The Boat that Guy Built

After two years, “Fish” is row-able.

I started the build in March 2016 and worked very part time on it mainly weekends and the odd evening, but in fits and starts with a four month break over the cold/damp winter months 2017/18.

The Drake 19 was picked mainly for its looks and fine lines, and because it can be rowed as a single or double sculling boat.

Designed by Clint Chase from Maine, USA and cut by Alec Jordan of Jordan boats, the Drake 19 looks less traditional than most of the normal UK kit skiff boat designs and to date is only the second or third to be built in the UK.

Clint is in the process of updating his Drake 19 Manual based on learnings from existing builds – which will make the kit build easier and more clever than ever (ready mid summer 2018)

Cut using quality marine ply, and assembled on a MDF jig, the boat is effectively a large Airfix model.

 

I was always bad at Airfix, and following instructions has always been secondary to making things work for me, so this was always going to be a challenge! It’s fair to say that did actually take some time trying to understand the instructions and if I were to build another, I would do things slightly differently, mainly not epoxying the inner hull planks as I went along and being more cautions of the drips inside the up-turned hull.

I’ve had the boat checked over by Mark Edwards of Richmond Boat House, (main builder of The Royal Barge Glorianna) and it’s been declared sea-worthy and insurable!

To the purist, there would be too many epoxy dribbles and not so great workmanship, and so long as she does not fall apart on me, she will get used more than many, I hope.

Anyone who stumbles across this article, and would like any help before deciding to self-build is very welcome to contact me via the contact page on this site.

Guy Fisher – May 2018