Wooden Drascombes

A nautical love affair.

Colin Watt

In "20/40/80 A Celebration of Drascombes", 2007

Two years ago I bought a wooden Drascombe Lugger which reawakened my love of wooden boats. After attending many rallies I finally decided I wanted a Drascombe with a cabin. Researching wooden Drascombes revealed that each boat is different even though they bear the same type name. The differences were due to the individual customer's requirement and also the different ways that the builders finished the boats. Unlike GRP boats, wooden boats can have their design varied to suit the customer. Also one-offs can be made to try out an idea.

Of course the first Drascombe was made of wood by the designer John Watkinson. The construction method used is glued plywood lapstrake (clinker). Four broad plywood strakes are glued together to form each side of the hull with minimum framing. This gives a strong, light, easyto-build structure. The use of marine ply and resorcinol glues makes them very long lasting. Using this method John Watkinson tried out many design ideas. The boats were produced in wood from 1967 until 1980 by John and Doug Elliott working first at "Kelly and Hall" later as "John Elliott Boat Builder".

From the start the more popular designs were massproduced in GRP but the Lugger and Longboat continued to be built in wood for discerning owners as did the Skiff, Scaithe, the Peterboats and various one-offs. Over the years other builders have been licensed to build Drascombes. In the 1970s John Kerr set up his workshop in Llandysul, Cardiganshire. John built wooden boats ranging from small clinker dinghies to ocean racing yachts, for over 20 years. Following a meeting with John Watkinson, he was one of the earliest licensed builders of the Drascombe range. John built approximately 10 Drascombe boats, many finished to the customer's exact requirements.

In 1980 Norman Whyte started his own small boatbuilding and repair business in the village of Findhorn on the Moray Firth. Initially he did not specialize in any line of boats but Norman had always loved the lines of the Drascombes and wanted to build one for himself. He built 25-30 between 1982 and 1995. He moved to the USA in 1996 where he still works as a wooden boat builder. A company in Australia also built wooden Drascombes for several years.

There is still a demand for wooden Drascombes both to test new designs like the Caboteurand Drifter 22 and for adapted versions of the familiar models. East/West Custom Boats, Inc. in Maine, USA, who built nine Drascombes in the early 80s, have just finished a Lugger for a customer in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

     No Menu? Then click Home button