Oughtred Articles - Duck Flat Wooden Boats

NEVER MIND
THE QUALITY,
FEEL THE WIDTH
Three Iain Oughtred designs of much
the same length and profile but each
with a different beam...
14
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It's funny how the memory of seeing the colour drain from
someone's face doesn't leave you and obviously Chez
remembers it as well - because he's still looking a little
pasty when we meet again at Keyhaven Sailing Club. It was
11 years ago when he nearly keeled over after a particularly
hairy boat test in this little harbour. The wind was gusting
from all directions and I had just narrowly missed crashing the
brand new test boat into a large moored object, while Chez
stood beside the rather anxious owner on the beach. Then to
cap it all, back on shore I took off my foul weather gear and
revealed that I was 7 months pregnant. At that point he did
turn a rather alarming shade of white….
So here we are again, all those years later; he's still looking
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...Brian Pearson invited Alice Driscoll
to ‘compare and contrast.’
With photographs by Peter Chesworth
quite pale – I learned later that he'd spent the night locally
with some good friends; that might explain something – and
I've now got the bump standing beside me as a keen crew with
her younger brother who's throwing stones into the water.
Aware that I've got three boats to test, two children on hand,
and one report to write, I've also invited a non-sailing but keen
to have a go friend along for the day.
Having put off this test for several months because the
weather had been so appalling all summer, we are blessed with
a beautiful sunny day and a light breeze. It's great to see how
appealing Keyhaven looks in this light: the little beach is the
perfect place to line up the boats and the sailing club offers
perfect hospitality through member Brian Pearson.
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Brian has been the driving force in getting us all together,
and it's nice to meet someone who gets such genuine
enjoyment from Iain Oughtred’s range of traditionally-inspired
boats. Brian has set me a challenge: there are three similarlysized
boats between 13'6” and 15'1” (4.1-4.6m) but with
significantly different beams. The Acorn 15 represents “Oar &
Sail” with her 3’10 ½” (1.18m). The Tammie Norrie reverses the
priorities; she’s “Sail & Oar”with a beam of 4'5 ½” (1.36m). The
Gannet is pure “Sail” with a beam of 5'8” (1.73m). My task is
to sail all three boats and demonstrate their dfferences. The
reason, he explains, is that all too often a boat buyer will fix
on the desired length of boat but until one sails in a variety of
different boats, it's easy to underestimate the difference the
boat’s width and hull form makes to the stability, performance
and practical use of the craft.
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Acorn 15 Skiff
Length: 15'1” (4.58m)
Beam: 3’10 1/2” (1.18m)
Weight: 130lbs (60kg)
Sail area: 60 sq ft (5.57m 2 )
Oar & Sail
I am immediately struck by how different each boat looks.
Iain Oughtred has a huge stable of beautiful dayboats – not
forgetting canoes and cruisers – to choose from and it's
lovely to see three very different designs all together here
at Keyhaven. First there's the slimline Acorn 15. Owned by
Richard Collinson, this beautiful light cream hulled clinker
plywood boat was professionally built by George Hoad and
she's elegant in every aspect, from her stunning finish to
the hand-crafted oars. Richard explains that his great love is
rowing, so he primarily wanted a rowing skiff but decided for
flexibility that a sail would also be useful. Richard’s Acorn is
kitted out with a balanced lug sail which transforms her from
classic rowing skiff to classic sailing boat.
The mast is easy to erect, and even easier to remove and
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Facing & above: Slack bilges on an already narrow beam make
the Acorn 15 a delight to row but she can also set an auxiliary lug
or spritsail sin the right conditions.
stow in the boat; which Richard demonstrates on the water
when the dwindling wind makes it quicker for him to row up to
Hurst Castle as we sail the other boats there. As a keen rower,
Richard has had this boat equipped with everything he needs,
including a proper foot rest, rowlocks and even a sculling oar.
There are many little touches to enhance her beauty, including
a superb wood-inlay compass rose on the aft thwart. Weighing
an estimated 130 lbs (60 kg), this charming skiff not only looks
beautiful but even I can manage a passable attempt at rowing
her in a little preliminary outing.
Sail & Oar
With only 7” (175mm) more beam yet looking an entirely
different boat, the Tammie Norrie belongs to Edward, Brian's
son. I get confused when he says that the boat was originally
built as a Grebe but later research on the very useful Classic
Marine website reveals Iain has a tendency to rename his boats
after he has made design changes over a period of time. This
13'6” (4.11m) boat, called Brown Sugar, fits the 'in-between'
slot: her narrow 4'5” (1.36m) beam means she can be rowed,
assisted by that very shapely wineglass transom, reminiscent
of the old Whitehalls in the USA. The added width ensures she
is more stable than a pure rower and there's room for two to
three adults; certainly one adult with two youngsters. Edward
enjoys sailing her with his girlfriend Judy and her daughter
Becky for weekend trips into the Solent. With a dying wind
or very strong ebb tide, a Honda 2hp outboard will push
her along back into the harbour. Edward even sails with the
outboard still mounted on the transom and can easily row
back upriver to the quay after an evening’s crabbing. “Neither
Judy or Becky can swim well but they both love to go out
in her as she's pretty stable and predictable. And as well as
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growing their confidence, the girls think she looks picture
perfect too,” said Edward.
He has her kitted out with a gunter rig, making her easily
recognisable to my daughter Libby who is used to rigging our
Enterprise. The mainsail is hauled up quickly using a single
halyard to the yard and jaws combined, Edward’s modification
to enable him to hoist the sail quickly. Brown Sugar is built
from 3 /8” (9mm) mahogany clinker ply, finished bright and
there are little details – such as the open inwale – which
add to her overall appearance. I take a momentary interest in
something which looks like it could be a Gin & Tonic dispenser
... but it turns out to be a bilge pump. There's plenty of room
to stow the oars and you can see that the side benches have
been extended forward to create more seating area. The
centreboard looks easy to adjust and the lifting rudder comes
complete with tiller extension. Up forward, there’s a small seat
and we discover this is a useful small passenger area – but
more about that later.
Tammie Norrie
Length: 13'6” (4.11m)
Beam: 4'5½” (1.36m)
Weight: 170 lbs (77kg)
Sail area: 84 sq ft (7.8m²)
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Above & below left: A little more beam and somewhat firmer
bilges allow the Tammie Norrie to carry a compact gunter rig.
Below right & facing page: A true sailing boat: though the
Gannet is only 7.5% longer than the Tammie Norrie, she is 22%
wider,which makes her able to carry 40% more sail area.
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Pure Sail
So finally it's the turn of the Gannet, which is Brian's own
boat, built by John Hall who is now in the process of building
Iain Oughtred’s 11’9” (9.58m) Shearwater. Brian is concerned
that some buyers of such traditional-style dayboats may be
put off by the fear that a planing boat is a little tricky to
handle. However, with the light winds we have today, I don't
think there's going to be too much danger of getting anything
up on the plane.
Emma is 14'5” (4.40m) long and the most beamy of the
three boats today at 5'8” (1.73m) wide. She looks a “big”
capable sea boat, with lots of room for the family. She
offers stability, responsiveness, speed and beauty in rare
combination. Built from ¼” (6mm) Robbins marine ply, she
has oak gunwales and an attractive light elm interior. The
bottom boards are pine, also adding to the light and open look.
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The foredeck is decked over one large buoyancy tank, with a
second tank aft. The forward tank can be used for stowage and
the comfortable looking side seats and thwarts make her ideal
as a family dayboat. It's noticeable that Brian is keen on the
racing side – I suspect there's some healthy competition with
his son – as he's tweaked the sheeting angles on the jib to get
her to point better upwind. The R&J sails look to set well on
the gunter rig and the Classic Marine ropes not only look the
part, they run easily and don't tear your hands to pieces.
Gannet
Length: 14'5” (4.4m)
Beam: 5'8” (1.73m)
Weight: 260 lbs (118 kg)
Sail area: 118 sq ft (10.96m 2 )
Afloat
With the three very different looking boats lined up on the
shore, the sun out and wind filling in, it's time for us to take
our pick and get out on the water. My youngest, William, has
never been very keen on sailing – something to do with me
capsizing him in the Enterprise when he was about five, I think
– but he's quick to have a go at being rowed in the Acorn.
However, once we put the sail up, he changes his mind and
decides he wants to stick with me. So I take both the children
www.watercraft-magazine.com 19

in the Gannet, as that looks and – I guess – handles most
like my Enterprise. Having got him into a boat – and we have
had trouble getting him on to a cross channel ferry since that
incident – I don't want to muck it up now. Helen, a complete
beginner, gets into the Tammie Norrie with Brian, leaving
Richard to sail his Acorn. Chez gets left behind and trudges off
to catch the ferry with the tourists down to Hurst Castle.
The Gannet is very stable as we set off. Libby, used to
crewing the Enterprise, is quick to remark on the lack of
jib cleats but soon adapts by using the rubber stops on the
centreboard handle to make off the sheets.The main sets very
well and the boat handles really nicely. I can see she would
have plenty of get up and go in a breeze but I always feel that
if you can make a boat sail effectively in light winds, then ease
of handling in the heavier stuff follows on naturally. Richard
starts off sailing in the Acorn but with the lack of wind, he
soon takes down the mast, stows the sail in the boat and gets
out his oars. There's something disheartening about being
overtaken by a rower – and one who is rowing facing forward
as well – but it's good to have him lead the way through the
trots up to the sheltered bay behind Hurst Castle.
Once there, we sail ashore onto the pebble beach and swap
boats. William decides that throwing stones is more fun, so
Libby and I set off in the Tammie Norrie. Despite being only
1' (0.3m) shorter than the Gannet, she feels quite different.
There's something I really like about her: that narrowness
makes her feel very sprightly, yet she still has an inherent
stability. We sail up and down, trying to create the perfect
three boat sail past for Chez's photos and then I let Libby have
a turn on the helm. The conditions are perfect, enabling her to
tack and gybe happily in the calm waters. Helen, who has just
had her first-ever sail, is hooked. The combination of Brian's
calm teaching and a stable boat has got her on the point of
asking for a club membership form!
However, time is going on and I still have to have a go in
the Acorn. I've already had a row in her and I know she's quite
tippy; I can just envisage making a fool of myself in front of a
ferry full of day trippers. Richard sets the rig up and I gingerly
clamber in. There's a rather comfy looking cushion to sit on,
and I soon work out how to lie back against the hull with the
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padding in place. It's not too bad really, as long as I don't try
to move. However, the water room isn't that big and I realise
there's a directional change required. Tentatively I push the
rudder over, the sail swings across and I slightly shift my
weight, still keeping the padding in place. Quite easy really.
Despite being very light and narrow, the Acorn surprises me
with how smoothly she handles. Before long, I start gybing,
feeling quite confident in my ability to manoeuvre her. I can
imagine that before long, I too might be able to stand up and
take the mast down, but before I even contemplate that, I am
called into shore to start making our way back again.
This time, the children and I take the Tammie Norrie, with
Brian and Helen leading the way in the Gannet. The open
cockpit makes the perfect den for William while Libby is keen
to try out crewing in this boat when there's the hint of a race
against the Gannet to get her motivated. Both boats make
their way easily against the ebbing tide, with the increasing
wind strength getting them heeling nicely. We do some close
tacks against the line of moored boats, and I can see that both
the Gannet and the Tammie Norrie are well set up for some
competitive racing. There's a bit of a squeak from William as
we get the boat on her ear in a gust but she's stable and feels
forgiving and safe.
Back to the little beach in front of Keyhaven Sailing Club,
and there's a fleet of Lymington Scows heading out for a late
afternoon potter, with a variety of crews and helms aged from
about 7 to 70. It's lovely to see such a range of ages enjoying
one sport. As we step back ashore, I can see that we too have
a variety of requirements – from the rower to the keen racer,
the mum to the slightly scared youngster, the up and coming
crew to the novice eager to learn more – and I realise that this
is the beauty of such a choice of boat sizes and shapes. The
three designs tested today all look rather similar on paper but
until you get them out on the water, you really wouldn't know
which is right for you. I guess I'll just have to take all three.
CONTACTS
Iain Oughtred, Boat Designer, Struan Cottage, Bernisdale,
Isle of Skye IV51 9NS Tel: +44 (0)1470 532732
Plans may also be ordered online at: www.classicmarine.com
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