New Boats at the HBBR Thames Raid (2)

 You can instantly recognise boats created by some designers, and one of those is Chris Waite. He had two new designs being paddled down the Thames with the HBBR, remarkably, both sporting the curvy single chine shape and rounded bow that have become his trademark.

Pictured above waiting for the lock gates to open is Chris in Polly Wee, a boat designed to fit in his garage and pass between a pair of bollards in the road that leads to the slipway on the River Arun. She is intended to be sailed but also rowed (another reason for the thin hull). Water ballast will be fitted so a decent spread of canvas can be flown. He explains the design process in some detail at the HBBR forum.

Chris also designed Graham Neil's latest sailing canoe, Katie Beardie. KB was first launched at the Tewkesbury meet last year, but has now been fitted with decks and a sailing rig. She now looks absolutely gorgeous, a tribute to Graham's boatbuilding skills. You can read the whole story at his blog, Port-na-Storm.