Tammy Norrie Beth

Our thanks for bringing this boat to our attention go to Robert Ditterich, who featured her on this Page Three Boat Blog.

Thanks also to builder Paul who describes the thinking process behind the boat and building of "Beth" the yawl rigged sail boat - on his blog Licensed 2 Tinker, as well as sending us these great photos.

Beth is a 15.5ft sailing boat designed by Iain Oughtred. She was launched in 2007 after a two year build. Iain Oughtreds original "Tammie Norrie" design was a 13.5ft boat with the option of a lug yawl or sloop rig. Paul scaled the boat up 10% from the original design and changed the rig to a gaff yawl instead of lug sail. Paul was also keen on a boat which was small and light enough to row home when the afternoon wind fails.




Iain Oughtred designed Tammie Norrie as an open boat with a yawl rigged lugsail. Paul wasn’t keen on the lugsail and he knew Iain had another, bigger, design for a gaff rigged yawl. Iain was also working on a version of the Tammie Norrie design that had been scaled up 10%, so Paul went ahead and bought the Tammie Norrie plans and then proceeded to scale them up 10% and modify the mainsail to a gaff himself.

In addition to the technical challenges involved in scaling up the design Paul had to test recoverability after capsize and deal with ballasting the larger boat. Whatever the challenges they were well worth it, Beth looks fantastic.

Itchen Ferry

Up until the 1970s there was a ferry crossing connecting Southampton to Woolston over the Itchen river, the small village on the banks of the river became known as Itchen Ferry as did the inshore fishing boats which were built there in the later 19th century and fished the waters of the Solent.

Typically transom stern gaff cutters of around 20 feet, characterised by a broad beam as much as eight feet. Despite their beam the boats had fair lines and were known for their speed and the ability to run straight in difficult sea conditions.

Several local boat builders were making this type of fishing boat around the 1850s and 1860s but perhaps the most famous was Dan Hatcher of which SU120 Wonder is a surviving example of his work.

Several other builders including Luke, Alfred Payne, Stockham & Pickett and Fays built boats of the type which probably more correctly should be called Solent Fishing Cutters.

A good few other examples survive to this day, although recognisable as an Itchen Ferry, this grey boat was spotted a long way from her home waters, in the east coast town of Woodbridge.

BETH Sailing Canoe

Robert Hoffman in Poland is a 1001 Boats follower and having read his own blog I asked if we could feature his delightful Sailing Canoe "Beth".



Designed by Michael Storer


Robert tells the story as follows, "Even before 2000, my brother found on the internet an interesting and simple in construction, sailing canoe modeled on traditional sailing canoes from 1870, American sharpies and famous American boat designer Phil Bolgers influences. A boat so pleased him that soon he made contact with the Australian designer Michael Storer and bought the plans. He was going to build it, but life turned out differently. Ever since my brother showed me BETHs building plans, she liked at first sight to me also - with its elegance and simplicity, as well as the expected features of the sailing.



A few years later my brother gave me BETHs plans to build. In April 2009, build began my sailing canoe in my tiny garage. The whole time I was by Internet in contact with Michael Storer, who on his forum and private gave me some useful advices. The boat was a really inexpensive and simple to build. Building was possible singlehanded and using a very modest set of tools. After several months, just before the onset of cold weather definitive construction was interrupted for the winter, and then resumed in April 2010.



My BETH Sailing canoe was launched May 28, 2010 in Gdansk (Gorki Zachodnie), where it took part in the Raid Poland 2010. She obtained the name "YuanFen" (Chinese - a force that brings people together) but the variable and uncertain weather and the experience and common sense meant that BETH “YuanFen” did not emerge over the Gulf of Gdansk.

From June 2010 to the end of August Ihave tested it on a little lake (Jezioro Dziekanowskie) near my house. She proved a fast boat and pleasant sailing. Is the boat for the experienced sailor, but the hull is relatively more stable than the other canoe hulls. She is easy to maneuver on land it singlehanded and easy for trailering and roofracking. She draws attention to its characteristic appearance and speed - she is the attraction of the waters which she will be on.

I am grateful to the designer Michael Strorer for such a beautiful design and for his advice and comments, which I gladly gave during construction, as well as my brother, for showing me BETH and transmission plans, including the right to build her.

I have serious plans to continue to use my sailing canoe BETH "YuanFen" - I intend to test it to a larger water body, and prepare for the trip (in 2012) from the Poland to Danish island Bornholm - about 70 nm open Baltic Sea. This requires preparation and common sense - good and stable weather is essential. I believe this is possible, but always keep in mind that this is just a tiny canoe."



Beth has a delightful simplicity and elegance, a perfect boat for getting out and enjoying being on the water, equally as many intrepid Victorian sailors were to demonstrate these small craft can make remarkable voyages. We look forward to hearing more on Roberts open water voyage on the Baltic.

Alert

Another fantastic boat built by Will Sterling and his team down in Tavistock the West country lugger Alert.

Will explains "Alert is a Westcountry Smuggling lugger of circa 1835. At 15 tons she was our first heavy displacement new build. She was drawn after a part time MA in Maritime History at Exeter University during which the principal area of study was the design and construction of Revenue Cutters between 1770 and 1850".



Wills initial interest in maritime history came through Admiral Sir Robert Barlow of Plymouth, a very great Grandfather, who during his early naval career ccampaigned against the Westcountry smugglers with success. His daughter married William Nelson, Horatios elder brother.



Alert sailed on her maiden voyage to Iceland with Will and crew before returning to Plymouth where she is moored having been sold to a local man. The Alert build received an award from the South West Maritime History Society for exceptional boatbuilding and research.