Archives: Small crafts

Wooden ships comments on this Cabin cruiser

A pretty little cabin cruiser, unknown builder but probably built around 1930.  Large open cock-pit, sheltered helm position and a cabin under the raised fore deck with 2 berths and a sea toilet making her suitable for day sailing, sports fishing or even a week-end away.

She has sweet lines which should make her a sea-kindly, dry little boat, good size for her measurements and a handy little vessel.

After several years of enormous pleasure on the Fowey River this boat yard owner laid her up under cover in his own yard. After several years ashore he has now decided he is not going to use her, she is taking up space so best she goes to a new owner who can enjoy her as he has, hence the sensible price.

Inspected by Wooden Ships. More photos and info available.

Construction

Hull

Traditional long keel, straight slightly raked stem and transom stern.

Carvel 1” thick pine planking on steam bent oak frames traditionally fastened with nails and roves.

Timber floors.

External lead ballast keel, weight approx 280 kg.  Stainless steel keel bolts, new 2003.

Superstructure

Probably built without a wheel shelter or perhaps just a windscreen, she was fitted with a practical wheel shelter in 2003.

6 opening portholes.

Wheel steering to stainless steel cables.  Rudder new in 2003.

In 2003 the paint was stripped to bare wood inside and out and repainted.

Rig 

Small mast stepped in a tabernacle on the aft deck with a steadying sail.  SS standing rigging with cord lashings to bronze chain plates.  Mast, boom, SS tabernacle and sail all new 2003.

Machinery

Yamaha 3GM 30hp 3 cylinder diesel bought has a second hand unit from a known source and installed  in 2003 on new iroko engine beds.

Centreline 3 blade propeller.   Cruising speed 6/8 knots.

The stern tube area down to the skeg has been plated for extra strength with the bigger engine, as advised by a local surveyor.

Manual bilge pump

Tanks

Fuel:  15 litres in a plastic tank under the aft deck.

Batteries:   2 x 12v batteries in a locker against the cabin bulkhead.

New in 2003:  Engine box, larger stern tube fitted, new shaft and propeller, new fuel tank.

Accommodation

Berths 2

2 berths in forward cabin with fitted bunk cushions.  5’ headroom.

Blake sea toilet in the fore peak compartment – cosy but it works.

New floorboards throughout in 2003 in ply.

Equipment

Life ring on the wheelhouse roof.

1 Fire extinguisher

13lb CQR anchor/ larger available.

10ft SS ½” chain

140’ ¾” warp

Cockpit cover

Wheelhouse cover

Covers for decklight  and forward hatch

Bronze plates for beaching legs let into planking and bronze butterfly bolts to fit, ready for beaching legs.  The boat yard owner can make these if required.

Wooden Ships comments on this Traditional Clinker launch 

Traditional launch believed built in Christchurch, probably mid 1960’s.

Length                         22’6”   (6.85m)

Beam                           8’8”     (2.65m)

Draught                       2’4”     (.7m)

Depth gunnell to sole boards approx 3’6”      (1m)

Construction

Hull. 

Clinker planked mahogany traditionally paid and fastened to steam bent oak timbers with copper nails and roves on an oak back-bone.

Transom stern with transom-hung rudder.  Steel tube tiller.

Wheel steering mounted forward with cables to under deck tiller arm.

Sampson posts in both aft corners.
Stem-head chain roller.

Decks and cockpit :

Painted  ply fore deck, fuel tank under, filler cap on deck.

Painted ply aft deck with enclosed locker under.

Midships thwart with engine box aft of it.

Seating down port side forward and aft of the midships thwart. Stbd side seating removed.

Aft thwart across the aft locker – removeable.

Mizzen mast fitted 2008

Lift-off ply deck cuddy forward over helm position..

Engine:                

Beta Marine 28hp diesel installed new in 1997 on new engine beds with conventional shaft drive to 3-blade centre-line bronze prop.

Engine box fitted at same time as the new engine.

Rope cutter and Elasto muffler on the exhaust fitted 2010.

Steel fuel tank under the fore deck, deck filler.

1 x 12v battery.

Equipment

Binnacle compass in a custom built box on the fore deck.

Garmin GPS 293 chart plotter

Eagle fish finder 245DS

2001 Spencer Carter hydraulic winch belt driven off the front of the engine running the capstan on the fore deck.

12v bilge pump on float switch fitted 2014

Custom built yard trailer with tractor tow bar. In the winter she sits on the trailer, blocked up to take weight off the tyres.

New 2014 tarpaulin cover.

History

Present ownership since 1975, road transported to Penzance and shipped to Scilly on the Scillionan.

Believed to have been built for the previous owner and used as a passenger ferry which might explain the under-land protection down the stbd side if she always came alongside stbd to.

The late owner was a well-known marine engineer in St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly. He did the marine engineering on his boat with any wood work carried out by local boat builders.

Fitted out and used in present ownership as a pleasure fishing boat around the Scillies and fitted with a hydraulic winch in 2001 to lift the occasional pot.

Wooden ships comments on this Pram dinghy.                                                         Lying Plymouth                       £1,500

Pram rowing dinghy built by Newmans of Poole, date unknown but probably not later than the early 1960s when boats like this were built by many yards, often by the apprentices.  Such little pram dinghies were usually built as tenders and a yacht of any reasonable size would often be sold with such a little boat on deck.

She can be lifted by 2 people though probably not onto a car roof rack without a third hand. As a tender on the coach-roof of a yacht she could be handled on a halyard with relative ease.

Construction

Clinker laid mahogany planking, 9 planks per side, on steam bent oak timbers secured with copper nails and roves in the traditional manner.

Mahogany thwarts to give  2 rowing positions subject to load + a stern seat.

Single lodging knees to the thwarts + lodging knees in the corners aft and forward.

The thwarts and thwart knees have been replaced recently.

Sculling notch in the transom with doubler on the inner face.

All brass fittings have been replaced.

Loose fitting scrubbed teak sole boards.

1 pair of oars, new bronze rowlocks and a flat bladed sculling oar included.

The retired owner has spent many hours restoring and re-varnishing the whole boat, inside and out, top and bottom. She is now ready to go afloat.

Like most clinker planked boats she may need a few hours in the water to take up.

Wooden Ships Comments on this Helford Delta sailing dinghy

The Helford Delta dinghy was designed for competitive class racing in and around the Helford River, Cornwall, and first appeared in the Late 1950’s. It was adopted into the Helford River Sailing Club in the early 60’s and remained a strong and competitive fleet until the end of the 70’s.  A total of 20 dinghies were built of which a few are still sailing in the local area.

They are a fast, competitive design, able to be sailed by one or two people and can provide some exhilarating sailing.

This boat was extensively rebuilt in the 1990’s in present ownership and is in good sound condition.  She has always been kept inside and only used a handful of times in the last 15 years.

Length Overall                   12′

Beam                                    4’9″

Construction

Clinker planked in mahogany all copper rivet fastened to steamed oak timbers, all new in the 90’s.

Oak keel with a marked rocker.

Varnished mahogany thwarts with supporting hanging knees across the boat and slatted thwarts either side.

Weighted wooden centreplate.  Toe straps for leaning out.

Rig 

Fractional bermudan rig on a solid spruce mast with a single pair of shrouds and a forestay.

Main sheets to a track on the transom and the lead comes forward to a jamming pulley on the centreboard case for sheet in hand sailing

Jib sheets to small tracks on the gunnel.

Sails were new from Hyde Sails in 1998 and have been used very little so are still in excellent condition.

Equipment

Buoyancy bags

Tiller extension

Paddle

Sails and rigging

Rudder and centreboard

Wooden Ships Comments on this Fairey Duckling sailing dinghy

A smart example of this Fairey Marine built Fairey Duckling sailing dinghy.   It would have been built in the late 1950’s, early ’60s  in the extremely strong hot-moulded construction for which they were renowned.  Stable and easy to sail.

Construction

Hull

Hot moulded 2.5mm Agba veneers.

Rig 

Sail No 31.  Gunter rig.

1 suit of white terylene sails.  1 suit tan cotton.

Varnished timber mast and boom

Equipment

Timber rudder, tiller, centreboard and casing.

Oars

Fitted top cover

Road and launching trailer

Wooden Ships Comment on this 1890’s Thames rowing skiff

This is a delightful historic craft, believed to have been built c1893, probably by E Andrew & Sons, Maidenhead.

There is little information on her history except that she was at one time owned by three doctors in Oxford.

She is in good condition and has been dry stored by the present owner.

Comes with 3 pairs of blades and a road trailer.

Construction

Mahogany on oak, probably Brazilian mahogany.

Mahogany and rattan seat + cushions. Table.  3 pairs of blades, boat hook, anchor.

Hoops to support the awning,  (the awning probably needs to be replaced but will provide a template.)

Galvanised Road Trailer

Wooden Ships Comments on this Nordic double ender 

A traditional Nordic double ender built in Kolbjornsvik, Norway in 1962.  The design is based on the traditional Nordic boats that have been used for centuries for fishing, transport and trading.  A raking bow with a fine entry, flat keel and a sweeping sheer back to a sweet canoe stern with a stern post hung rudder.  A very beautiful and eye catching little boat, most unusual in UK waters and in very smart and sound condition.

Construction

Clinker planked in larch all copper rivet fastened to steamed oak timbers.

External iron ballast keel fastened with mild steel keel bolts.  Grown oak floors across the centreline.

Painted hull with the sheer strake picked out in black and a varnished rubbing strake and capping rail.

Seating either side stretching from stem to stern with two athwartship seats.

Stern post hung rudder with a varnished tiller.

Rig 

Gaff sloop rig on a keel stepped solid varnished mast.  Varnished wooden boom, gaff yard and bowsprit

Stainless steel standing rigging with lanyards to external chain plates.

Sails 

Main and jib in tan terylene by Crusader Sails.  Slab reefing main, jib on a simple roller furling system set for the bowsprit end.

Equipment

2hp Mariner outboard with bracket

Fishermans anchor

All over winter cover

Warps

Fenders

Wooden Ships Comments on this Classic launch 

This is a beautifully restored classic launch, built at Bembridge, Cowes in the 1940’s.   She has original bronze fittings and is a spacious and seaworthy boat.

Construction

Hull

Carvel planked  Larch on oak frames.  Hull has been stripped to bare wood and painted with Epifanes gloss.

The fore and after decks are the original laid teak.   Bronze cleats and fairleads.

Cuddy under the foredeck for storage.

Machinery

Engine

Reconditioned Volvo Penta 28hp diesel, 2003.  Shaft drive to a new 4 blade bronze propeller.

Original morse control.  Bronze water strainer with glass inspection window.

Fuel tank under the aft deck.

New engine box with a laid teak lid.

Equipment

New automatic bilge pump

Navy mooring lines

Fenders with navy fender socks

Sprayhood and zip-in tonneau cover, all folds forwards.

Wooden Ships Comments on this Nick Smith launch

A Nick Smith launch, Nick Smith is an experienced builder of wooden launches, based in Christchurch, Hampshire.  Inspired by the local working launches of Salcombe in south Devon, the straight stem, full bilge and sweeping sheer make her a very pretty and seaworthy boat.  Immaculate construction with not a single piece of plywood in the boat, she is a very complete package with everything needed to start exploring the creeks, rivers and coasts.  Custom made road trailer, all over cover and an as new Vetus 11hp diesel.  It is unlikely a better launch will be found unless a new boat is commissioned.

Construction           

Hull

½” mahogany planking on steamed oak frames, all copper fastened.  Stainless steel keel bolts.  120kg internal lead ballast.

Decks

Laid teak.   Tiller steering.   Bronze deck and stemhead fittings.

Machinery

Engine

Vetus M2C5A202A 2 cylinder diesel, 11hp.  New 2009.  Very little use, flushed  through with fresh water and serviced  when not in use.   3 blade propeller.  Cruising speed 6 kts, max 9 kts.  Serviced each year, last serviced August 2014.

Batteries

1 x 12v battery, engine charged.

Tanks

Stainless steel fuel tank under the foredeck.

Equipment

Trailer, made to measure   –  De Graff 2 wheel  galvanised in as new condition.   Freshwater flush to clean after launching in sea water.  Detachable docking arms.  Removable A bracket to bring down to 16’ overall.

Overall cover – made to measure.

Anchor, approx. 20lb.

2 metres chain.

Scrubbed and antifouled October 2015.

mooring lines with spliced looped ends (2015).

Fenders (2015)

Folding pole tri-colour navigation lighting (2015).

Secondary systems battery (2015)

Brass ensign stock on tiller head (2015).

Ensign and varnished staff (2015).

Brass clock (2015)

Auxiliary 12 volt power socket.

Selection of engine spares, impellor, v-belt, filters, oils and spare keys

New trailer spare standby wheel bearing.

Silva model 58 fixed compass (2015).

Stainless steel fold down emergency access step on lower transom (2015)

Garmin 50/200kHz 8 pin through hull transducer for optional data use (2015)

Brass vessel name lettering on transom, “Scribbler III” (2015)

1 Fire extinguisher.

Wooden Ships Comments on this Norfolk reed cutter

Built in the 1960’s by Stanley Goodwin Ltd of Kidderminster, supposedly as a Norfolk Reed cutter boat.

A relatively wide beamed boat with a sharp turn of bilge making her a stable launch, ideal for pottering on the rivers and estuaries.

Length on Deck                 12’6″

Beam                                    5’4″

Construction

Hull

Clinker planked in mahogany all copper rivet fastened to steam bent oak timbers.  Oak keel with the shaft through the stern post on the centreline.

Mahogany capping rail fastened through with copper rivets.  Plywood foredeck with a bulkhead and an opening hatch giving sheltered storage forward.  Small aft deck.  Bronze cleats and fairleads.

Machinery

Engine

Faryman 7.5hp marine diesel installed new in 2007 with new stern gear and a 3 blade bronze propellor.  Single lever engine controls new with the engine installation.

Tank

Stainless steel fuel tank under the fore deck.

Batteries

Single 12v battery charged from the engine alternator.