Thursday, April 24, 2008

Tuck-ups, Sea Bright Skiffs & Shadboats









Tuck-ups were the working class racing boat, a kind of "muscle car" of the 1880's. They are fast, unbalanced, and tricky to sail. Fun, fun, fun. They are lap-strake construction, a very light way to build using planks. Sustainable. This is similar to the way the Vikings produced their boats. Using riven planks means there is very little waste and the tree goes farther. Tuck-ups usually carry a crew of three, but the racing rules state that all crew do not have to be present in the boat at the end of the race. In light air, crew might be jettisoned and have to swim home. We actually lost the tuck-up cup in St. Mike's one year due to that rule. I'll get to skiffs and shadboats later.

No comments: