‘No boats…’ my mate said, when we booked a holiday in East Kent – an area briefly looked into many years ago on a flying visit to Sandwich. With the Isle of Thanet, the eastern part of Kent is oft forgotten as a place of interest. We had a thoroughly good time and saw some amazing sights…
Boats: yes, I found lots! Some in museums and others sitting either disused or fit for purpose.
I’ll start with Broadstairs (close by Ramsgate), where we walked down through the town’s entrance gate – once fortified against pirates and the French. The term ‘gate’ in these Eastern Kent place names harps to there being an entrance to the land from the sea. The gate led down onto the tiny harbour. This was a place much loved by Dickens and his old house sits overlooking the sea above the harbour in Viking Bay.
A fairly modern motor fishing launch, probably used for crabbing.
On the harbour top was a clinker launch in fairly good condition. It was being used as a ‘money box’ though and it was unclear if she had ceased to function as a fishery vessel. She had sturdy lines with, as can be seen, with a good rise in sheer to her high bow.
On one of our days, we spent it walking Deal … along the beach were a few older style fishing boats, some in a poor condition. There were several grp modern boats, but had the look of ‘day fishing’ types.
Lady Irene is of a typical type..
Note the lute stern, that is a counter stern built around the transom, which was decked over. Bit like a buoyancy tank…
Looking aft inside the Lady Irene. Note the wide beam and pinched stern – not unlike a 1970 cruiser/racer!
The other thing to note about the Lady Irene is that her tiller is clearly designed to move around a transom stepped mast for a lug sail. Note the ‘U’ kink…
This clinker launch looked pretty ordinary: it could of hailed from any part of our coasts. Her engine has been removed.
This old girl has the look of ‘Hastings’ but pretty standard for the Channel coasts of Kent. Her days look numbered.
Note the traditional step for boarding and alighting when launching and beaching…
This mini-model looked more loved…
Later, we found our way to The Deal Maritime Museum where there are a number of old craft on display.
A Deal Galley – Saxon King.
The Deal galley was a long open boat very similar to the Cornish Gig. They would be between 27 and 32 ft in length with fine lines. There were up to four or six oars. They also be fitted with a mast with a dipping lug. They were clinker built with elm planking on ash frames. They were generally used to take pilots to and from ships lying in the downs. Often the galleys would hook onto a ship and be towed along without the ship stopping – not unusual: this is still the basic method used by modern pilot boats, although powering alongside, not attaching…
Apparently there is another Deal galley in the Dover Museum. For more information on ‘Kent Craft’, see: http://www.kenttraditionalboat.org.uk/index.html
A very fine stern…
An old ships’ lifeboat from the Southend Britannia, a estuary pleasure ferry which went out to the Dunkirk beaches.
This old ships’ lifeboat called Tender Too from the Southend Britannia. The boat lifted men from the Dunkirk beaches in 1940.
Outside in an uncovered yard is another larger collection of old boats. I am afraid to say that this is not the best place for them: they are slowly but surely decaying by an onslaught of sun and rain – fresh water, yes, the enemy of all wooden craft.
In the outside area there was no information boards at all…
This is a ‘whaler’ type…
These two pictures shows what can happen if exhibits are placed in such conditions…
I would have liked to have found out more information about these ‘out-door’ craft.
Unless something is done to preserve these craft in a proper manner, then I don’t believe they’ll be around in a decade. This is one of the problems that these small provincial museums have, sadly.
The museum is certainly worthy of a visit for it covers the town of Deal too.