I've fallen in love yet again !

It's probably a little late to be making New Years resolutions but here goes anyway !

1. I must stop going to boatyards and I really must spend more time working on my own poor little gaffer (rather than lusting after other peoples) !

That said, the photo is of a little gem that I discovered yesterday in Shotley Marina. There are many differences between this wonderful example of a classic craft and my own - notably - this one is afloat ! This is a thoroughbred - my boat is considerably shorter, blunter, stouter and more akin to a working Cornish fishing boat rather than a gentleman's yacht. This lady was built purely for the pleasure of an afternoon in the sun with the wind gently whistling through the rigging - so too was my boat - she just looks more like a traditional fishing boat than a refined, sophisticated filly.

My boat has a spoon bow, not a straight stem - so that's one similarity, she also has a bowsprit proudly attached to her stem - that's two similarities. At the other end, whilst I have always admired boats with a counter stern, projecting over the water - my boat has a blunt sawn off transom that has the rudder attached to it (well it would if it wasn't languishing in my studio). The Shotley boat is almost twice the length of my boat (Dolphin is just 20 feet on deck). This greyhound carries a sensible rig with a smaller mast than I would imagine was originally designed for her. The rotting mast of my boat is almost the same length as this one and the boom overhangs my stubby transom by about 4 feet. My boat probably needs a lot more wind to shift her as she is fairly heavily built - so the sail area is proportionately bigger than that of the new found love of my life. Sadly like all one night stands I didn't even get the name of this lady - at least my boat has a name - no pedigree whatsoever but then what would you expect !

Anyway that's all for now - I'm off to my studio (not the boatyard - my boatyard that is )!

Off to paint larger historic boats with very, very good pedigree's ! More of that later.

Lust, boatyard blues & cautionary tales

Some men go to the gym, others collect stamps, some make music, whilst others get slaughtered in the pub - me - I probably spend too much time lusting after other people's boats !

The last time I had the opportunity to look at my own sad little boat, there was a very hearty collection of brambles growing six feet away from it and after seeing this delightful boat avec winter fruits I am getting a little worried. I feel a trip to the boatyard coming on !

I might make the time to check that the cover is still in one piece and that the greenery is restricted to ground level and not emanating from inside the cabin ! Who knows, I might even undo the cats cradle of ropes holding said cover in place. I might peek inside and who knows, I might stay long enough to day-dream a little - of a time when the new mast and sails are straining, filling with a gentle breeze, with me at the helm plotting a course for some distant shore.

You may ask why am I lusting after another boat when I own two already - well I make no apologies - I am a collector of lost causes and that's that. Old wooden boats just sing out to me ! There are so many different types all made for different purposes and different conditions. It's a bit like cars - a Landrover and a two seater sports car are very different - each with its own unique personality.

Salvation may be at hand though, I may just be on the turn, I spent a couple of hours at a boatyard in Woodbridge the other day and although seriously tempted, I resisted the urge. I thought of my "Dolphin" with her spoon bow, long keel, full transom, bowsprit, huge gaff and even longer boom. I thought of lazy days tied up alongside a quay in Brittany or dodging mudbanks on the East Coast - I also thought of the admiring glances of others who hadn't quite finished their "little projects" and those, like me, who were impatient, who craved for a boat that worked ! I draw the line at boats that are in a worse condition than my own - however pretty they may be. But then again, something with a nice counter stern, that gets over on her ear and really slices through the waves. . . . oh dear there is no cure !!!!