It gives me great pleasure to confirm that the skiff build team and various other Moidart Skiffies successfully turned Speireag yesterday!
Co-ordinating the available and willing muscle power was always going to be a challenge given the relatively confined working space, however the process was aided by an ingenious pulley system that helped ensure a smooth transition thankfully, as dropping the boat during the challenging manoeuvre would have been a disaster!
This skiff team is for turning!
The time now comes for fitting out and with that a need for more skilled / semi-skilled woodworkers to complement the skiff build team and accelerate the club towards hopefully launching this season. If you think you can help or you know someone who may want to assist then please get in touch.
All credit to members of our intrepid build team who have braved the less than hospitable cold weather of late, in our makeshift shed-cum-lean-to, in order to continue progress with our skiff. I am pleased to confirm that work on the keel of Speireag (Sparrowhawk) has been completed!
Might the summer of 2026 see the launch in Moidart of the first locally built skiff for generations I wonder?!
An update on the build process courtesy of Andrew and Colin.
Building a boat in a freezing cold shed in the winter, in Moidart in the Highlands is a challenge; we have only a few hours a week and (for my part) it can involve a 1,000-mile road trip to and from Bath to keep things moving along. There are times where we turn up at the shed and it’s cold and wet and we wonder what on earth we have let ourselves in for.
And then… the lights come on, the big heater roars into life, the banter starts, and I realise that I am indeed very lucky to be working alongside an amazing group of highly talented, motivated new friends. I swore I would never build another boat again but boy am I glad I said yes to this project. I now feel ‘rooted’ in my new home here and I’m excited to be involved.
Three of the team having a well earned tea break!
Many of you will have seen images of the aprons and stems being laminated and fitted to the build jig (these are the inner and outer curved bow and stern timbers).
The stern post being faired.
Since then, the Keelson (inner keel) has been scarfed (joined) and glued to the aprons and carefully shaped to take the planking (each plank joins the stem/stern at a slightly different compound angle and the structural members need to be shaped to achieve a good faying surface (the surfaces where the parts meet and are glued are called faying surfaces).
The first plank being glued in place.
The first two planks to be hung are the Garboards, these lie along the keel and are a key structural part of the hull. The garboards are now in place and look fabulous – they are always tricky to fit and the process often involves a lot of swearing 😀 since they are almost vertical at either end where they join the stem / stern but near horizontal amidships where there is little deadrise (V shape in the hull).
She’s looking good so far!
The next four planks (two planks either side) can be tricky too, but these are now glued in place and the next two are prepared, Gains and Lands have been planed (gains are where the planks taper into each other as they enter the stem and stern), the overlap gradually disappears and gives a really stylish look to the hull if done well. Lands are where each plank ‘lands’ on the next and form an overlap to keep the water out. So, when these planks (eight so far) are in place, the hull will be well over half-planked. I think she’d float as she is… albeit with only four inches of freeboard (freeboard being the distance from the waterline to the Gunwale – edge of the boat where the oars rest).
Apologies for all the boatbuilding terminology, but it’s an important part of the romance and mystique of this exciting nautical adventure! 😀
It has been a little while since I last posted however a lot has happened in that time. The last couple of months have been particularly active for the build team who have been making steady progress. After making the shed wind and water tight again after Storm Ashley the mould was built (twice!) and this will be used to support the build of the boat around it.
The carefully assembled mould; far easier second time around with instructions to hand!
Planing and fairing of the stem and hog lines has begun but there is still a wee bit to do before the first planking is glued. With the glue very much sensitive to cold weather the team will need to carefully time when to start glueing, and once all the planks are glued then a lot, and I mean a LOT of sanding will begin!
Ably led by our illustrious build leader Pod, Moidart Skiffies have taken a big step towards being ready to build their first skiff. A team variously at times comprising of (if I remember correctly) Angus, Anna, Donald, Fiona, Frances, Karen, the two Marks, Peter and Pod have created a dry workspace. A number of whom have put in a significant amout of their time and effort which is greatly appreciated.
This was not an easy task given it was open to the elements only a few weeks ago and pretty much had a small burn running through it at one point, not to mention chickens running amok and leaving egg based surprises here and there!
Over the next few weeks Pod will direct efforts to improve the lighting and electrical arrangements and then the skiff build can begin in earnest.
There might be competition for that one chair!Pod testing the door!Peter demonstating a saw!
