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Canoe, Canodeling

Continuing the boat theme and requested by my former crew Richard Burstow, here is the boat I mentioned which Hervé and I are restoring.
Children having fun jumping in the deck splits the hull from the topside.
Having fitted hanging knees to rejoin the topside to the hull, cleaned and sanded we are ready to start rebonding.
Hervé Boitel’s home, my host.

This two person canoe is based upon a design the Inuit (Eskimo) peoples developed.
Fitted with a sail they used these canoes to among other things, cross the Barring Straits; braver men than me !
Nice to be using my former skills again.
I was head hunted into the marine industry by Tim Coventry of Falmarine.
I studied ship and boat building at Falmouth Tech., Cornwall
That excellent course run by master craftsmen eventually lead to me with James Thompson and Mike Lingwood founding the company that became South East Boat Builders Limited of Rye, East Sussex.
I eventually employed 9 people, tough days.
The last boat I built there was a Wayfarer No6778, the last boat i built was an Albacore which proved to be exceptionally successful
In 2011 I renovated a Wayfarer, over 300 hours work, by chance she was No 6778.
Boat building was for me great experience a great adventure, many friendships from those days still endure.
I confess do miss boat building and sailing and sometimes regret closing South East Boat Builders Ltd.
Those days still contribute to the qualities of my marine painting.
Gordon Frickers artist
This Gordon Frickers art signature is on all my more recent paintings.