Where are the wooden boats?

[DoubleEnder]

Had a fabulous week at the British Classic Yacht Club regatta, though we failed to win anything. But it’s lovely to be in a fleet of 50+ wooden sailing boats. And a rare privilege. Some of them are the modern Spirit Yachts, but most are of various 19th and 20th century vintages. My boat is now in Haslar Marina and en route back to the East Coast soon. There were a couple of wooden masts to be seen in Haslar, possibly other regatta participants, not sure.

But I was wondering, are there places in the UK where wooden yachts are more ‘concentrated’ than elsewhere? In and around the Thames Estuary there is a good number of Thames barges, smacks and similar working craft. Also quite a few boats with E Coast origins like Stella, Deben 4 tonners and Maurice Griffiths designs and similar. Are there other places with ‘clusters’ like this?

I believe that there are similar areas in the NE United States for example, but I also think quite a lot of the boats there are fairly recently built. I think this is great! I wish it was happening here too. Then there are the big gatherings of fabulous $$$ yachts in the S of France and in Italy around Argentario etc I guess.

I’m wandering. What about Cornwall, Devon, the Clyde? What’s it like there?

 

[Seashoreman]

Yes, here in Aldeburgh on the River Alde there are two boatbuilding companies. Nothing too grand but they make fine wooden boats. I don't know all the names as I am a heathen who sails GRP (mainly for the lack of maintenance time). But there be Dragons here, and Loch Longs and Lapwings and restoration jobs and new beach fishing boats.
I raced in the Panerai British Classics with Peter Wilson this time last year. He has minor keel probs so didn't partake this year ( Peter is also 80yrs old now). His boat is a Malar 30 (30sq metre).
There are many Classics Fans in this part of the world, Eight Metre Class seems to have many fans. But as I said, I am a little ignorant of the ins and outs of it all. Suggest you catch Wilson in the Hart and buy him a pint or two.

 

[TQA]

If you are in the Eastern Caribbean visit Carriacou.

There in the village called Windward you can still see wooden boats being built and repaired. Some are rich men's whims but many are roomy motor sailors destined to trade up and down the island chain. The boat builders craft almost died out but a new build of a Carriacou 'deck' sloop triggered a renaissance. Now you can see keels bing laid on sandy beaches and frames being lofted by eye with the builder searching through his stock of bent tree limbs for a match.

If you come across a film called Vanishing Sail watch it

.View attachment 72248

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

In Canet, South of France, there's a half mile section in the upper part of the marina used solely for mooring 'classic' wooden boats, some of them quite old but all in first class condition, maybe 50/60 boats, some of them very old traditional sailing working boats. They get a very cheap rate.

 

[Amulet]

There are a few photos of wooden boats here: https://flic.kr/s/aHskh6bx2q

(actually about 500)

 

[debenriver]

Here in Rockland, Maine and the surrounding harbours, coastline and islands there are many many wooden boats. A large fleet of two- and three-masted schooners sailing out of Rockland, Rockport and Camden; Friendship sloops, Caledonia yawls, plenty of Herseshoff designs (old and new) and many yards large and small building wooden boats – both traditional and modern wood/epoxy – from super yachts to small day sailers and row boats.

 

[Javelin]

Should be plenty at the Hamble Classic regatta in September hopefully where I'll be sailing on Lady of Hamford.
Decided not to do the Panerai this year as to be honest we found it a bit cliquey in the previous years.

We see a lot of wooden boats mainly because half our workforce concentrates on restorations of such craft although in truth the majority are Motor vessels from the late 30's into the 40's and early 50's.
That said we have 4 classic wooden sailing yachts at the yard at the moment and 3 others that we maintain each year.

We recently attended the Henley Classic boat show, which was obviously dominated by motor vessels including 5 that we have restored.
There is certainly a great deal of interest in that sector, so much so that owners are looking much further afield to secure yards with the skills to look after their boats.

On the new side we are considering a proposal to build a new 40' boat from epoxy / strip ceder planking.
Building new is not as straight forward as rebuilding due to the new build regulations so we had lots of hoops to jump through.

 

[Flynnbarr]

Javelin...was the Saunders-Roe on the trailer one of yours?...beautiful

 

[Javelin]

Yes that was Magyar, 1939.
We were going to sail her down but ran out of time to get her commissioned in time.
The restoration has taken around 3500 man hours so far but she's just about finished.
Having been in the shed for so long she'll probably take a fair while to take up which in turn will ruin the quick spray job we did but that's all to be expected.
See www.Classiccruising.co.uk

We restored her sister ship "Gralian" (1938) five years ago and she's sailed over 20,000 mikes since then, from round Britain to the North Baltic and then South all the way to Turkey!
Who says old boats don't go anywhere ?

 

[doug748]

Speaking of France, there was a cluster in Port Louis, Lorient a few years ago, I don't know if they were visiting or resident:

DSCF0409 by OldGoriot

There is a lively scene in the South West where traditional luggers are popular, with new builds and rebuilds around the Fal and Tamar. Gig building is alive and well, and the racing is still very big. Salcombe Yawls, Troys, Sunbeams etc seem as popular as ever.