Meeting a Master Boatbuilder / 1905 Pilot Cutter - Rebuilding Tally Ho EP33
Rebuilding a historic sailing yacht - Meeting a Master Boatbuilder / 1905 Pilot Cutter. Support; www.sampsonboat.co.uk/support Become a Patron; www.patreon.com/sampsonboatco
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EPISODE 33.
This episode I visit Chris Rees, a very experienced boatbuilder who was behind various impressive projects including the enormous 3-masted lugger Greyhound and the replica fishing lugger Spirit of Mystery (which was sailed from the UK to Australia by Pete Goss as a tribute to the fishermen who undertook the same trip in the 1850s). He shows me around the boat that he is currently working on - a 1905 Pilot Cutter named Letty - and also tells me a little about how he became a boatbuilder. Finally we look at another boat that Chris is hoping to bring back to life - a historic local ferry, which up until recently was apparently the longest continuously running ferry in the country. Originally a Steam powered vessel, it was later modified with a diesel engine, but Chris is hoping to equip it with an Electric motor for the next period of service.
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Music;
Dan Lebowitz - Lazy River Rag
Freedom Trail Studio - Hot Hot Coffee
33. Meeting a Master Boatbuilder / 1905 Pilot Cutter
Pubblicato il 2 anni fa
How do you determine the waterline of a ship or boat?
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah.....no
Much more interesting than repeated phuttocks
I keep pausing to admire the woodworking, curves, arcs, and joinery. Hardly hearing a word.
You couldn't get to Australia on dead reckoning and luck, but you could get there by stealing a loaf of bread...
My names Leo and I’m a sailor... No you’re not! You’re Classic Yachtsman of the year 2016!! 👏👏
"Now, it is a law in Lloyd's that the Jane repaired all out of the old until she is entirely new is still the Jane." --Joshua Slocum
what a total star!
RIP Chris.
Speaking of Green Power are there any people in or around the Climate Change movement who would fund wooden sail powered cargo or passenger vessels?
Thank you for the free content
My wife and I were lucky enough to spend our honeymoon working on the greyhound. It’s a shame Marcus and Freya have now sold her
Great Boat of Chris, thank you for showing Leo. I also use for my trexandiri Iroko for the outside and Mahagoni for the inside.
Greetings Leo. Thank you for so many hours of fascinating, pleasantly relaxing and thoroughly enjoyable entertainment. During your conversation with your acquaintance named Chris you discuss a vessel he formerly owned named the Three Brothers. I have an old hard cover book titled The Burning Shore first published in 1956 by Michael Joseph Ltd of 26 Bloomsbury Street London # W.C.1 in 1955. Within the book a former triple mast Italian yacht named the Tre Fratelli which translates in English as Three Brothers is prominently featured. The Three Brothers had been a shark fishing vessel when the British forces appropriated her during WWII. The book is a narrative of experiences had by a British Naval Officer named John Doody while he was posted to Italian territory seized by allied forces in Africa during World War Two. During that time Captain Doody was assigned to the Three Brothers operating out of a port called Massawa with a crew of Local Danakil tribesmen and tasked with patrolling an extensive area along the Red Sea coast of Eritrea. I wonder was the vessel formerly owned by Chris the same vessel featured in the book?
Leo, how about and update on the one while you’re in England
I've just watched these two wonderfully natural interviews back to back. Great content and I love the absolute down to earth character of both.
Save the ferry. Good video. Thanx
that was a really cool looking ferry. I would live on that.
ye & ye ... goooooood
A really good point was by Chris regarding potential boatbuilders is to have some experience at sea. I was working in a busy production yard in the late 60's when they took on some hands from a caravan building firm to do internal fit outs. They were very fast workers who designed jigs to speed up production but had no concept of how strong things needed to be to withstand the pounding a yacht takes in heavy weather.
I feel like I’m 10-12 months behind.. binge watching now! Lol. Great videos Leo! Keep it up
👌
It's good to see that the old traditions are still being carried on in the UK. You showed some interesting designs to see and it's nice to know people are still interested in the traditional wood boat. It's a shame to see the old hulls just sitting and rotting away.
To Australia in a fish boat. Nowadays we don't go anywhere without GPS, plotters, autopilots, ideally a fridge, and of course, the ability to motor. This was a very inspirational conversation. Might have to go look for some dinghy plans to download.
Check out "Defender" 1895 to2018. 120 ft gaff rig ketch , Tasmainia's tall ship and listed with the national trust, the last of the "mosquito" fleet! if you want some pictures email me at fideliobob@hotmail.com.
Yeah, battery ferry, thats how I like it! Hope you will cover that big roof are with solar panels.
That's a brilliant idea going for solar and electric for the ferry. I wonder what battery system he'll use.
Dude!!! You are getting some great interviews, i think you certainly have skills for it! by the way i want a t-shirt for shure
…..very interesting Projects, he is talking About.
That was great to watch. It`s nice to see people restore old wooden craft like these. well done.
I’m fairly certain the ferry at Ullswater in Cumbria has been in continuous use longer.
ooh did I hear Chris say composite deck laid on ply and GLASS, good to see you thinking about us glassers here boys. I bet that was hard for him to do as a classic wooden boat builder.
I wondered if you had come across this, Leo: "Wooden Shipbuilding: "The Shipbuilders of Essex" circa 1950 United States Information Agency" ithomes.info/net/mb2hx6aTY62Mnno/video and this, too: "The watertight-bulkhead technology of Chinese junks" ithomes.info/net/vL6JnMp_r52oomk/video
Thanks for the inspiration Leo. My learning to be a boat builder journey has begun aged 43 years, something I’ve successfully put off for 20 years. A huge part of the draw and reward is to learn from and be around experienced, passionate, like minded guys and girls, in such a wonderful environment. I hope over coming months and years I can pull together even a fraction of your knowledge and adventures but I’m already happy with the decision I’ve made to start learning now rather than waste time wishing I’d done this years ago or bemoaning bad decisions or missed opportunities of the past. Great quality films, fantastic subject matter, fascinating people - thank you for all your hard work and sharing your experiences with the wider world.
great, good for you!! thanks
ill support a good haircut..... ;)
Enjoyed every one of your episodes...if you're ever laid up with a Cornish cold you might grab a hot rum and watch the short film from the 1950s if you haven't seen it already...the owner who commissioned the build of the 70' St Rosalie of Gloucester (by the boatbuilders of Essex/USA) made a film of the process in summary...a portal into another era but only 60 ears ago...gets a little weird from 12.20 through 14.20 and there's even a power tool appearance at 13.50 but I cannot help making a comparison between a team of many and you on your own for the most part...to wit 'BRAVO' ! :) ithomes.info/net/mb2hx6aTY62Mnno/video
I'd love to have a T shirt too or even maybe a jacket, hell I'll buy a crest and have my wife sew it on my new leather jacket
I really love your cuter project which is exactly in line with Eric Tabarly's Pen Duick affair. I just finished reading the amazing story of that boat designed by Fife in 1898 and built in Ireland. The Tabarly family owns is since 1938 and in the 50s Eric, an officer of the French navy, the eldest of the family, took over its renovation and hand glassed the hull which could have been rebuilt as you are doing it with your boat, but they had no means to do it. As you know Tabarly died in a sea race in 1998 and his daughter Marie took over the management and upkeep of Pen Duick. I hope many patrons will help you in your project. Please return soon!
Thanks hope he gets the ferry electric and back in the water. Enjoyed 👍
We were at Cremyll this afternoon just ove the water from us in Torpoint, thanks Leo and Chris great interview. The Grayhound if back in Brittany now it would be great if you could have a chat with Marcus and show everyone his lovely boat.
Hi Leo, I just went back and looked at the first few films you made on Talley Ho..........Are you supprised when you look back, at what you have actually taken on?? Reminds me of when I started my rebuild of a 35 footer. Didn't seem daunting at the time but when I look back I am amazed at to what is actually involved. You really are a bit special. ( in all the right ways!!)
So satisfying to see the traditions of wooden boat building being preserved. Deep inside it is what we are all are doing or want to do. Thanks Leo.
Drat. I found your youtube channel yesterday and now I'm at the end of all your videos. But the good news is now I can get some work done. Looking forward to your new videos to come.
Really glad you got to interview Chris. The Greyhound was a fantastic build to watch, and I can't believe he no longer has her. At the same time, I can't imagine anything better than doing what he's doing now. That ferry project would be awesome to see on IThomes. Chris should start a channel and document his progress. Might even earn a few quid here and there for a pint at the pub!
Fantastic, I love seeing these other yards as much as your own project!
If you replace all the bits in the boat is it the same boat?
Thanks for sharing your visit thanks to Chris for his time and info. Would have loved to have met up with you Cornwall or Bristol; been too ill recovering from Cancer. So pleased you're doing this and I've enjoyed it from day one. I'm doing up a 70's bilge keel yacht 24Ft, hoping to get her so I can follow or be around when you bring Tally HO back on the Avon ;)
You need to cut the bullshit and get to work on The Ho, fool
Another fantastic share. Thanks so much. ,,,,,,,/),,,,,,,,fair winds sir.
Why the fins on the back of the rudder on the ferry?
Love your stuff . . When I retire I ll.come help you , we'll maybe not ,but it is running through my head !!
Top notch, timeless videos. These videos will never ever be old. People could learn from this 100 years from now. Thanks mate!
Thank you Tally Ho
Quite a revelation seeing the profile of the Letty, she has the shallow forfoot and long straight slope down , similar to Alpha and Kindly Light the fast Pilot Cutters built up in the North West (Morcambe Bay?) But Letty’s Cross section is Straight out of the Rowles copy book. Very interesting Video. Glad you are enjoying your time at home in the UK
A tally ho sweatshirt it starting to get Cold here in the Pacific Northwest!!!
How much speed do you gain from a variable pitch prop? Versus the extra parts required?
Remember if you run it on vegetable oil , a diesel engine IS green power.
For over 30 year I have watched the some times heated discussions, as to what/ how much of the original ship must remain to be the original. Where is the line that you cross that makes it a new ship just incorporating parts of the old one ??? Check out the "Heartsease". They removed her wooden hull and replaced it with steel. Cut 20 ft off the stern making her shorter . Removed and redesign her interior. went from 5 mast to 4 . Change type of rigging to a different sail type. Only thing from the original is the ships wheel and bell. You are repairing Tally Ho , and have - my best guess at lease 20% of her original hull. She is still the Tally Ho.
Exactly, It's like the car that was ran over by a tank, by taking the one undamaged fender and adding the rest of the parts from 3 donor cars it was fully restored.
Its like my genuine authentic hammer once owned by George Washington. Of course the handle has been replaced multiple times over the years but the head only once or twice.
Love seeing the wooden boats that are being saved. Thanks for the video...
Why not do a video of your journey. How you became a builder. Ow you got to where you are today.
I will one day!
Excellent idea. Who knows how many young folks might be inspired to follow suit. For that matter, how many have no idea how to get started. I certainly wouldn't know what to tell someone interested in getting into this field.
Yeah!
Hi Leo. Since you're from the UK, and given your expertise, I wonder if I might ask your opinion of Buckler's Hard as a historic sight and tourist attraction. www.bucklershard.co.uk/ I'd forgive many for not having heard of it (I hadn't until I found it when researching a yacht for sale on eBay), but as the sight for the construction of Nelson's fleet I think it needs more publicity.
What is the spelling of Auroco? Oroco, orauco timber? I'd like to check this out.
Iroko
Nice visit. Are you fundraising while on this trip, or just on holiday?
I second the t shirt comment.
For planking or futtock assembly, could one use trunnels only? Presumably less expensive, but strong enough? They don't teach you this stuff in the books.
I have helped build a couple frames for Tally Ho. All we used were trunels. Not sure his plans for planking. Long way to go before he gets there.
Leo, when you get to the propulsion part of your project please put an electric motor in.
... there are recurrently popping up boats names and projects I already heard about, knew of or actually saw earlier this life ... Small world, ain't it 😂
hi I would like to make contact with Chris Rees
Hope they get that ferry working. Would like to see an update later maybe.
The more I watch your channel Leo the more impressed I am with the skill and true dedication expressed by yourself and the other Cornish crew you have introduced to us. I reckon you guys must be born with a tiller in one hand and a mainsheet in the other. Well done mate.
Mr Leo, didn't you say your only suppose to paint one side of a timber hull? Let her breath, you said
Going solar, good stuff. :-)
Used to go sailing out of Pill, top of tide sailing round Denny and a few trips over to Welsh coast and then longer trips down to the Scilly Isles. Wind against tide in the Channel was fun (or not at times).
I’ve been on the cremyll ferry many times! I live in Plymouth. Are there any people after boat building apprentices around here Leo?
Enjoyed the episode Leo. Safe travels!
*Its tragic not to return that ferry boat back to steam...*
Real nice and informative episode.
It’s great that you are documenting these short stories of other renovations besides your own. They are really important pieces of social and maritime history. Looking forward to you returning to Tally Ho though.
What an awesome guy. Thanks a bunch for the video.
Will u be adding a motor to tally ho or will she remain sail only?
Cool to see one of the guys from the Greyhound build. I've watched the time-lapse vids of that build several times from start to finish. I liked his advice about just finding a boat you like the look of and just going for it. Sort of what I'm planning to do when I get started. Will be some years in the future, but everybody needs a dream.
What is the stuff filled inside the hull at 7:30?
Great episode and interview. Documenting the rebirth of Tally Ho has been amazing to follow along with. I really dig the interviews and meeting the personalities along the way.
Hey Leo, great progress, been enjoying your videos from the beginning!! Just an FYI if you need I live in Seattle right by the Fauntleroy ferry. I know you come though here when flying. Your welcome to a shower and/or couch overnight if you need. I hope to come help some weekend in the future. Wood crafter myself
Another great story Leo. I think your vocation in life (apart from completing Tally Ho restoration project) may well be in making these documentaries to record the stories that people have to tell. Stories that are worth recording otherwise the history of these guys and their passion of boat building will never be seen outside of a boatyard. Keep up the wonderful work and look forward to the next instalment of your journey. Your channel is one of the best on IThomes, along side that of Salt & Tar.
wowa, her beautiful lines
Thanks for telling us about the Cremyll Ferry project. That'll be beyond cool to have that beautiful old boat quietly slipping back & forth under electric power. There's a 200 yr old vehicle ferry on the Ohio River that I'd like to see converted. It'd be costly on the front end, but it really wouldn't take that much of a battery if it got a Level III charge while it's loading on each side. It certainly seems like plenty of time for replacing some power while you're sitting around waiting, anyway. It operates for about 15 hrs a day, so holding the net loss of an overnight charge to 5% per hour would do the trick. Thanks again, Leo - very cool!
Reflexively asserting stupidity is pretty stupid, don'cha think? We're talking about a period when electric boats & cars weren't uncommon. Now that we have the high efficiency motors, power & control electronics & the batteries that make that option more viable, what not-stupid person would do anything else without at least considering the clear advantages of electric propulsion? "Historical value" is a highly subjective thing. It's simply NOT what anybody can bank on, it's just too great a risk. As an example I'm thinking of a very famous Herreshoff NY50 named Rowdy that was restored to an impressively high standard many years ago. This is a boat with a pedigree like few others in history, & if the investors broke even they were lucky to do so. I don't remember exactly what the first post-restoration sale came in at - I'm not even certain that it was ever public knowledge - but it couldn't have been anything near the original asking price after a good-long interval of regular & significant price reductions. Or how about Winnie Mae, a paddlewheel towboat of roughly Armadillo's vintage that has a history of transferring for a third or less of any original asking price. We could run an endless list of similar examples - historical value is HIGHLY subjective, & that value has very little if anything at all to do with money. The value is in it's continued utility. An electric conversion could keep Armadillo economically viable for another 90 yrs or more, & there's value in THAT. My own 118 yr old home wasn't originally built with plumbing or wiring - it had no indoor kitchen or bath. It was built with fireplaces, but nobody knows when the wood stove was added in the back of the house. Most of the cooking was accomplished in a breezeway between the house & the stable behind it. Shitting happened in an outhouse that probably featured a galvanized bucket full of corn cobs & whatever was left of a Sears Roebuck catalogue - & this house is NOT out in the boonies somewhere. It's in what's now considered the immediate downtown area, or what was then the edge of town. It now, like so many similar homes, has a kitchen & downstairs bath addition on the back of the original house. I like my kitchen & both bathrooms. I like having lights, HVAC & other standards of modern life, & I don't think any of that detracts from the character of the floor plan in the original portion of the home - those features don't detract from the pocket doors or the transoms or the hand-planed trim moldings or the morticed lock sets, etc. Adaptive reuse is what keeps historic structures alive & viable for continued use, & that definitely applies to boats as well. Trying to pin something like Armadillo down to the year of it's construction will more likely lead to the neglect & ultimate destruction of the boat than to it's continued use & preservation. Talley Ho very nearly suffered exactly this fate. There just aren't enough Leo's running loose looking for something to do.
*Converting to electric is stupid and destroys the boat's historical value... it should be left Diesel or converted back to steam.*
Watching the Cremyll Ferry being overhauled would be a good YT project to watch.
Very much enjoy these interviews with skilled boat builders. Looking forward to your return here in the Northwest and more progress on Tally Ho. Safe travels.
Skill and artistry involved in the rebuilds. Much respect for those involved in the projects.
Fantastic Leo. What a great tradition that is being kept alive.
Great stuff. Too bad, IMO, about the Armadillo. I'd prefer her being returned to steam power.... just so much more authentic, but she's his and that's a huge project. And no, I can't imagine crewing a real steam engine boat... because... where you gonna find a engineer! heh.
Robert Mardis Steam has a certain romance, I’ll grant you, but it would almost certainly cost more to build, would have an energy efficiency of 10 - 20%, would need regular boiler maintenance, a licensed engineer at all times, be very, very polluting, and cost a fortune in fuel. Probably more than enough to prevent the whole project’s economic viability. A marriage of old and new is fine, IMO. At least it won’t have the “stench and hideous hum” of diesel and that coachroof looks large enough for some serious solar collection. With roof panels at the termini, each end, they might be able to make it self sustaining.
Makes wonder what's the largest rebuild or restoration going on in the US Europe or Russia.
Hope you're enjoying England, thanks for the update... I hope you have someone looking after Tally Ho back at the yard as you never know who will be walking around your property. I have a bad feeling at the moment about Tally Ho being damaged while your away. Get someone to walk around the property for you... Be safe and be happy.
I can't thank you enough for making these videos. They are so very interesting to watch. God Bless you and yours and safe boat building.
Yes...you doing a great job, should be on 📺!
This is way better than TV. :-)
great episode, thank you for sharing!
shout out for the plymouth lads
Not sure about driving a boat that large with electricity. I think that he should go back to steam. The steam trains could run during a flood.
smolville Hey, they run large ships on electricity. Sure, they use diesel generators, but that’s ‘cos you can’t get the range for crossing the Atlantic from batteries but, for a ferry that runs a few hundred metres between termini, that’s not a problem. Plus operating costs are horrendous for steam (must have a ticketed engineer in charge at all times) plus ~15% efficiency, pollution, very high fuel cost and regular boiler maintenance.