Keyhaven Fife - Armorel

 I've passed by this open Fife many times and wrote about it briefly last year. From a distance it might be easy to mistake as a Drascombe derivative, but closer up it's clearly not, so it was great to meet and chat with the owner and builder who was drying the boat out alongside the wall at Keyhaven.

 

It's a fascinating story, visiting Johnshaven in Aberdeen-shire for many years an old neglected fishing boat the locals had named "Richies" was purchased . Apart from some deck rot and split planks the boat which was typical of the area was in pretty good shape. 

 

While pondering what to do, the lines were taken off using a laser scanner and a CAD model developed which allowed modifications, and tweaks to be made including provision for a diesel engine and from which a new boat was built.

I should point out that the builder is highly experienced making wind turbine blades and epoxy infused composites rather than larch on oak frame construction, so the new boat took shape using CNC  to cut stem, keel, frames and plywood planks at local company Designcraft.

A modern shiny red diesel now powers along with the push of a button, which must make for an extremely nice day boat.

Images from the building process, starting with the original Richies, the CAD and lines drawing kindly provided by the owner.

New classic dayboat?

Interesting day boat spotted on an early Sunday morning stroll, alas that and lock-down meant there was no one around to ask details.

Very classic lines with a lofting bulb keel should be fun to sail and quite fast.

Some nice details on deck.

And I'm guessing these are the moulds.

 

Old Motor Boats

We had a tiny little wooden cruiser like this on the Thames when I was very young, about 21 feet as I recall so even smaller. The decks and cabin roof used to leek in heavy rain and it had an engine than started on petrol but then switched to paraffin (kerosene), but it got us out on the water and some very  fondly remembered family holidays.

The romantic in me says it would be a lovely boat for pottering around Chichester harbour, but the reality is that it's more likely to be an ongoing shore based woodwork project for many years.
 

I guess the outboard conversion might be more reliable than the
 original engine but aesthetic is not.

 

Up the creek

I haven't been up to the Chandlery barge at Foukes boatyard for over 20 years, despite it being just down the road. But on a quiet Sunday morning Mrs BB amd I walked along the river path up to Manor Farm country park (another first).

Leaving the boatyard past a quirky residence, location, location, location.

At the top of Ho Moor Creek things can get a little sticky.

Further upriver from this raised vantage point gives a good view of the old mud berths where working boats would be laid up safely away from winter storms. It was a practice still in use after WW2.

The remains of an old  riverside building in the firm grip of a a substantial tree.

Another creek up coming off the main river on the Botley side, it only runs for about 200 yards until it becomes a small stream.

 Great name for a small dinghy
 

Swanee River

Actually the well known song was about the Suwannee River that runs down through south Georgia into Florida, that kind of detail didn't bother this local group of swans - which google says could be collectively either a wedge, a bevy, a bank, a whiteness, an eyrar or even a gargle.

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I'd perhaps propose a smartness of swans, as I imagine this group have found that there's good eating to be had especially with the two close by cafes doing take away a source of leftovers and more and more folk out in the better weather.

 

Signs of Spring

Early March at St Mary the Virgin church  in the parish of Hound with daffodils coming into full bloom as they probably have for the past 1000 years.

The church was attached to Netley Abbey which was founded around 1239 but the church predates that. It's a always a  wonder  and a privilege to be so close to history.

Hill Head Shallows

The tide goes out a long way at Hill Head, or that's to say even at high water it's still pretty shallow.

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We went for a stroll without checking tide times and arrived just about at low water.

I'm sure there has been a few wet feet over the years, but walking out on the uncovered sand spits is just too tempting.

My favorite beach hut, what a great place to spend the afternoon or early evening.