'Leaf of Bristol' out for a sail!

Here's a pic. of Leaf of Bristol out for a sail in Bristol docks. Despite her long keel and 5 ton displacement, her junk rig is so handy that she's easily managed within the confines of the harbour - great fun!

'Leaf of Bristol' launched!

The 25' ocean going yacht we've been building (previously known as Cubbage Wood) has been successfully launched in Bristol's Historic floating harbour. A good crowd was there for the naming party - her owner Tim Start, kept the name a secret until the very last moment, and the Bristol Ambling Band  were the perfect accompaniment to a very jolly day.

We are thrilled with her performance, both under sail and with her solar electric auxiliary. Best wishes to Tim and Louise, may they have many happy voyages in the 'Leaf'!

Steerage!

Cubbage Wood got her rudder hung today. Beefy bronze hangings were cast at Bristol Foundry to our patterns. The blade and tiller are oak. A boat always feels much more alive when the rudder goes on...


Cubbage Wood Update

Clearly time I updated the news on Cubbage Wood. To re-cap she's a 25' 5 ton Junk rigged sloop. Her owner and I selected, felled and planked trees from his own wood. That timber is now boat!

We've made the sail  - a whopping great 400 sqft. I think it will look great set on her beautiful douglas fir mast.

Since completion of the planking, her deck has been laid over grown oak framework, oak cabinsides and sole fitted and single length toerails and caps, also in lovely figured oak. She's also been painted a really lovely shade of green.


Boojum sails again

One of the bigger jobs we undertook last year was the restoration of Boojum - an Edwardian gaff cutter, built by W. Thomas in Falmouth over 100 years ago. We replaced the deck after making good the deck frame, then went on to refurbish the deck furniture, build and commission an entire new rig and dozens of other jobs that had accrued over the last century or so. Nine months of solid work for Ostins, Ben, John and Mel, with Dennis and Jay on the rigging. She sailed for her new home in the channel islands early this year, during a lucky weather window.


Cubbage Wood planked up and fitting out

What a whirlwind 2013 was! We worked flat out right till the end.
In the midst of all the other jobs that were going on, from canoes to big gaff cutters, Cubbage Wood was planked and is now being fitted out for a mid summer launch. More of the fittout when the sun comes out and we get some better pictures!

Teak decks

Another of the big jobs for this spring was the complete replacement of the teak deck on this large Sparkman and Stephens designed Dufour yacht. Stones Marine Timber sourced quarter sawn teak of a quality rarely seen these days - a joy to work with. It will wear and age beautifully. To discuss teak deck replacement, call Tim 07795 - 118651



Successful launch for Gartside yawl

All the many elements of this yawl came together in early April when she was launched - initially in Bristol then 'Officially'  in Salcombe, her new home. She looks great and sails beautifully - what more needs be said!


Gartside yawl well underway

The year has started briskly with another new build on the stocks. This lovely 17' yawl is from the pen of Paul Gartside and features in the latest edition of Watercraft magazine http://watercraft-magazine.com/wc_one.html Paul has written an evocative essay on the thinking behind the design, following a subtle, but comprehensive brief from her owner.

The light clinker planking has been tricky to say the least, but what a shape! This looks like being a very slippery boat. Dan Johnson has made a beautiful job of the spars, rudder and centreboard and so much more.

Next will follow the deck..

New boat framed up

We managed to get Cubbage Wood framed before Christmas. There were 98 oak frames which all bent in beautifully - the reward for decent oak. This project can now proceed more slowly whilst the planking stock seasons and we get started on the next project...

Moulds and transom in place

Last week we attached the transom and sat the moulds on the keel. She's starting to look like a boat now. This week, we'll hopefully begin steam bending the oak ribs. Sockets have been cut into the centreline for the heels of 100 frames.

Centreline stood up

Once all the large backbone parts are cut, they can be bolted together. The stem, sternpost and knees are all tennoned into the wood keel, then bolted with high tensile bronze bolts. This photo taken at night shows the backbone assembled for the first time.

Cutting Cubbage wood centreline

The first job now the timber has arrived is to cut out the centreline components. Stem, keel, sternpost, deadwoods and knees. Here, Dan is chiseling the stem rabbet from some lovely oak.

Wooden Bikes 2

Here's a different shot of the first of our wooden bikes - a bit like a wooden boat, this thing feels alive!

Wooden Bikes

We've been discussing the idea of producing handbuilt wooden bikes for a while and the time came to actually build one. The result is astonishing! The first one is a compact single speed roadbike made of ash with a purpleheart centre stripe. It weighs in at 19.5 lbs and goes like a rocket. The ride is like nothing else - stiff, yet somehow compliant with none of the buzz you get from carbon fibre. The next stage will be to adapt the process so we can build them to order. More photos to follow...

Casting the keel

Whilst the timber was being milled, Tim Start nipped off and purchased 2.25 tons of scrap lead which was then delivered. The following day we loaded this into a fabricated steel mould and lit a fire underneath. Slowly we melted just over 2 tons into the shape of the boats ballast keel. Hot and heavy work, but a satisfying result!

Cubbage wood - timber milling

What an exciting day! Martyn Jones came down from Oswestry with his brand new Serra Bavaria sawmill. A totally amazing piece of kit and Martyn and his wife are very much a 'can do' team. We managed to mill all the timber we had felled in one long day. Our hopes that the trees we picked would be good were born out with some of the nicest oak I've ever seen.

Cubbage transom

I got the transom for our 25' ocean cruiser cut out from nice air dried oak. The rest of the timber will be milled soon.

Cubbage Wood - harvesting timber

One of the most exciting aspects of this project has been selecting and felling all the boats timbers from a woodland recently aquired by her owner, We selected some superb oaks and larch, soon to be milled on site. Follow this link for a you tube clip of felling a large oak keel timber.

Cubbage Wood lofting

We've taken the lines from our simple half model and faired them up full size on the loft floor. Templates and moulds are stacked awaiting timber....