More Than a Sum of the Parts... and Infinitely Repairable

Finally got round to taking a photo of the Shetland boat I have been restoring. She was built by Ian Best on Fair Isle and has survived on an exposed beach for some years, before coming to me for refreshment. And I just cannot get enough of her shape. A good, honestly built working boat with no frills or fancies. Fit for purpose, form and function in harmony...

I expected a number of planks would need replacing after such a long time in the open, but the damage was limited to just a few sections which were popped out and replaced. I cannot over emphasise the ease with which a traditional clinker boat can be repaired. It is their unique selling point, and like the new axe (just two new shafts and two new heads) will survive indefinitely (albeit with next to nothing original).

It's just that all the components are held together with a view to replacement, should they get damaged (which was often the case in hard-driven fishing boats, like these Shetland types.) You needed to be able to pop out a plank, and scarph in a new section when the occasion arose. Which meant no glue (even if they had something up to the job in those days). Just a case of grinding off the heads of the nails, popping the roves off, removing the damaged plank (use it as a template to make a new one), bevel the edge, cut the scarph, a smear of mastic  (or twist of cotton as in the case of this boat) rivet up and it's back in the water in a matter of hours, given the kind of simple skills once found in the fishing harbours around our coasts.

Which is one of the problems I have with plywood epoxy/clinker. OK, it can be repaired, and seamlessly too. But what a palaver. In the time it takes to repair a clinker plywood boat, a traditionally planked boat with the same damage would have been back in the water long since. And there's a flexibility in those old Shetland types which is quite delightful. Don't confuse movement with weakness. Pretty light too, if the Shetland boat in my shed is anything to go by. The photos above were take in the Faroes, where the boats are similar but subtly dfferent. Thet don't sail much there, due to the currents and weather. Note the boulders to stop her blowing away, it's a fearsomely breezy spot (or maybe it's an anchor?!)

I expect the Shetland boat will leak a bit at first, but that shouldn't last long. Sail trials in March. Can't wait...