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....

New boats - from tree to sea

We've got a nice crop of new boats to start this autumn. First up is a unique junk rigged ocean cruiser. At 25' LOA and 5 tons displacement, she's a robust little boat from the 'Old school', but with significantly more beam than was normal pre. 1960's. For now we'll call her Cubbage Wood after the beautiful Shropshire woodland from which her owner will supply all her timbers.

Dormouse complete


Dormouse's fittout is now complete and David, her owner will take over before she takes to the water in April. I can't wait to see how she sails!

Yuloh or Ro


What on earth is this object? Well, it's a Japanese sculling oar called a Ro (or yuloh in China). Reputedly highly efficient, this one will be auxilliary propulsion for a 30' yacht. With the high price of diesel we all should have one....

Dormouse timbered out



With the planking complete, it's time for the bent oak timbers. They are nailed up hot after steaming in batches of four - warm work in this chilly weather.

Dormouse planking begins



The firs planks (garboards) have now been fitted and the building moulds set up on the keel. Here the second run of planking is being rivetted in place. Although the aft section of this dinghy is an easy shape, the full bow is very chalenging to plank!

Dormouse centreline constructed








This is the backbone for the West Mersea One design, Dormouse. The keel is Opepe, 3 1/2 inches wide in the middle and tapered to 1 1/2 inches at the ends. The jarah apron is bronze bolted over the hog and the centreboard case installed (pictured are the through rivetted headledges). An oak sternpost is halflapped and rivetted to the keel and supports the transom.

Dormouse - West Mersea 10 footer



This latest build will be a lot of fun! 'Dormouse' is based on the C. 1916 Herbert Reiach design that became the West Mersea One design dinghy. She has considerable beam and a practical gunter rig and centreboard. Watch her progress over the next few weeks.

Dinghies



The first 'Little Meg' dinghy is now with her new owners in Gloucestershire. The design worked really well and we will be building others as soon as a gap in the schedule appears.