St Ayles skiffs at Portsoy

At last year's Portsoy Traditional Boat Festival, Scotland's biggest gathering of lovely old boats, the Scottish Coastal Rowing project was just a project. Iain Oughtred hadn't even finished designing the boat.
Last weekend, no fewer than six St Ayles skiffs were raced at Portsoy, with the prizes being dished out by Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond.
The sun shone and everyone had a brilliant time, apparently. I only wish I could have been there, but luckily Chris Perkins was, taking a gazillion great snaps which can be viewed here. Chris reports:

"Portsoy was fantastic - the skiff racing put a real buzz into the event.
I learned a lot about effective oars and steering - the most consistently good were Port Seton with shorter oars and an appreciably higher stroke rate - the Saturday final was between two Port Seton crews, so to even up the odds they were put in borrowed boats, a scratch crew took out the Port Seton boat for a recreational row. Even with a 50 yard handicap and an extended trip round both competing teams marker buoys the Port Seton boat came in shortly after the winners, handsomely beating the team in borrowed 'Ulla' - Port Seton have a seriously fast and efficient set up. Ullapool didn't do well, winning only one heat - the constant reworking of the oars and the steerboard are going to need further thought."

Viv Perkins videoed the races, and here is one of the clips. Note the accompanying sound track, which records the sort of audience participation that wins races.

More on the Port Seton flyer Boatie Rows here. The name, incidentally, comes from a traditional Port Seton ballad:

O weel may the boatie row and better may she speed,
And leesome may the boatie row that wins the bairns' bread.
The boatie rows, the boatie rows, the boatie rows indeed,
And weel may the boatie row that wins my bairns' bread.
O weel may the boatie row and better may she speed,
And leesome may the boatie row that wins my bairns' bread.

Thames Barge Driving Race

The barges arrive. It takes nearly 2 hours to drive them over the course.

The annual Barge Driving Race is fought between a dozen or so 30 ton dumb barges rowed by Thames Lightermen and Watermen using 26ft sweeps. Two row at the bow and another steers at the stern, also using a sweep.
The rowers do not so much power the boat as position it to take maximum benefit from the tide, which is flowing up from the start in Greenwich to the finish at Westminster, a distance of seven miles. This takes incredible strength and skill, and only qualified lightermen and watermen can take part (this is one of the few professions that still requires an apprenticeship to be served).

Mike Russell's boat, last 3 years' winner is in blue. We are supporting him.

Langstone Cutters chairman Mike Gilbert was on a boat following the race, with other members of the London2Paris winning crew, Gravesend. He took these pictures with his BlackBerry and posted them on his Twitter feed. The captions are Mike's.
For my top anecdote about one of these barges causing a still-visible dent in Cannon Street Railway Bridge, click here.

Mike's team about to cross the finish line first!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slow boats in China

What a lovely picture - exotic and familiar at the same time. As blog reader Kim Apel says, a Chinese equivalent of the gondola.

He writes:

Chris: From my recent visit to the Shanghai Museum, a display of models (about 1:3 scale was my guess) of native fishing craft of the Gaoshan ethnic group of Lanyu Island, Taiwan. Looks like rowing craft to me, which, though working craft, show at least as much artistic care and sensibility as any Thames skiff.
Also, above, the Chinese equivalent of the Venetian gondola ride, at the Tiger Hill Garden in Suzhou.
Kim Apel
San Clemente, CA, USA

Lanyu Island, also known as Orchid Island, has an amazing tradition of boat construction. The entire village turns out to launch a new one, passing it literally overhead to launch it, as related here. Must get there sometime....

Admiral of the Port's Challenge

T'was the Admiral of the Port's Challenge this evening, a race for Thames Waterman's Cutters. It started at the Houses of Parliament and ran 1.7 miles to the Westminster Boating Base in Grosvenor Road. Captain JP was there at the instigation of this blog, and kindly sent these pictures.
The Admiral of the Port is the Lord Mayor - bet you didn't know that. Neither did I until I looked the race up. The Cutters have to be in full ceremonial mode for the race, rigged for four oars, with a canopy for two passengers and a flag. They certainly add colour to the river scene.

Water Forget-me-not, Worshipful Company of Water Conservators

Many of the Thames Waterman's Cutters are owned or sponsored by City livery companies and other London institutions such as Trinity House and the Port of London Authority.
No results yet - more on that later.

Belle Founder, Worshipful Company of Founders

Lego Simbo

 

I'm so proud. My one-sheet ship Simbo has been modelled in Lego. It is clearly only a matter of time before a special edition is for sale in toy shops round the world, perhaps with a marker pen so builders can create their own custom beard'n'eyebrows effects. I am particularly impressed by the realistic baldy look.

The modeller is Ben Crawshaw of The Invisible Workshop, who emails:

Hi Chris,

Some time ago while playing Lego with my son I decided to try and make a rowing boat. The result, I think, is a striking resemblance to you and Simbo. I was going to use the photo for a tongue in cheek post ('Chrisp action figure and Simbo available from Lego' or some such) but then my health dived (I'm still in hospital) and well, I haven't been up for blogging since.

I've just come across the photos again and send them on to you to use as you please.

Like the new look at Rowing for Pleasure.

All the best,

Ben 

Get well soon, Ben. We miss you a lot.

New Socks Under Test

I got some spiffy new kit yesterday - a pair of knee-length SealSkinz waterproof socks, modeled elegantly by me with the Solent Galley Bembridge at Emsworth, whence we had rowed in search of beer. Sorry about the dismal mobile phone picture quality.
The socks have an inside layer of GoreTex or something that keeps liquid water out but lets water vapour through, so you can leap out of the boat confident of keeping your feet dry but not get into a massive sweat when rowing, as you can wearing wellie boots. Hi-tech indeed, but also the most expensive socks I have ever bought - the thick end of £30.
Combined with a cheapo pair of sandals they worked brilliantly, though I was surprised by the amount of gravel that got trapped under my feet.
In fact I got overconfident and stepped out of the boat too early when we got back to Langstone. I went in up to my knees and immediately discovered that the sock tops do not seal. Drove home with soggy feet. Damn.

Tasmanian skiff

Here's Alan Witt's Derwent skiff under oars on the Derwent - the Derwent in Tasmania, that is. It is an attractive 5.5m sliding seat design available in kit form or as plans from Witt Design Wooden Boats. 

Alan is keen to make the most of the moulds the hull is built on, and circulates details of used moulds to potential builders so they can be re-used. Very environmental.

One is now available from Michael Charlton, pictured here sitting in the hull he has just taken off the mould you can just see inside the house. He writes:

Hi Chris,

While I have yet to fit out the buoyancy tanks and out-riggers I couldn’t believe how light the hull is to lift; this, its length and shallow draft suggest a super-fast vessel. Now I am more eager than ever to get the thing afloat!

Allan has been hugely supportive throughout this project and is naturally keen to encourage other interested builders; as I intend to build only one Derwent I have no further use for the mould, which will be stored near Sutton in Surrey. For a modest fee, the next builder may have a head-start – might any of your UK readers be interested?

More information and pictures are available on Allan’s website; www.wittdesignwoodenboats.com

Best wishes.

Michael Charlton.

If you are interested in the mould, drop me an email and I will pass it on to Michael.

And Michael - keep us up to date on the build. It is looking good!