Clinker Boat Building

[TiggerToo]

I have been asked to recommend a book as a Xmas present on building clinker boats.

Someone mentioned:

Leather, John, Clinker Boatbuilding
Published by Adlard Coles Nautical Press

Has anyone read this? Any other recommendations?

 

[DownWest]

I have been asked to recommend a book as a Xmas present on building clinker boats.

Someone mentioned:

Leather, John, Clinker Boatbuilding
Published by Adlard Coles Nautical Press

Has anyone read this? Any other recommendations?

I have a copy from long ago, interesting, but I didn't build from it. You might consider Iain Oughtred's Clinker ply Building book, which I did build from.

 

[DownWest]

Just looked ...Correct title: Clinker Ply Boatbuilding Manual

 

[TiggerToo]

Clinker Plywood Boatbuilding Manual: Amazon.co.uk: Oughtred, Iain: 9780937822616: Books

 

[DownWest]

Says 2008. Think he updated it then, mine is earlier (finished the boat in may'07)

 

[TernVI]

Glued clinker ply has not a great deal in common with 'proper' clinker boat building.
I've sailed nice boats in both genres but they are not the same thing at all.

 

[wombat88]

I have the John Leather book, it is far from new (early '70s) and not exactly a barrel of laughs, but then 'proper' clinker boat building, although rewarding, is not exactly a laugh a minute.

The author was very well respected but I just wonder if anything newer has been published. It doesn't matter really, the traditional techniques remain unchanged.

 

[Poignard]

'Clenched Lap or Clinker: an Appreciation of a Boatbuilding Technique' by Eric McKee and published by the National Maritime Museum is very good.

It is now out of print and very expensive but I have a copy in good condition that I might sell at a easonable price

 

[DownWest]

Glued clinker ply has not a great deal in common with 'proper' clinker boat building.
I've sailed nice boats in both genres but they are not the same thing at all.

Horses for courses. If one keeps the boat out of the water and trails distances, then glued ply is far better. If you want a trad dinghy that stays damp most of the time, along with enjoying the skills with real wood, then clenched, epoxy free...
My glued one has no nails or screws, apart from the fittings.

 

[Babylon]

I found the Leather book interesting but lacking illustration.

A very good book on building traditional small boats using solid wood is Building Small Boats: Amazon.co.uk: Rossel, Greg: 8601422714050: Books

 

[Capt Popeye]

Horses for courses. If one keeps the boat out of the water and trails distances, then glued ply is far better. If you want a trad dinghy that stays damp most of the time, along with enjoying the skills with real wood, then clenched, epoxy free...
My glued one has no nails or screws, apart from the fittings.

Yes well my take is that the main difference between building from basic timber and ply is that with basic timber it ALL has to be fashioned, cut, planned and bent into a shape wheras with ply the thickness remains as supplied its just cut and bent ? ;the fastenings used are different as well

Might just mention that on Face Book there are dinghys constructed in traditional methods made in Ireland a 10ft about 2k i recall; they do look the Bees Knees tghey are well worth looking up for the designs of flooring and seating etc, really old time traditional stuff rarely found these days

 

[wombat88]

Joking asidef I were thinking about giving a Christmas gift to one intent on clinker boat building I would by them a bag of nails, a bag of roves and a dolly. Getting the fastenings right and tidy is the first step.

 

[Hacker]

The 2 books which we use in the boatbuilding school are Boatbuilding Manual 5th Ed by Robert Steward and Wooden Boatbuilding by Jean-Francois Garry. The former is very detailed and the latter is a much easier read.

 

[AIDY]

The 2 books which we use in the boatbuilding school are Boatbuilding Manual 5th Ed by Robert Steward and Wooden Boatbuilding by Jean-Francois Garry. The former is very detailed and the latter is a much easier read.

interesting thread... been looking for books on building a clinker today... would the second book be ideal.. for someone who wants to learn and build a clinker.. and to show what’s actually involved...

 

[Hacker]

It’s a general book on wooden boat building with lots of coloured pictures and drawings. For someone relatively new to building it‘s an ideal book as it covers all aspects including hull, deck, spars, rigging and sails. Obviously most of these subjects are common to carvel and clinker (and ply, strip plank, etc). The first book gives much more detail but is a harder read IMO.

 

[AIDY]

Thank you

 

[sewgadgets314]

Thank you.

 

[DownWest]

I found the Leather book interesting but lacking illustration.

Just had a look at my copy. First time for many years. Bought it on Lisbon according to the sticker, in around 1980. There are plenty of illustrations and some photos. If I wanted to build a classic clinker, there is enough there to guide me.
One of the hurdles to clinker is finding good planking stock. Ply is easy, real wood, less so. Locally I can get good Doug fir and maranti, along with decent ply. But stock for clinker, no.
Having said that, a local friend is fashioning some oars out of some nice 'pine'. Quite heavy compared with stuff I can find. They are for the local 'old rigs' group, who have a collection of oyster boats and inshore fishing craft, all built on trad lines, some quite old.

 

[Babylon]

You're right about the Leather book actually. I've been re-reading my copy and it is in fact more than illustrated enough.