The Wooden Lugger Elliott
Photos and Text by Douglas Elliott
I've just returned from Holland where I'd been invited by the Dutch Drascombe
Association to attend their Spring meeting as an guest. I gave a Powerpoint
slide show presentation and talk on wooden Drascombes and their history, it
lasted about two and a half hours, then informally chatted with them for the
rest of the evening. The weekend went really well and was attended by about
70 very enthusiastic members, a really good turn out, especially as they only
have around 200 members in Holland, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg. One of
the members brought his wooden Lugger along as a surprise for me to see. See
attached photos. When we built her she was named 'Reeskip', but the new owner
has renamed her 'Elliott' in honour of myself and my brother John. She's kept
in beautiful condition, completely varnished. I have to admit to feeling a
sense of pride when I saw her. It's the same Lugger as the one in the photo
in question re the steering oar (in
the Forum). I met Tom Colville there as
well, he'd travelled there for the meeting. I also spent a day with Peter Knape
and Elly Jansen who used to own the Longboat Cruiser 'Legolas' you probably
know about their life aboard and their epic journey that lasted several years.
We built 'Legolas' boat as a special customised one off, I've always kept in
regular contact with them, but this is the first time I've met them again since
1979, it was as you can imagine, a very happy meeting.
Douglas Elliott, who built "Elliott" (formerly "Reeskip"), with her owner, Maus van der Weerde.