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Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Wayfarer Dinghy


 
Steve Clarke-Lens

 
Simon Renton

 
Simon with his Wafarer at Salcombe

 
Simon's Wafarer with boom tent

Yesterday I visited Gavin Atkin’s weblog* which drew attention to a 44 minute video by Steve Clarke-Lens who sailed and rowed a Wayfarer on a 4,000 mile Mediterranean and River Nile cruise.** This is a super film, well worth seeing, which gives insight into what can be achieved with an open dinghy by an able and determined crew. Steve got into a few close shaves, not of his own making, but through unexpected circumstances, like being abandoned by a tow boat when exiting the Nile and finding himself alone to face three rows of enormous breaking seas.


Wayfarer dinghies have been around since 1957 when first built in plywood to the drawings of Ian Proctor. Subsequently the boat has undergone modifications and changes and more can be found out about her by visiting this Wikipedia page:

I have added a few photos of Simon Renton whom I met at Salcombe in July 2010. He was attempting to sail around the UK by himself in a Wayfarer, but the weather was exceptionally stormy and he eventually had give up. (See the very last link at the bottom of the page.)
Gavin ’s  www.intheboatshed.net is a popular and informative weblog offering hours of enjoyable viewing to boating enthusiasts, particularly those who want to be informed about wooden boat restoration projects, traditional sailing craft such as smacks, luggers, barges, vintage sailing canoes and the like, including rowing and motorboats.  For those who have access to ‘SoundCloud’ Gavin’s weblog contains a section dedicated sea shanties and other such songs. There are also links to YouTube featuring singers, even Gavin himself with his rendering of John Connolly’s ‘Fiddler’s Green’. Here’s the direct link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w7bgDa9M00&feature=youtu.be   

Note

To discover more about SoundCloud visit: http://on.soundcloud.com/ .

Links

*In the Boat Shed.net


**Wayfarer Dinghy Cruising. 4,000 miles in a Wayfarer


UK Wayfarer Association


United States Wayfarer Association


Around Britain in a Wayfarer Dinghy – Ludo Bennett-Jones


The Best Bits So Far by Ludo Bennett-Jones


Wayfarer Sailing Plymouth October 2014


Wayfarer Sailing Dinghy Video 2007 by Kate Mellor


Wayfer Sailing by Tom Bourke


Autumn Sailing with a Wayfarer


Wayfarer Dinghy Cruise, Scotland 2013


Wayfarer 28 around the Isle of Wight – 11th June 2011


Wayfarer Sailing – Popular Wayfarer Videos (200 of them)


Simon Renton

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