Calling on UK trad boats people - what design is this?

[seb]

I've bought this boat few months ago. Don't ask me why - initially was one of those liveaboard intentions, but now I have no idea whatsoever what I've got myself into. All I know is that everytime I reach the conclusion that the most sane thing to do is to strip all the equipment off, and to burn the rest down, 'cause there is no point in messing about with a half rotten boat, I go to the boatyard, look straight from under the bow, and see all those larch planks ondulating down and aft, and it breaks my heart. I just can't do it.

Anyway, I'm trying to find out exactly what kind of a boat is it. Although it was built recently (1991) to be a motorsailer, it is suppposed to be based on a traditional boat design. It was built in Whitby, Yorkshire, UK, on the lines of local boats. However, larch on oak planking, clinker copper rivets fastened reminds me more, somehow, of Scottish fishing boats. It has sawn oak frames. It is 30 feet long, and 11 feet beam (at least the papers say so, I din't measure it myself yet). It has quite a bellyfull. Anybody any ideas as to what this kind of boat (well, at least the hull shape) is called? Is it really a traditional British fishing hull (shape)? Won't make any references to the rig, as I know this has been setup and adapted after the fitting of the boat, by somebody else than the original builder.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid112/p091b86f606333785c0a93ec72e0986e2/f90953c4.jpg
Profile

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid112/p1eb754ac8df929561ec3d68db631f362/f90953c8.jpg
Fore Starboard side

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid112/pefee61e38b579f9f57061155a89588eb/f90953c7.jpg
Port side, halt way through the first stain.

It is not really apparent from the pictures (I don't know why), but when standing straight in front of the bow, the boat seems much beamier than when you look from profile).

[ 04-12-2004, 06:19 PM: Message edited by: seb ]

[brian.cunningham]

fixed your pictures
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid112/p091b86f606333785c0a93ec72e0986e2/f90953c4.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid112/pefee61e38b579f9f57061155a89588eb/f90953c7.jpg

Neat boat BTW

[ 04-12-2004, 06:11 PM: Message edited by: brian.cunningham ]

[seb]

Also, I've had a (short) telephone conversation with the builder, and he said that he didn't use any plans to build it. I thought that is quite something - to turn out a creature like this with no modern maths and gizmos! Now that's a skill that would be worth learning! He said that it was built on the lines of the local fishing boats, but didn't say any name of an actual boat design (fifie, scaffie, cobble, smack etc. etc.).

[seb]

Thanks Brian

[ 04-12-2004, 06:20 PM: Message edited by: seb ]

[Paul Brooks]

Hi Seb

Looks like a Whitby built boat to me. Although the Yorkshire Coble has an odd stern (somewhat concave) there was a builder in Whitby called the Whitehall Shipyard that built 21ft and 25ft motorsailers that looked very similar to your boat (excluding the dog house / superstructure). The design was called "Luke Fox". Beamy and heavy - good in bad weather but never designed to sail. My father has one and we had many enjoyable cruises.

Quite what the Luke Fox design was based on, I don't know, but I seem to recall them saying it was a "development" of the Whitby coble. Somehow I doubt they had any drawings either as they were a somewhat disorganised bunch. I think there were only about 25 - 30 Luke Foxes built - most at 21ft. They went out of business in the early - mid 1970's I think. Useless, but possibly interesting fact(?). The shipyard was owned by one Keith Schellenberg, later to become the owner of the Isle of Eigg.

Good luck with the restoration by the way. Depending on where you are in the country, there are a few people around who could help
Best regards

[Dale R. Hamilton]

So Seb, say you've got a half rotten boat- and your varnishing her?? Wait one- you've got your priorities screwed up. Usually we fix the hull- starting from the frames, and proceding out to the planking. And whats that "undulating larch" all about? Need refastening?? We're used to pictures AND the complete story here on this forum. Please supply the details.

Dale

[Barry Pearson]

From Barry
I own the 25ft Luke Fox "Kipper" She spent all her life in Whitby on a drying berth in the outer habour. I have relocated her in the far north west of Scotland, the most beautiful sailing area in the UK. She is clinker built Mahogany planks on sawn Oak frames the
Gaff cutter rigged with tan sails. A very strong boat built by the same boatyard that made Witby Cobles, she has a clipper bow and tumblehome aft, with two sampson posts port and starboard all after the fashion of the Cobles. She was built around 1970 and although most Luke foxes were 21ft long , the Kipper is 25ft and with bowsprit she is 30ft OA. Three births in one cabin flushing heads brass portholes , baggy wrinkle on the lazy jacks. In all a proper little traditional boat. A 20hp Bukh twin deisel Danish, sits in the large open are aft I have tiller steering. I need about 20nkts of wind to move her at all and there si nothing better she likes than a run off the wind of 30nkts, when she will reach 7nkts, mostly though I potter along at 4-5knts and never attempt to head the wind.
She is a beatiful boat ans looking as good as new, will post pic soon. Do not give up on the restoration.

[Barry Pearson]

The boat you describe that is 30ft long is probably Scoresby. Both boats are named after Whaling captains. The Whitehall shipyard, just befor closing, built by these pleasure boats at a period when the fishing was declining, though the yard closed soon afterwards. I understand one of the Luke Foxes was taking down to the London boat show in an attempt to win orders.