Clinker Boats

Introduction

‘Corianne’ came to me unnamed as she was found abandoned in a boatyard in Worcester in the mid 1980s. My father, who then owned a Shetland ‘Foureen’ called ‘Ilalla’ and who loved double-ended boats, encouraged me to enquire after her and I purchased her off the boatyard owner for the value of the trailer she was on. I did learn that she had possibly been one of a pair of identical boats used by youngsters (Sea Cadets?) on Lake Windermere before being sold and brought to Worcester. Her possible use as a training boat is strengthened by the fact that she has neatly constructed buoyancy compartments under each thwart and bow and stern decks. She is about 15ft long, overall, with a beam of 5ft and weighs about 225lbs (250lbs with gear stowed).

I do not know her build date or builder as she carries no markings or plate however, the cotton sails she came with were made in Greenock in 1952. Now, here’s another conundrum; traditional Shetland boats have a single loose-footed dipping lugsail, ‘Corianne’s rig is a simple standing lug with foresail on a stayed mast. A recent conversation with a Shetland-based boatbuilder has revealed that in the 1950s a co-operative of Shetland boatbuilders exhibited their wares at the London Boat Show and on taking orders shared the work out. Boats were then shipped from the islands. This may explain how my boat came to be in England? From details shared online it has been suggested that she may have been built on the island of Unst but nothing has been confirmed. She’s unusual in having steam bent frames (baands) between her main frames. These are original as the floorboards were made to fit round them but are not normally installed in these boats. The whole boat, keel, stems, frames, planking is all of larch, apart from these bent frames.

‘Corianne’ in use

For a few years I had ‘Corianne’ afloat on the River Severn at Worcester near where I lived and just used her for recreational rowing as she pulls superbly. My father gifted me a purpose made fitted cover to keep the weather out of her. I never stepped her mast or tried sailing her on inland waters. However, in the intervening years I have been concentrating on Redwing sailing and spent a decade bringing back to life a 26ft motor launch on the Severn so ‘Corianne’ spent a lot of time on her trailer not being used. When I moved to Pembrokeshire though, she came too and thanks to an introduction via a friend I got a spot to keep her at Angle. Although Redwing racing at Tenby has been our primary pastime ‘Corianne’ has had many outings on the Haven and we’ve found she’s an excellent little sea boat and sails well even when deep-reefed in conditions I’d be reluctant to take a Redwing out in. Prior to the 2020 Covid pandemic there had been bi-annual maritime gatherings on the Haven and ‘Corianne’ took part in the 2018 event and proved to be a versatile little day boat, handy under sail or oar.

In ‘Corianne’ we explored all the way to Blackpool Mill, the tidal limit of the Eastern Cleddau, the Carew River both to the Castle and all the way to Cresswell Quay. Subsequently, over the last few years we have got more interested in making expeditions and exploring as we used the Finesse less and although ‘Corianne’ is not suitable or camping on board I fitted her out with ‘galley boxes’, water storage and a better compass, floorboards and rigging to make her easier to handle. Her trailer has gained extra rollers to make launching and recovering more straightforward.

I’d sold a previous completed restoration project, the 15′ ‘Nanw’ and some of the money raised was used to purchase a new suit of sails for ‘Corianne’. I discussed her rig with R & J Sails and the existing lugsail and jib were carefully measured and a new plan drawn up with sail areas to match her originals. As her gaff only had a small mast overlap and was not normally dipped whilst tacking we opted to make her a true gunter and a made a new gaff with jaws to suit. Her new sails, traditionally finished in tan sailcloth set nicely and being synthetic are less of a worry when stowing away wet after a trip. She’s also more close-winded and more reliable even with both reefs in.

New sails

During 2024 we made a few trips including early January out on the Haven, a coastal sail from Porthclais to Solva and a weekend exploring the Teifi estuary and Cardigan town and Island.

So, we had quite a busy season taking ‘Corianne’ to new places and exploring. She’s not the sort of dinghy one could easily camp on board; she needs over a foot of water to float and cants right over when dried-out but she’s fast and seaworthy for her size. Now, during my ownership she had a few replacement frames and a couple of coats of paint but during 2024 it became apparent that she really is in need of a refit; she has leaks that never properly take up and her interior paintwork is getting very flaky. So, at the end of 2024 she has come into my workshop until I have finished a couple of other projects and I can devote some time to her care that she deserves after nearly forty years in my hands.