Become a member and sail with The Ship's Company.....Traditional Seamanship.....Boat Building.....And Fun!

 

The Ship's Company of Penetanguishene

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HMS Kingfisher

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HULL LENGTH: 14 FT

SPARRED LENGTH: 22 FT

BEAM: 5 FT

MAST HEIGHT: 17 FT

DRAFT WITH LEEBOARD: 3 FT

RIG: ketch rigged with a jib, dipping lugsail on the mainmast and a spritsail on the mizzen

HULL: Steel with wooden cladding above the waterline and wooden interior. wooden leeboard, 4 oars and 1 cannon. Retractable bowsprit and jibboom.

In response to requests to attend more events further afield, we decided to build a vessel easily trailered and rigged, yet still impressive. We acquired a 14 ft. lifeboat hull built in 1945, stripped it down and built a rig not usually seen in the last 100 years. A samson post supports a 1 1/2 pound swivel gun as well as the butt of the retracting bowsprit. The mainmast is just aft of a small forecastle. The mizzen is just forward of the rudder post so that an offset tiller with an extension is required. A boomkin supports the spritsail sheet and can retract for easy docking and trailering. A leeboard clamps on one side and can be transferred easily when on another tack.

 

It takes vision to see a new life in this 60 year old lifeboat hull built at the Cleveland yard Frank Clarke and Sons.

The hull stripped and painted, new ash gunnels, and now a small fore deck.

 

 

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Last modified: 09/28/09