South Coast Home Built Boat Regatta |
By Chris Partridge - West
Sussex - United Kingdom |
Chichester Harbour
on the south coast of England is a lovely place on
a sunny June day. Of course, when we gathered there
for the Home Built Boat Regatta it rained.
The main event was
scheduled for Saturday afternoon at Cobnor, a house
and estate at the heart of the harbour which operates
a slipway, activity centres for kids, and a camp site.
The plan was to enable everyone to get down for to
sail on the evening tide. Next morning, we would get
out on the morning tide, if anyone felt fit enough
at 0640.
If
you have Google Earth, Click
HERE to view
Cobnor. If not
click the icon at right for more
info about Google Earth |
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First to arrive was
Phil Oxborrow with his Selway-Fisher Prospector canoe
Tonawanda, who, being English, instantly sheltered
under it and brewed tea.
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First to arrive
was Phil Oxborrow with his Selway-Fisher Prospector
canoe Tonawanda, who, being English, instantly
sheltered under it and brewed tea. |
After a nasty thunderstorm
at lunchtime, conditions settled into a gusty, grey
and damp afternoon.
The breeze blew in
two unusual boats. I would like to report that they
voyaged from exotic far-flung ports but they actually
came from Dell Quay (three miles) and Hayling Island
(six miles).
The breeze blew
in two unusual boats; Titwillow and the Paradox,
Little Jim. |
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To the left is Titwillow,
a pocket gaffer designed and built by Chris Waite.
He says it is a half-size trial, to put his ideas
to the test before embarking on construction of the
big boat he really wants, but it works so well he
may stick with it as it is. She is certainly a looker,
with her swooping sheer line, and the raised coaming
round the cockpit keeps the crew dry.
Alistair Law arrived
in his Paradox, Little Jim (right), named after a
character in the Goon Show who wailed ‘I’ve
fallen in the water!” after a huge splash. Of
course, falling in the water is not a problem for
Alistair, secure in the closed cockpit of the Paradox
– you can find out how it works on his excellent
website at www.little.jim.freeuk.com.
A maiden voyage always
makes a meeting memorable, and Mike Wooldridge and
family launched his Northumbrian Coble for the first
time. Designed by Selway-Fisher, the as-yet unnamed
boat is amazingly spacious for its 15ft and Mike has
made a superb job of it. Despite the absence of the
unfinished mizzen, the boat sailed majestically under
its gaff main. Mike had a smile a yard wide.
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Mike Wooldridge
and family launched his Northumbrian Coble for
the first time. |
Mike had a smile
a yard wide. |
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The other show-stopper
was Chris Perkins’ Scotch Mist, a MacGregor
canoe designed by Iain Oughtred that had just won
first prize in Water Craft’s boat building competition
at the Thames Beale Park Boat Show a few weeks earlier.
Scotch Mist is an
object of beauty and awe, varnished overall, but Chris
had no hesitation in slinging her in the water and
using her as nature intended.
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Chris Perkins’
Scotch Mist, a MacGregor canoe designed by Iain
Oughtred. |
Graham Neil was another
builder of a specially lovely boat, the Oughtred Whilly
Tern Caitlin, who braved the dangers of the harbour
mud. Chris Perkins took this photo.
Graham Neil was
the builder of the Oughtred Whilly Tern Caitlin. |
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Peter Nobes and his
daughter Lata arrived with his Waterman canoe Serafina
and her Ranger canoe that she built herself (though
Dad did the epoxy bits). Two boats meant the whole
family had fun, with the kids taking turns in the
small boat. [Pic 7]
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Peter Nobes
and his daughter Lata with his Waterman canoe
Serafina and her Ranger canoe. |
Phil Oxborrow kindly
lent me the jib from his restored Mirror dinghy to
see if it would improve windward performance of my
Conrad Natzio designed Sandpiper Nessy. It certainly
put on speed, as Chris Perkins’ picture shows,
but mainly sideways…
My Conrad Natzio
designed Sandpiper Nessy. |
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