ordered three Gin Palaces at 14 million quid each. Well you wouldn't want just one would you? Probably means the wholesale price of gas is about to go up again.

It does seem a bit crazy to have boat salesmen wearing suits, but I suppose it does differentiate them from the proper sailors. Of course none of us poor people are allowed anywhere near these boats. If you should be daft enough to try to board you are politely but firmly fended off by the hired muscle. If your credit card is inspected for spare cash and found to be either sufficiently in credit or dare I say sufficiently in debt only then may you approach. However there doesn't seem to be any requirement for taste. I would love to turn up at the Ancient and Venerable in this, but it wouldn't go under the bridge at any state of the tide.

There are of course some more down to earth boats on show, with real sailors who positively encourage you to come on board and look around. You'll have to wait for the next fun filled instalment for that though...............................................................But here's a sneak preview

Dell Quay no Dories.

2011-08-22T14:15:00.001+01:00

The Coot with a couple of Mirror chums moored off Pilsey Island in Chichester Harbour.

I'm just back from the DCA week at Cobnor in Chichester Harbour.

A superb week of sailing, camping, and talking about boats way into the night around the campfire.

The weather was a bit variable as usual but we got out most days

sometimes it was a bit too calm

Sometimes it was a little too windy,

but when the wind and the tides were in our favour there was always the possibility of a visit to the pub.

There is something very cool and just a little superior about arriving at a tourist filled pub by boat.

But pride comes before a fall as they say, so it was inevitable that I would sail off that lee shore with my mainsheet wrapped around my tiller resulting in an argument with someone's mooring buoy before I got myself sorted.

Don't think anyone noticed.

Happy Campers Scoot to the DCA Rally.

2011-08-09T22:11:00.002+01:00

This weekend is the start of the Dinghy Cruising Association's Camping Week in Chichester Harbour. Lots of HBBR people are also DCA members and its a good opportunity to bring amateur builders and some fairly experienced sailors together. The photo above was taken last year and shows the pretty village of Bosham (pronounced Bozam).

Regular readers will know I have a soft spot for the Pathe Film archive particularly the old films showing the quaint transport and camping arrangements of a byegone age.

This clip could even be a family of DCA members heading down to Chichester Harbour for the week.

I think the final scenes were shot at Bosham, the narrator tells us the caravan in question is built in Emsworth so it is quite possible.

If anyone would like to disagree please feel free to shout, I know you will anyway.

Anyone who is nervous about child safety in vehicles should look away now.

As usual, enjoy.

FOLDING CARAVAN

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Your browser does not support iframes.&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Meanwhile Over on the Sports Channel.

2011-07-31T20:35:00.000+01:00

My good friend and HBBR co-conspirator Chris Partridge has posted a video of Katie's first outing on his Blog.

There was a rumour that footage had been shot but it seemed to disappear like the original Director's Cut of the Wicker Man.

However it seems Chris was having trouble with the You-Tube gremlins and has finally managed to up-load it.

If you listen carefully over the din of the tiny outboard pushing the fairly hefty ferry-boat in the background you can hear me announce to the assembled crowd that I was probably about to go A*se over T*T.

I didn't and I apologise for my language.

There also exists footage of yours truly demonstrating his Scottish Country Dancing steps, taken the next day in a pub garden in Tewkesbury. I hope that stays buried.

enjoy.

Rowing for Pleasure

Katie Gets Her Petticoat Wet.

2011-07-24T22:11:00.000+01:00

Photo by Chris Waite aka Cee Dubbs Katie's designer.

Katie finally got wet on Saturday in the River Severn near Tewkesbury

I took the opportunity of an HBBR rally to bring Designer, Builder and Katie together. The idea was principally to see how and where she floated before adding all the other paraphernalia required of a sailing canoe.

The answer is she floats exactly on her lines, is really very stable and quite quick.

Designer and Builder very happy.

Why I don't like rowing.

2011-07-05T22:35:00.000+01:00

Lets do the time warp again.

Let me take you back to Barton Turf.
On the Sunday we took a trip to Sutton Staithe because we'd heard that the usual pub in Neatishead had gone down the pan a bit so to speak.

Getting there was very enjoyable, there was a bit of wind in the trees and once we got onto Sutton Broad it was a broad reach all the way to the pub.

The pub its-self wasn't much to write and tell your mum about but they were friendly and those that wanted it could have a few slices off the carvery.

Getting back proved to be a little more interesting.

The wind was whistling down the broad, and after a very experienced sailor tested the depth of water with the tip of his mast I decided that discretion was the better part of staying dry and opted to row rather than sail.

I made very poor headway and sometimes I didn't make any at all until eventually I was rescued by my old chum John "Ratcatcher" Lockwood who gave me a tow.

Once we got back into the trees I decided to have another go on my own, and well, it didn't go much better. Thankfully my good friend Phil. was on hand to record the event for posterity on his phone. That's him chuckling away and offering encouragement.

So what's wrong with this picture? Well there is far to much sail and rigging flapping around in the breeze for a start.

You can see why I was getting a bit worried about the Thames Raid !

Help Get Gail a Workshop.

2011-07-01T18:43:00.000+01:00

The last photo on the previous post is of Gail McGarva's Lerrit, Little Sea.

That's Gail hanging over the gunwale.

Gail is an outstanding Boat Builder who is passionate about including the wider community in her builds to help maintain skills and keep interest levels high.

Gail is based in Lyme Regis and closely connected with the Boat Building Academy.

They need a little help to keep Gail working.

you can find out how to help here.

A Workshop for Gail

Thanks to Gavin Atkin at

intheboatshed

for the tip off.

Beale Park Images.

2011-06-29T23:50:00.000+01:00

Cordless Canoe Challenge.

2011-06-26T16:54:00.000+01:00

This year there was a new attraction at the Beale Park Boat Show.

The Cordless Canoe Challenge.

Entries were invited for boats powered by cordless power tools, and about a dozen boats turned up to take on the challenge. Some were sublime while some were frankly ridiculous but all of them showed how ingenious people can be, and how many ways there are to solve a particular problem.

This short video was made during the early heats on the Saturday when the sun was still shining and shows the breadth of designs entered, including Ayrspeed the paddle wheel entry from Slade Penoyre of the Amature Yacht Research Society, Jo Moran's skin on frame geodesic canoe, and Tobias Vokhul's sublime King Canute.

WaterCraft ensured the entire event was filmed for posterity and you can see it here, intruduced by the illustrious ed Pete Greenfield

Notice the dramatic change in the weather on Sunday when those indominatable guys from the UK-HBBR were getting ready to set off on the Thames raid II.

Only in England my friends............................

The winner takes it all.

2011-06-18T23:03:00.000+01:00

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.

Bunking Off

2011-06-09T12:09:00.000+01:00

This weekend is Beale Park Boat Show.

The Coot is entered into the WaterCraft Amateur Boat Building Awards. If only to ensure free entry to the show for the three days.

HBBR are having an "Advice Tent", should be a laugh if nothing else, and somewhere to shelter from the rain!

On Sunday we are leaving on Thames Raid II

a five day trip down the river, finishing at Marlow on Friday.

All round the country last minute preparations are being made, including some boats which aren't actually finished yet.

Originally I was planning to take Katie Beardie, but I gave up all hope of getting her finished in time a few weeks ago so she is sulking in the garage while Coot is looking forwards to her holidays.

I should be back in about ten days with tales of adventure. Until then here's some entertainment.

When I'm out travelling the highways and byways of rural England how come I never come across a pair of lovelies like these who seem to travel prepared for any eventuality.

Click to Play.

SCOOTER TENT

Fae Fife?

2011-06-06T22:23:00.002+01:00

Readers will know that Scotland is apart, separate, from England.

Few will know that Fife, the square of land between the Firths of Tay and Forth, is apart, separate again from Scotland.

For centuries its been known as The Kingdom of Fife.

And Fifers are just that bit different.

Fife is where Alex Jordan has his home and business, and it was here at the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther, that he conceived the plan to start the Scottish Coastal Rowing Project.

It is peculiar to the people of Anstruther that they pronounce it Ainster.

But that's Fifers for you.

You can keep your Californian Girls, give me some of those Fay Fifers any day.

These brilliant photos were taken by Snapper Ron,

AKA Ron Wallace who was one of the umpires at this years Anstruther Regatta.

you can see more of his photos here .

Snapper Ron

Eyemouth is further south, across the Firth of Forth, and it is dear to my heart as we used to spend our holidays there before mum and dad discovered England.

You can also see a short TV clip featuring Alec Jordan, and Eyemouth here.

enjoy.

Anstruther and Eyemouth.

Bank Holiday Weather.

2011-05-31T22:50:00.000+01:00

The late May Bank Holiday used to be called the Whitsun Holiday, and for lots of people especially the Civil Service, Local Authorities, banks etc. it was a long weekend with both Friday and Monday being holidays. Nowadays it tends to be Monday only but it is the start of the schools half term week in England.

All of this means loads of traffic on the roads.

It is also becoming the traditional weekend when the stalwarts of HBBR that disorganisation of Home Boat Builders, have their annual visit to The Norfolk Broads.

So, once again we congregated at Barton Turf Adventure Centre.

The weather was fairly blustery, quite windy on Saturday when a few of us managed to get out on the water. Sunday was definitely windy which caused a miss-hap or two on the way back from the pub.

Monday morning, when these pictures were taken was glorious. The rest of the country was being soaked by typical Bank Holiday weather, i.e. wet and windy but it hadn't reached Norfolk yet, so while everyone else was packing up early and heading home we were out enjoying ourselves.

Above is Hazy Days, winner of the 2009 WaterCraft Amateur Boat Building Award for most professional looking home made boat. Her builder, Nick Paull has since added a sailing rig and doesn't she look beautiful!

It didn't last long however and they took a dunking, but they were back on the water in the afternoon, this time with their out-riggers, and bailer!

This is Cee Dubbs in his fantastic little Rosie Mae, giving Peter and Laita Nobes a sailing lesson. Peter is building a Greenshank Dinghy which is nearly complete so he wanted to get his hand in. Notice Cee Dubbs has got a huge reef in which is an indication of how blustery it was.

Its becoming a tradition to all go for a sail in Ever Hopeful, on Saturday afternoon, we jettisoned the ballast and filled it with people, five in all, and had great fun sailing around using the centreboard as a depth sounder. This is owner and skipper Wayne with his mate Marcus on the helm. The people behind in the Canadian canoe were not sheltering from the sun but using the umbrella for propulsion. They seemed to be getting along nicely.

And here is Yours Truly, taking Coot for a sail on its home waters.

Designer Andrew Wolstenholme lives in the Broads.

The little boat was a joy to sail, she behaved herself, and excited rather than frightened her builder.

When I was out on Saturday I didn't put a reef in and I probably should have as it was a bit marginal at times, so I tucked one in on Sunday and she was very well behaved. She sailed along nicely and would sit quietly when Hove-To so that I could take some photographs.

Of course I couldn't take the photos of my own boat, so many thanks to John "Ratcatcher" Lockwood for keeping me in the view-finder while holding the camera in one hand, driving his boat with the other, and keeping a lookout for hire cruisers.

Cheers John, that'll be another pint I owe you.

Weather Report.

2011-05-25T21:20:00.000+01:00

As the South of England continues to enjoy a remarkable spell of good weather, unseasonal storms have hit Scotland.

These pictures were taken by our good friend Susan who lives in West Kilbride on the Firth of Clyde.

I'm not sure what type the little gaff cutter is, it wasn't there the last time I visited but I do remember seeing the Drascombe Lugger.

The harbour is very shallow with huge boulders on the bottom so I wonder how much of a pounding the boats took as the tide fell

The little harbour is at Portencross Castle, which is pretty much a ruin.

View Larger Map

What's in a name?

2011-05-22T23:25:00.001+01:00

There has been a new arrival down at the Ancient and Venerable.

Our little Sailfish was delivered from its hideaway in Wiltshire and launched down under the Itchen Bridge where access is a bit better than at the Club.

She was escorted up river by our "Gentlemen's Launch" and is now sitting on the pontoon waiting for her new moorings to be laid.

We've decided we really need to change her name.

All the club boats are named after birds, but in any case we thought LORAX sounds a bit like toilet cleaner.

Any Suggestions?

Wooton Creek

2011-05-19T22:26:00.000+01:00

I had a day sail with the Civil Service Sailing Association today in their Dufour 405.

There wasn't much wind in the morning so we motor sailed over to Wooton Creek on The Isle of Wight for an early lunch.

I haven't been to Wooton before, its very pretty and I think it would be worth exploring further up the creek in something smaller.

The wind got up a bit in the afternoon and we had fun dodging the traffic in what is one of the busiest sea ways in the world.

There's always a risk of becoming the filling in a Red Funnel Sandwich

They come at you from every direction.

And here is yours truly, as happy as can be, but I can't get used to not having the tiller in one hand and the main sheet in the other.

Sailfish 18 (Not Cornish Crabber)

2011-05-16T21:50:00.000+01:00

The Venerable and Ancient, St Deny's Sailing and Rowing Club have been looking for a new cabin boat since last summer.

In fact ever since I sold their old Shipmate Senior "Cygnet" to the bloke who sold us his Laser.

I'm not sure who got the better end of the deal there.

The Boat Sub-Committee of the said Venerable and Ancient have searched high and low to find a boat which meets their stringent requirements.

I tried to persuade them to spend their entire boat fund and mortgage the club house on a Cornish Shrimper

http://www.cornishcrabbers.co.uk/index.cfm/boat/Crabber.Shrimper19

But they could not be persuaded, and so instead we have gone for this little Sailfish 18 which we found in a barn in deepest Wiltshire.

She is a bit too old, a bit cheap, not all that pretty, scruffy and slightly frayed around the edges.

In fact she should fit right in and I think she'll be much loved.

She is supposed to be a four-berth but there is no way I'll be sleeping in there with three other hairy blokes.

Inwe II

2011-05-15T17:18:00.000+01:00

If there can be a silver lining from the very dark cloud that is getting your boat crushed by a truck, then getting to discuss your next boat with Iain Oughtred must come close.

Iain was attending the Oughtred Rally they were heading for when it all want badly wrong so he and Richard sat down and began hatching plans.

Apparently a few bits like centreboard and rudder have been salvaged so it'll be interesting to see what they decide to do.

I'm very glad to hear Richard hasn't been put off and is planning another build.

Inwe

2011-05-07T22:11:00.000+01:00

This is my good friend Richard Rooth in his Iain Oughtred designed faering, Inwe.

The Photo was taken at the HBBR Rally at Barton Turf Norfolk Broads last May

On Friday Richard and friends were travelling to the Oughtred Rally in The Netherlands when their car was tail ended by a truck.

Thankfully no one was hurt but Inwe was destroyed.

Commiserations Richard, she really was lovely.

Who ate all the biscuits?

2011-05-01T20:18:00.000+01:00

The ancient and venerable

St Deny's Sailing and Rowing Club

had an Open Day on Saturday.

Not a lot of people turned up,

there were more committee members than punters,

but that's par for the course.

One crowd of folk who did come were Chris Partridge and his friends from Langstone Cutters Rowing Club.

More to the point they arrived in their classic Solent Galley "Bembridge".

Its massive and puts our old boats in the shade.

Here's Chris trying out Merlin, our oldest boat.

It was great to see such a friendly bunch of real enthusiastic rowers.

Even if they did drink our tea, eat our biscuits and nearly sink one of our boats.

And as usual the best bit about friends coming to visit, is waving them off again.

Cheerio then!

River Folk

2011-04-29T22:07:00.001+01:00

Now that the Royal Wedding is over, the stout fellows of the UK-HBBR are getting into some serious planning for the Thames Raid part II.

Thames Raid Day 1

Part two takes off from where part one finished.

At Beale Park Boat Show.

This year we will carry on down stream and who knows what merry times we'll all have.

Just look what fun there is to be had on the Thames.

Keep Your Hands Off My Willie

2011-04-29T00:19:00.000+01:00

Enough Said!

Hard Times

2011-04-20T22:14:00.000+01:00

I seem to remember when I was a lad in Scotland it used to snow during the Easter Holidays.
I know Easter is late this year but what fantstic weather.

In fact it was so good I decided to go for a Sail. I needed to take a few more photos of the Coot which was a great excuse and the clear skies and gentle breeze were too good to miss so I headed off down to Swanwick Hard.

Max of Bursledonblog dropped by for a chat but he had to shoot off to work.

I didn't really pay a lot of attention to the chap who was launching his boat beside me, other than to pass the time of day, and I noticed he had a pretty little Scow, which in its various guises is the indigenous boat around the Solent.

The wind was very light and the last of the incoming flood meant conditions were a bit flukey so we traded tacks for a while as we tried to head down river.

I'm happy to say the Coot held her end up well.

When we got back in and started chatting it transpires she is a Paul Fisher Design built by the owners father-in-law who is now on his third! The standard of build was excellent but as usual i forgot to get any decent photos.

Details of this and loads of other designs on Paul's web page.

selway-fisher

I think this is the first of the three to be built

Taking the Biscuit

2011-03-27T22:42:00.000+01:00

In terms of all time cock-ups building Katie has not only taken all the biscuits, she's now standing in line for a plate of blancmange.

After my enormous bollox of cutting the forefeet (forefoots?) upside down, Cee Dubbs was so worried about his creation that he came round to have a look last Sunday.

Chris Partridge of Rowing For Pleasure was equally intrigued and came to help eat the biscuits and take some incriminating Photos.

I'm sure Cee Dubbs just wanted to check I wasn't doing anything else wrong, and guess what?

He wasn't disappointed.

He immediately spotted that she looked a bit "Chipmonkish".

A bit too full in the cheeks maybe.

The tape measure told the true story. I'd let the batten lie too full on the floors when I was marking them out, instead of keeping it to the Cut Lines clearly marked on the plans.

On Monday I un-stitched it all again and had another look. below you can see the new correct position of the batten.

What's an inch between friends? well quite a lot actually.

Now that inch had to come from somewhere, and that somewhere is the aft floor which is a corresponding inch too narrow on each side.

The forward floors have been re-cut to their correct shape, the aft floors will just have to stay as they are. Life goes on, the world does not stop revolving on its axis.

I have stitched it all back up together again and there is now a world shortage of cable ties, at least in the SO postcode district.

So here we are beginning to look the way Cee Dubbs intended despite my best efforts at sabotage.

I'm planning to put a couple more bulkheads in to stiffen her up and define her shape more accurately then I'll start to glue her up.

And finally,

regular visitors may have been wondering what happened to Cee Dubbs Rhythm Stick.

Well, after the resounding success of the initial trials he has transferred his Yuloh to Rosie Mae and was spotted last Sunday taking her for a spin.

Thanks to Chris Partridge for the use of his clip.

The more observant of you will have spotted me sailing by in Coot during the first few seconds of this clip.

The Man with the Wind at His Heels.

2011-03-23T22:45:00.000Z

Here's a short video of Illusion on the water.

Shot with one hand while trying to sail Coot, hence the shakes.

I hope you enjoy.

Its Just an Illusion

2011-03-21T18:25:00.000Z

Some of the HBBR Crew got together down at Swanwick yesterday for a messaround.

I think these things are really an excuse for a natter and an hour or so in the pub but we did actually do some sailing, rowing, paddling and even yulohing if that's a word.

Paul Hadley brought along his experimental micro cruiser Illusion which is based loosely on the designs of Matt Leyden. This is the first time I've seen it under sail and she seemed to go really well with the cut down Mirror mainsail donated by Phil Oxborough. The Mast is off an old windsurfer.

Further discussions are now under way about how to keep that bow down in the water. Still he seemed a very happy camper.

Under Doctors Orders

2011-03-20T23:38:00.000Z

For a quick update on the latest progress I can do no better than direct you here.

http://rowingforpleasure.blogspot.com/

Katie gets stitched up.

2011-03-17T19:05:00.000Z

Today's progress.

Starting at the middle, stitch the plank forward......

Then Aft, I've trimmed off the surplus from the plank here.

The other plank will be put on oversize and trimmed to fit.

Then stitch the other side

Leave the Bow until last

I applied a bit of traction by suspending it from the roof beams with a luggage strap.

This just helps to get it all into an approximate position without having floppy planks flapping around. The bow then pulled in very easily

The keel was then stitched up.

There's still lots to do to wiggle her into shape but she looks right this time!

Katie Gets a Nose Job

2011-03-16T22:56:00.000Z

There that's better, spot the difference !

Tomorrow we Stitch!

What Katie Did Next

2011-03-15T22:14:00.000Z

I wrote back to Cee Dubbs.

Dear Cee Dubs.

My first reaction; Bugger!

On reflection, I’m pleased you have spotted the problem so quickly.

Firstly because I could have spent hours trying to make a pigs ear out of a pigs ear which would not have helped my Blood Pressure, and secondly because I really couldn’t see how the thing was ever going to stay upright. Of course I never doubted you for a minute..........................................................

We had a saying at work when people asked for help with software. R.T.F.M. Read the F*****g Manual! And of course looking back at your plans that’s exactly what I didn’t do. So I know who to blame, we’ll just put it down to experience.

The ply came from the packing case which the Coot Kit arrived in so I haven’t lost anything but my time and people will tell you I have plenty of that .

Wicks had some nice looking Birch ply the last time I looked so maybe I’ll see if I can be ecologically sound and try some of that.

It hasn’t been a good week.

Princess Chloe and Mad Jack Gover got engaged last week and at the moment her favourite date for the nuptials is June 11^th. That's Beale Park Boat Show, and the start of the next Thames Raid. I had previously arranged that Coot would be in the Kit section of the Amateur Boat Building Awards and Katie would be in the free-form sculpture section while we all get excited about going on our holidays, the fat lady hasn’t sung yet but she’s clearing her throat.

Yours,

Grimbly Deadrise.

He Replied.

My Dear Deadrise

When I realized what had happened, I feared for your sanity and your will to proceed under such adversity; I am greatly impressed that you have not taken to your bed, sobbing and swearing never to run away to sea again. However Nil Protractor Carborundum as we say in the boat building business.

You really must learn to control your family, all these extraneous events will seriously cut into your creative activities, to say nothing of your life afloat.

Cee Dubbs

Katie Keels Over

2011-03-15T07:27:00.000Z

Here's the reply Cee Dubbs sent.

That’s extremely naughty of her

Girls like that can get a bad reputation.

You have the forward ends of the floor strakes rotated so that the chine edges have been put together as the keel. I am afraid this is what it looks most like – that would be enough to give a girl the real hump and the delight of any passing megaptera. It will also give you the hump because it means a new set of floors forward. Having cut the forefoot in means they cannot be undone and turned over.

Looking at the picture, if you put her together as she is laid out on the drive then that is definitely what you have done. The keel edges forward, while starting to ‘V’ as the forefoot is pulled up, are actually a straight contiguous line; they do not diverge until you reach the curve of the forefoot itself.

Go back to my A4 diagram and look at the floor plan – the word keel is written immediately underneath the top edge of the sheet and the forefoot is marked to suit. The reason I recognize the symptoms are that when I put Octavia together first, she would have passed muster as banana. In her case, I had to take the rear section of the side strakes off and turn them over to get rid of a monumental rocker. I had not got as far as cutting any ends in so was able to undo my sins and wickedness without penalty.

Back to the drawing and a new board, I’m afraid..................

So in-short I had cut the quarter round at the bow 90 degrees out and was now trying to stitch the planks together upside down.................................

Katie takes the Hump.

2011-03-13T23:23:00.001Z

Last Monday and Tuesday I knuckled under and started to stitch Katie together.
Almost as soon as I started I got an inkling something was wrong.

Too much Vee in the hull amidships. She's going to be far too tippy!

I struggled on.....

But as I started to stitch the bow together it became obvious all was not well.

After hours of stitching un-stitching pushing and shoving she refused to take the shape Cee Dubbs intended for her so finally in desperation I dropped him a line.

Evening Skipper.

I got Katie stitched up as best I could today.

What do you think?

I’m not sure if its intentional but She’s looking a bit “humpy backit” as my granny used to say.

At the join there’s five inches of dead-rise which seems a bit too much Vee, and as you can see there is a lot of rocker forward of that.

I’ve tried getting the Spanish lassie (windlass) to pull her down at the forward tressil is but she’s having nothing to do with it.

I’m wondering if I’ve left too much wood when cutting out the curves for the bottom planks, maybe the line needed to be straighter, and I’m considering a Keelectomy, taking a sliver off the garboards and then pulling them back down to join but before I take such drastic action thought I’d seek the designers thoughts.

I tried putting a temporary bulkhead in with what I thought was a suitable amount of deadrise i.e. ” but it seemed to make matters worse and made the aft end Oil-Can, so I took it out again.

Could you have a look at your model and give me some idea what shape to expect.

Any advice would be appreciated, including “Get on with it idiot”.

Cheers .

The response came back with the speed, precision, and gut churning honesty of a rapier..................................

Pass the Wing-nuts Darling

2011-02-23T18:41:00.001Z

For reasons too tedious to mention, things have been slow on the building front this week, so for those dedicated few who have waited in vain, here is a little light entertainment from the archives of Pathe news.

Only in England................................................

FOLDING CARAVAN

Master I have a cunning plan.................

2011-02-10T21:49:00.000Z

Cee Dubbs has a rather unconventional approach to the process of boat design, ha, that's a bit like saying Thor Heyerdahl had an unconventional approach to basket weaving.
He seems to imagine what the boat will look like in his mind, maybe do a drawing or two, and then he goes straight to building a model. Once the model is done the way he wants it and he's happy with the result, then he sort of back engineers it onto paper. Boat Design as Origami.

This is not a million miles away from the old boat-builders' method of carving a half model and then taking the lines off it to build a full size boat.

I, on the other hand, spend weeks carefully drawing, plan, sections and profiles only to decide later its not beamy enough and have to start all over again.

Cee Dubbs also believes that you should cut your suit to suit the cloth, so if plywood comes in 8ft by 4ft boards then it makes sense to design a boat which makes the most of those dimensions. Boats should therefore come in sizes just smaller than 8ft 12ft,16ft, 20ft, 24ft etc. made up from full and half sheets. Katie Beardie will be approx 15ft 9ins which is what you get when you put a curve in two sheets joined end to end. Waterline beam will be around 32ins which is about average for an open canoe of that length and intended to provide a bit of extra stability for the sail rig.

So here we are, the actual plans as drawn by Cee Dubbs.

This is the sheet for the sheer strake. As you'll see the curves are all parallel and there are only two measurements, you can work out the rest yourself. Two aft panels and two forward panels to be butt jointed. Not much waste there!

And here is Sheet 2 for the floor.

A few more dimensions on this one and some artistic curves but nothing too complicated.

Watch this space, next time we get the plywood out.

I've never been to Faversham.

2011-02-06T22:42:00.001Z

I've never been to Faversham.

Its almost the last remaining place where Thames Barges can be repaired.

It'll come as no surprise then to learn its under threat. If nothing is done to stop them the Developers will be in soon and the yard will be replaced by yet another pile of Desirable Riverside Properties which will be looking out towards the Desirable Riverside Properties on the other side of the desirable river.

They will no doubt be bought as Buy to Let Investment Properties to be let to the poor sods who can't get a mortgage from the bankers who bought them in the first place. (and breathe)

I learned about this from Gavin Atkin who writes the excellent intheboatshed blog.

His post was picked up by Adrian Morgan who writes the equally excellent thetroublewitholdboats

This may only be Port-na-Storm but I'll do my bit to help stop this madness.

Please visit the Favershamcreek Web Site and most importantly sign the Petition.

Or we may not see much of this in the future.

January February.

2011-02-02T22:31:00.000Z

January was pretty much taken up with building a new pen for my daughters geese, and nursing a frozen shoulder so there hasn't been any boat building done. The last ten days have been spent visiting my Folks in Scotland, and its now February!

While I've been away the folks on the new UK-HBBR Forum have been very busy organising part two of the Thames Raid. On Part One, two years go we paddled and rowed from Lechlade down to Beale Park, This time we will leave Beale Park Boat Show heading down river, finishing four or five days later somewhere near Hampton Court.

So far we have seventeen people taking part in fourteen boats which is a good turn out and probably as many as can be managed in one group.

Those expecting an organised event will be disappointed, there is no support, no "Leader", everyone looks after themselves and generally travel in small groups or alone during the day meeting up at night. Excellent. You can read about part one here. Thames Raid

So, as I'm planning to take part in Katie Beardie and she looked like this the last time I did any work, I'd better get a move on and get her built.

Vincent Black Lightening 1952

2011-01-22T18:10:00.001Z

I've been nursing a frozen shoulder since Christmas so there hasn't been much movement on Katie Beardie recently. I did drag the Coot out of the garage the other sunny day and give her a good clean. It looks like the bright-work will need a rubdown and wipe over before going out in public again.

Last night I went to Salisbury to see Richard Thompson. For those inclined to say who? he is truly one of the finest guitarists and songwriters to come out of Britain, and was awarded the OBE in the New Year's Honours List.

He has the incredible ability to blend Folk, Rock Blues and Jazz into a style which is uniquely his own.

Ladies and gentlemen for your enjoyment and edification I give you Richard Thompson OBE ...

Dance Katie Beardie.

2011-01-16T17:07:00.001Z

A friend has recently asked me "Why Katie Beardie?"

In fact the original working title for the project was Mrs Mustard.

Aficionados of the works of the Beatles will know that Mean Mr Mustard is the song immediately before Polythene Pam on the Abbey Road album.
The song immediately after is " She came in through the bathroom window" which is a bit of a mouthful.
A boat should be female and never Mean hence Mrs Mustard.
It was Cee Dubbs who coined the phrase Katie Beardie during the initial design consultation stage (the what?).
The type is therefore Katie Beardie, the actual name of the boat, we'll just have to wait and see.

For those not schooled from a gentle age by spinster teachers, dressed in thick tweed and stout brogues, here is the origin of the name.

Katie Beardie had a coo

Black and white aboot the mou'

Wasnae that a dainty coo?

Dance, Katie Beardie.

Katie Beardie had a hen,

Cackled but and cackled ben.

Wasnae that a dainty hen?

Dance, Katie Beardie.

Katie Beardie had a wean

Widnae play oot in the rain.

Wasnae that a dainty wean?

Dance, Katle Beardie.

Katie Beardie had a cat,

Sleek and sly and unco fat.

Wasnae that a dainty cat?

Dance, Katie Beardie.

Introducing Katie Beardie.

2011-01-10T20:32:00.000Z

A while ago Cee Dubbs and I were having a discussion about a replacement for Polythene Pam.

Pam is a game old bird and has done very well but she is a victim of her genes and no amount of surgery or exercise can negate the fact that she is a bit slow on account of those sharp chines going all the way forward. Paul Fisher never designed her as a sailing canoe and I didn't build her with that in mind, maybe it was time for a re-think.

A few years ago I read Over the Sea to Skye, early Travels by Canoe to the Scottish islands and West Coast 1874-1876. The published journals of the Clyde Canoe Club.

I was fascinated by the exploits of these guys who would travel miles in their canoes carrying all their camping gear with them. Above is a shot of one of their canoes, and lets just say its inspirational.

Now Cee Dubbs has what he calls his premise, not so much a design as a way of life, which combines the qualities of two of his favourite boats, the Thames Barge and the Gloucester Dory, which results in a hull, of almost any size, which has a flat bottom amidships, so she will dry out, chines curving well up towards the stem creating a nice V bottom and a clean entry, with a broad run aft tucking well up towards a transom.

This is then coupled with the fact that plywood comes in 8ft by 4ft sheets to inform the design and determine the dimensions.

I asked him whether the premise would extend to nearly 16ft with a beam of less than 3ft.

This was his response. Obviously the transom has gone and there is a little bit of V amidships, but unlike Pam the chines twist up in a gentle curve towards the stem which will part the waters like a knife. The broad flat sections towards the stern should help support all the weight of yours truly and the camping gear she will need to carry.

Katie Beardie is a new design using modern materials and techniques but with more than a nod to the Victorians. She should be very simple to build, just wait until you see the plans, although I have a habit of complicating things!

The Clyde Canoe Club moved to Loch Lomond in 1898 becoming the Loch Lomond Sailing Club. You can read more about their early history here.

http://www.lochlomondsc.org/club-info/history/

Over the Sea to Skye was published by Solway Dory ISBN 0-9542401-0-3

They don't seem to list it any more on their web site but it might be worth giving them a call.

http://www.solwaydory.co.uk/information/canoe-sailing-history/

The aim is to have her ready for the summer expeditions, I'm currently nursing a frozen shoulder but I'll get on to it as soon as possible.

Can I Have My Money Back?

2011-01-06T16:08:00.001Z

Gerry Rafferty 1947- 2011

Happy Hogmanay from Port-Na-Storm

2010-12-31T19:42:00.001Z

And so dear friends

as 2010 get its hat and coat and heads for the door marked Exit,

lets not sing of Auld Lang Syne,

lets not dwell, with tears rolling into our empty glass

on some romanticised notion of the Good old Days.

Open your front door and welcome in 2011.

The days are getting longer,

soon it will be warm enough for epoxy to set.

make plans, look forward,

get building, there's a new sailing season on its way.

Unless of course you live in the Antipodes in which case Winter Draws on.

In any case to all you folk out there round the world wherever you are

Have a happy Hogmanay.

And because I'm Scottish and a sucker for a sentimental song,

here are the Alexander Brothers with the absolute worst in Scottish Sentimentality.

Och am nearly Greetin' already!

Merry Christmas.

2010-12-24T23:05:00.000Z

This is St John's Church just round the corner from where I live taken a couple of weeks ago.

Wherever you are, and whatever your religion or beliefs,

remember,

Peace on earth and goodwill to all men.

Merry Christmas.

Coot Covered in Water Craft

2010-12-19T22:30:00.000Z

A couple of months ago I had a cover made for Coot by the very nice people at Trident,

http://www.tridentuk.com/

They do a made to measure service which I think is very reasonably priced, and I was really pleased with the result.

Then, being a real cheapskate, I wrote a review of the product and sent it in to Water Craft Magazine which you can read in the latest edition.

Available from only the finest newsagents. Its probably best to get a subscription.

http://watercraft-magazine.com/

Canoe to Mandalay

2010-12-19T21:06:00.001Z

I was browsing in my favourite charity bookshops the other day when I came across this intriguing title. I usually look for anything with a nautical feel to it and "Canoe to Mandalay" seemed to have a whiff of adventure and romance about it. I read the first sentence of the Preface,

" In many parts of the world harmless lunatics are treated with special consideration. I have at moments an uneasy wonder whether that is why everyone is so kind to canoers."

Throwing caution to the wind I parted with my £4.

Mandalay is one of those place-names like Timbuktu, The Orinoco, even Tobermory, which has a ring of far- flung-ness about it. You can smell the spices in the air and hear the sound of prayer bells. To tell you the truth I wasn't really sure where Mandalay actually was until I started reading.

I'd never heard of the author Major R Raven-Hart before, which probably shows my ignorance as he seems to have been a bit of an adventurer in his faithful folding kayak " Canoe Errant" and has written a number of books about his travels down the Mississippi and the Nile amongst other places. This is his tale of canoeing down the Irrawaddi River in Burma.

Having served in the First World War Raven-Hart probably knew war was looming in Europe but may not have been aware of the impact it would have on the far east and Burma once Japan entered the war.

Raven-Hart was a keen historian which is reflected in his in-depth knowledge of the customs and culture of the country he was travelling in, he has a healthy disdain for the British Colonialists, a fairly low opinion of the Indian Middle-Class but he shows a real understanding and affection towards the local people.

Burma is currently under the control of a Military Junta, and seems along way off from a free democratic society. The recent release from house arrest of the pro democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi after the elections is seen as fairly cynical.

What the book also shows, and what I found really amusing was the way it reflects how much western culture has changed since it was written.

The good Major liked to have company on his travels, no doubt it helped to have someone along who could interpret, and act as a kind of local guide. And if the travelling companion happened to be a good looking young man so much the better.

Each to his own, but imagine a complete stranger turning up at the local American Baptist Mission School, accompanied by the District Commissioner's wife, asking for a boy to accompany him on a canoeing camping trip of several weeks, and being given the choice of half the school! I don't think it would happen today...............................

That's The Major and Ma Tu above.

Cheaper Boating

2010-12-11T21:15:00.001Z

An ordinary bloke with an ordinary job buys an ordinary boat, its the same age as he is, a little over forty and a bit under fifty. He doesn't have much cash this ordinary bloke because he has an ordinary job and an ordinary wage which goes to support his ordinary family.

The boat is getting a bit tired and needs some jobs doing to it but as he doesn't have much cash the bloke has to do all of them himself.

He can't afford a haul-out and scrub off at an expensive yard so he takes it to the beach at high water and lets nature do the rest. He's got some paint left over from the garage and some red lead which was "surplus" from work. He gets his shirt off and gets on with it.

Not quite a bygone era but as more yards close and more marinas open, doing it yourself is getting less common and sailing beyond the purse of the ordinary bloke.

We have an Oxfam second-hand book shop near us and being near the Solent quite a few old sailing books come up. I've got quite a collection. Yesterday I picked up this little gem, originally published in 1977 its just old enough to contain some superb money saving tips.

I love any book which suggests that galvanised fence wire and ratchet tensioners as used by farmers make suitable rigging, it also suggests that the GPO might be a good source of bottle screws from old telegraph poles. It even has a section on how to make your own oil skins.

If you ever see a copy grab it, my copy cost £2.99, it will probably save you 100 times that, but its worth it just for the nostalgia trip.

Oh Rowan Tree.

2010-12-03T12:13:00.000Z

There's an old tale that says if there are lots of berries on the Rowan tree it'll be a severe winter.

Well here are this year's berries, and the snow which arrived yesterday.

And here at Culture Corner, a poem ;

The Rowan Tree

Oh! Rowan Tree Oh! Rowan Tree!

Thou'lt aye be dear to me,

Entwined thou art wi mony ties,

O' hame and infancy.

Thy leaves were aye the first o' spring,

Thy flow'rs the simmer's pride;

There was nae sic a bonny tree

In a' the countrieside

Oh! Rowan tree!

How fair wert thou in simmer time,

Wi' a' thy clusters white

How rich and gay thy autumn dress,

Wi' berries red and bright.

On thy fair stem were many names,

Which now nae mair I see,

But they're engraven on my heart.

Forgot they ne'er can be!

Oh! Rowan tree!

We sat aneath thy spreading shade,

The bairnies round thee ran,

They pu'd thy bonny berries red,

And necklaces they strang.

My Mother! Oh, I see her still,

She smil'd oor sports to see,

Wi' little Jeanie on her lap,

And Jamie at her knee!

Oh! Rowan tree!

Oh! there arose my Father's pray'r,

In holy evening's calm,

How sweet was then my Mither's voice,

In the Martyr's psalm;

Now a' are gane! we meet nae mair

Aneath the Rowan Tree;

But hallowed thoughts around thee twine

O' hame and infancy.

Oh! Rowan tree!

Carolina Oliphant Lady Nairne ( 1766-1845)

Cold enough to freeze your rollocks off.

2010-11-28T19:11:00.003Z

Winter has set in to most of the UK a bit earlier than normal this year. Cold winds from Russia and Scandinavia are blowing down from the north bringing heavy snow showers and the usual chaos.

The Dinghy Cruising Association are a veritable bunch who like to get out and enjoy themselves whatever the weather so they have a programme of rallies right through the winter, and this weekend they had planned an outing to the Horse & Jockey Pub at the tidal limit of the Hamble.

A few of the HBBR members are also DCA members so it was a loose gaggle of both groups who gathered at Swanwick Hard on Saturday morning. The temperature was around 0 centigrade and that's where it stayed all day. Unfortunately the overnight forecast of snow didn't transpire as that would have brightened things up a bit.

Standing around rigging at the hard was a bit on the chilly side but once away the row up under the three bridges warmed us up.

Cliff and Len from the DCA had their dinghies, Gavin had his Solway Dory sailing canoe, while Cee Dubbs brought Octavia his rowing Skiff, and Paul H brought his Illusion development platform http://tales-of-illusion.blogspot.com/2010/10/design-plans-for-illusion.html

Once above the bridges I got the sail up and had a nice wee sail once I'd sorted myself out. Tiller under the horse AGAIN! must pay more attention, then I had a Cobnor moment when I got too close to a muddy lea shore, AGAIN! I'd just got going after that when the phone in my pocket started to ring, almost no one has my number so I thought it might be urgent, so I ignored it, but when it rung again soon afterwards I went diving round all my various pockets and eventually found it, just as it rung off. I looked at the missed call list, Paul H !

He was only about 500 yards up river, I rang him,

"whaddya want?"

"where are we headed ?"

"The Pub where else?"

Honestly!

We were joined at the pub by Phil and Jo in their kayaks, and a jolly convivial time was had by all.

Once I'd rowed down the narrow twisty section of the river to where it opens out I got the sail up again and managed to keep up with Paul H and his electric oars but once round the next bend the wind died to a whisper so it was out with the oars again.

Chris Partridge fellow HBBR stalwart and rowing fanatic had brought the Langston Cutters' huge Solent Galley " Bembridge" up to a beach nearby so that the Hamble Rowers could all have a go, so I had the ignominy of having to row past that lot of experts as I wiggled from side to side and caught crabs galore.

A little bit farther on I managed a nice sail again until the bridges came into view, then it was back to this facing backwards and rowing malarky. I'd done all my homework and checked I had enough "Air Draft". I hadn't calculated for the reduced headroom on the railway bridge due to scaffolding but thankfully Phil. had caught up by then and he held back giving me the nod that he thought it looked o.k. Bursledon road bridge is even lower and is arched so going through the middle is fairly important, thanks again to Phil for keeping me right, no left a bit , no right. He reckoned I had about four feet to spare, which sounds a lot but doesn't look it when your looking up over your shoulder and the breeze and current are taking you down onto the bridge.

Safely back there was the usual confusion of boats, trailers, vehicles, and general milling around in the rapidly fading light.

Grandpappy that's not a Skate Board.

2010-11-19T20:07:00.000Z

I met an old colleague from work today. She asked me if I was managing to fill my days...............

Ha! Just recently, amongst other things I've built a Goose-Shed for my daughters .............er Geese. Why Geese? Why Not!

The Geese seem quite happy with it but it will not be appearing on these pages, oh no siree.

I've also been working on a not very secret project which you will see here quite soon.

I was still feeling that my creative juices were needing a bit of encouragement and browsing through my bookshelf I found my copy of,

Its an interesting book on account of its schizophrenic nature. Graham Warren, an Englishman, is meticulous and almost scientific in the way he approaches the design and construction of his paddles.

David Gidmark on the other hand looks as if he may have more than a passing acquaintance with Native American ancestry and is more of an organic kind of a guy. His paddles seem to be fashioned out of any handy tree using firstly an axe then the crook knife.

Flushed with renewed creative enthusiasm I surveyed my pile of "useful" bits of timber, selected a few, and based simply on the length of off cuts I had lying around, designed what I thought was a suitable paddle very roughly based on the dimensions and guidelines given in the book.

I made a template, just in case I ever want to make another, but mainly to ensure the two sides are symmetrical.

A quick run round the band-saw and things were beginning to look promising.

The Bairn came round to see how things were going, she didn't think much of my attempts at a skate board.

A bit of work with the plane, spoke-shave and a lot of sanding later and its looking more like the thing.

Think I'm quite pleased with that for a first attempt. .

The Blog of Circumlocution

2010-11-08T20:54:00.000Z

Pay attention at the back.

I will say this only once!

My good friend Chris Partridge over at Rowing For Pleasure has posted a video of me rowing my Coot at Swanwick last Saturday.

Considering I've just come out of the Jolly Sailor pub and I really don't like rowing it seems to be going rather well.

He has also mentioned this blog with a link back to the incredible Cee Dubbs Rhythm Stick.

so if you hit this link,

http://rowingforpleasure.blogspot.com/

to watch the video then hit the link back to

http://port-na-storm.blogspot.com/2010/11/cee-dubbs-rhythm-stick.html

You may well have entered the Blog of Circumlocution, with each post referencing each other until you go insane.

Still confused? Try this.

http://www.readprint.com/chapter-2800/Little-Dorrit-Charles-Dickens

Swanwick Hard

2010-11-07T22:08:00.000Z

As well as filming Cee Dubbs prototyping his latest project I managed to get out for a sail, well a drift around, before we headed to the pub.

Lots more Photos on the Wolstenholme Coot page.

We were ostensibly there to see Chris Partridge and his chums row their Solent Galley up to the Horse and Jockey pub. You can read all about it here.

http://rowingforpleasure.blogspot.com/

Cee Dubbs Rhythm Stick

2010-11-07T16:33:00.001Z

My very good friend Cee Dubbs has been inventing things and designing boats since he was in short trousers.

When we took part in the Thames Raid last year he complained that he never got to see the Kingfishers and other wildlife, because being a rower he was looking backwards, and it had been scared off by the time he could see where it used to be, if you catch my drift.

So he decided it was time to develop a forward facing rowing machine.

Some of the HBBR folks met up at Swanwick Hard yesterday for a gathering, and Cee Dubbs brought along the design platform for his new invention.

You'll see that it isn't quite finished yet , you still have to face backwards, but when those strings get attached to those pedals......................

Best watched with the sound turned right up!

Happy Birthday Skiffies !

2010-10-31T21:53:00.000Z

Its now twelve months since the inaugural meeting and launch of the Scottish Coastal Rowing Project when the first St Ayles Skiff, specially designed by Iain Oughtred was launched at Anstruther in Fife, Scotland.

This project has been an amazing success and has now taken on a life of its own. Nine boats completed, Twenty-one in build, more on order including three in Maine, with interest as far afield as Australia and even England!

Few will know how hard Alex Jordan and Chris Perkins worked to get the first boat finished in time, and that's why she's called Chris O'Kanaird.

Congratulations to Alec, Chris and all the "Skiffies" working away in cold sheds building these great boats.

read more here. http://scottishcoastalrowing.org/

and here http://ullcoastrow.wordpress.com/2010/10/31/one-year-ago-311009-happy-birthday-skiffies/

Pettifox and Dolly Pentreath

2010-10-23T14:56:00.000+01:00

Another newcomer to St Ives this year was Pettifox of Scilly. I thought she looked a bit like a Bristol Channel, or Scilly Pilot Cutter, maybe a bit smaller, though she is in-fact based on the Breton Crabber.
She was designed by Francois Vivier and there is an article about her from The Boatman here

http://www.vivierboats.com/Img/pettifox.pdf

She was built in 1992 and normally plies her trade on the Scillies, I'd have taken the opportunity to have a sail on her but unfortunately due to the high winds she was only motoring.

I really like the lines of this motor boat, she is obviously well looked after and loved. I do like raised topsides.

This is Dolly Pentreath, she was built in St Ives in 1993 and is a St Ives Lugger. Its interesting how different she is to Pettifox, designed to be used for chasing herring and pilchards she is double ended, with a massive lugsail and mizzen and huge bumkin.

This photo was borrowed from the Mounts Bay Lugger Association

http://www.mbla.co.uk

An unknown Gaffer out near Godrevy Lighthouse.

St Ives Jumbos

2010-10-17T21:59:00.000+01:00

A while ago I wrote about our holidays in St. Ives. The harbour there has always got something going on, whether the tide is in or out.

We hadn't been for a couple of years and its always interesting to look and see what has changed. These two superb boats have appeared recently. They are St Ives Jumbos, which is a bit of a misnomer as they are actually one of the smallest types built and sailed there.

These two were built by Jonny Nance who is himself descended from a line of St Ives Boat Builders. You can find out all about these boats at the association's excellent web site.
http://www.stivesjumbo.com

Gaffers Three

2010-10-09T22:09:00.001+01:00

And now, despite enormous public demand, what the world has been waiting for;

Gaffers Three........

We got away to a pretty good start, I don't think many boats actually beat us across the line, there were gaffers all round us but mainly to leeward, some ahead and quite a few behind which meant we had a grand view as they all came lolloping past us.

The start line was conveniently tucked into the lea of West Cowes, so the water was still quite calm and the breeze stiff to moderate for a while after the start, enough to stop you lighting your pipe but, not enough to blow it out. TW had a double reef tucked in, she was wearing a jib maybe one size bigger than required for the occasion, mainly due to the Storm Jib being on the kitchen table awaiting repair.

The course took us across the entrance to Cowes, squeeked down the Island side of Gurnard then on to Saltmead. The wind was blowing from the south west, bang on the nose, and the tide was giving it a run for its money, so this meant a big tack out towards the New Forest shore. As we sailed out from the lea of the island the waves and wind increased, by the time we'd started to come out into the middle of the Solent the wind and waves were getting up, maybe a 6 by this time.

There's a chart of The Solent here http://www.cowes.co.uk/zonexml/index?cp=0-170-710-973

Away over on the New Forest shore Fawley power-station chimney could easily be seen with its vertical row of red lights. By this time the larger boats, the ones which hadn't shot away at the start were getting the bit between their teeth, Ocean Pearl came past looking glorious, and very very big.

TW battled on, shouldering into every wave. Now and again a big green one would come, she'd give it an extra hard nudge and the spray would come over the bow, giving the crew a good soaking. Normally I hate wearing a hood, it feels really claustrophobic, but when a bucket of salt water comes at you they are the best thing for stopping it all running down your neck and filling up your wellies.

Once Cee Dubbs had thought we’d gone far enough he thought we’d better put in a tack, there was a fair bit of lea helm due to the slightly oversize jib and it wasn’t certain she’d actually go if asked, but Cee Dubbs waited until there was a bit of a lull and a flattish spot.
"Righto, here we go, ready about, wait for it, wait, back it, back it, back it, right now, Yes! excellent."

We were now on starboard tack heading over towards Salt Mead which was to be left to starboard heading for East Lepe which meant an almost 270 degree turn to head north-east-ward again.

Cee Dubbs thought we might not get round, the tiller was almost over on the rail trying to keep her straight and there wasn't much more helm to give her. "We might have to wear ship, gybe round in a figure of eight, but with a bit of luck, a bit of a lull and good seamanship meant she sailed round with the mark to starboard, like the amazing little ship she is.

We were now on a run, and the sound of the wind died away as it always does when you're going with the wind, TW took off surfing down the waves.

I looked behind and saw Pegasus rounding the mark, a few seconds later she appeared to be sailing back towards it.

"Must've missed it, going round again"

A minute or so later I heard an almighty bang, sounded like a starting cannon going off. It took us a minute to realise what we'd heard but when we turned to look Pegasus had lost her mast.

When she'd made it round the mark and the wind had come onto her stern the pressure of the wind in her sail must have been too much for the rigging. By this time we were surfing down-wind, the sea lifting us from the stern and catapulting the wee ship forward, looking back the following sea seemed bigger than ever.

That’s when we decided to call it a day.

Fun’s Fun etc, but when much bigger boats start to get into trouble it may be a foolish man who ignores the signs.

We found that mobile phone number and called it in.

It was a straight run all the way home, by around 4.30 pm we were rolling in over the bar into the gentle waters of Chichester Harbour, and maybe wondering whether we should have gone on a bit longer.

A few days later I noticed on Chris Partridge’s Blog that Ocean Pearl had lost her bowsprit, probably the same day. http://rowingforpleasure.blogspot.com/2010/09/sad.html

I got this e-mail from Cee Dubbs;

It seems reasonable to assume that Pearl lost her prod about the same time as Pegasus lost her pole. Actually I looked it up on Bramblemet archives and around 11.00 it was blowing some twenty knots, gusting to twenty-seven; it then had a little hissy fit at about 11.50 blowing twenty-five knots, gusting to thirty-seven. Thereafter, it settled back down to merely grim.

That is top of five going to top of six, with middle six going to middle of gale eight. Glad we noticed.

I have to tell you seriously that if I had had the storm jib on board, I think I might have gone on trying, but forty squares up for'ard was giving her something of a lee helm when it might have been essential to luff up, or be laid a long, long way over and I don't think she would have tacked without it, or really been able to keep moving through the lumps. It would have been endless bashing about, wearing ship and scouting for marks in the murk.

Makes me shiver to think about it.

Me too!