new Broads yacht, from Scuttlebutteurope

[Thad]

A BROADS TRADITION
Sailing enthusiasts turned out in force at the weekend to celebrate
the launch of the first traditional wooden Norfolk Broads yacht to
take to the water in nearly 60 years.

The 29ft Lucent, which is built from mahogany planks, fixed by copper
rivets to steamed oak frames, has been created almost exactly to the
lines of her sister ships Luna, Lustre and Lullaby, which were
launched between 1932 and 1933.

The Hunter's Yard hire fleet attracts thousands of customers who shun
fibreglass hulls, luxury galleys and swish showers to experience a
more spartan, 1930s-style sailing holiday.

The four-berth boats have no engines, but they are fast and easily
helmed, relying on sail power alone. Their cabins are lit by oil
lamps, the galley is a gas cooker and sink unit in the cockpit and
the lavatories are tiny. They have hardly changed since they were
first launched from their base on the river Thurne.

Graham Cooper, 60, the yard's chief boat builder, led a team of
craftsmen on the six-year project.

He said: "It took much longer than we envisaged, but we had to spend
half an hour here and half an hour there, while devoting most of our
time to looking after the rest of the fleet."

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

Pictures Please?

Their Website

That place is a real joy to visit.

[Jay Greer]

My kind of boats!
JG

[Canoeyawl]

The lifting cabin top is interesting; I wonder how that is done?

[John Meachen]

The usual scheme for a lifting cabin top on Broads boats is to use hinges on the forward edge.The cabin top and the sides are linked by a fabric panel which is tesioned by pivoted struts locking the top in the raised position.Not a solution that can be used everywhere as the structure is not too robust.As there is nowhere on the Broads more than 500 yards from the bank,its not too great a concern.The project was very much something to be fitted in at odd times,as the report stated.I used to know a boatbuilder that built a similar boat in just over six weeks with one other man.He enjoyed the shocked look on the faces of people hearing that they had been six weeks of 120 working hours.

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

Here's a still from "Swallows and Amazons For Ever!" showing the Lullaby masquerading as Teasel, with the pop-top raised.

(Sorry, the link doesn't want to work directly -- you need to click on it.)

Mike

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

I've met two different lift-roof types on the broads.
The first was like a 1960s volkswegan camper van, side hinged with a canvas panel - proped/tensioned with two wooden struts. this worked well and was easy to use.

The second was on a brand spanking new 37ft graff rigged cruiser where the entire cabin top lifted on four spring-assisted telescopic legs each of which could be locked with a pin. Deploying this contraption meant unshipping the boom (23ft) and moving it to a sort of spare gooseneck before lifting the lid, against the tension of the new canvas... and inserting the four pins - the roof needed to remain dead level throughout the lift or it would stick and......
Possibly the worst piece of mechanical engineering it has ever been my misfortune to meet.

But a great boat and a wonderful holiday.