first clinker rowing shell in 30 years...

.... just completed in the UK and awaiting delivery. It's technically a
whiff (without canvases). It was built by a team of Oxford boatmen (7 or
under the guidance of a man who built one of the last clinker boats back in
the early 70's. The guy who delivered the boat (among others, see below)
complained that they were working on 'McDonalds' wages as it was the
prototype.

It's traditional clinker construction - bronze rivets through solid (~1/4"
at a guess, I didn't put a measure on it as I wasn't allowed that close in
case I damaged it, this is a pristine boat) planking stock. Saxboards are a
pale wood (forgot to ask what, don't have the knowledge to be able to say on
sight), the main body of the boat of a deeper wood, presumably mahogany.
Framing of the same pale wood as the sax boards. I took some pictures which
I'll stick up when the film is developed. Altogether a very tidy boat,
although it was possible to spot one or two minor mistakes if one was a
pedant.

A brand new lightweight shell was also delivered (pictures pending) and a
rather attractive clinker pram dinghy of probably six feet (possibly seven).
Again, solid timber throughout, beautifully finished in varnish (by the
smell I would guess all the boats were done with International, which is the
varnish of choice among the top boatman in the UK I am told). I was lead to
believe that it may have been between 5 and ten years old but it showed only
the evidence of the very lightest use except in one corner where the gunwale
was delaminating slightly. I was slightly gutted to be informed that it had
been on the market for around £200, which, although I have nowhere to put
it, few opportunities to use it, and that it is totally impractical for
anything I would want, I would have been more than prepared to pay out.
Sadly it is spoken for to go on a wall of some restaurant with a pair of
very attractive custom oars, a tragedy in some respects (although it is
likely to be reclaimed and reused such is it's quality) although probably
better than letting some rip like me get their hands on it. I would have
preferred to have seen a dagger or centreboard case set into the thwart and
provision made for a lug sail, but it was clearly designed as a tender and
fitted out as such. There's no allowing for some tastes.

Over the past few weeks I have been engaged in work on 16 or so rowing boats
to go on the same delivery. As the work was more or less completed today
and there was good sunshine I have taken pictures of the finished product
which I will stick up when the film is developed. the sight of some 15
shells stacked up awaiting a container for the US is quite some sight and I
feel priveledged not only to have seen it, but also to have been heavily
involved in it's creation (which has absorbed around 200 man hours). Names
which will probably mean little to you, but a great deal to me (and probably
anybody else involved in rowing) include Donerattico (apologies for
spelling) George Sims, Roland Sims and I think one other Sims whose name
escapes me. A sadly beaten up Cambridge Racing Shells boat has been heavily
patched up, still looks sorry, but also quite some boat on the pile. Pride
of place I feel, is shared between an exquisite Donerattico coxless four,
and a tired and tatty clinker pair which is every bit as attractive in its
own way as the extreme racing form of the Donerattico.

Sometime within the next couple of weeks (I hope) I'll get these photos
developed and scanned and I'll go into a little more detail where I can for
anyone who is interested (which should be anyone with an eye for an
attractive boat).

Anybody living in the states in the next few months, if you walk into a
restaurant or similar and see a rowing boat stuck to the wall then it may
just be one of mine... (if you do, try and remember the name if there is
one, any distinguishing details, and most tellingly, how much varnishing was
missed).

I hope all this drivel was of interest to more than just me.

Al