Thames Skiffs specifications
Jake
rules for Thames racing skiffs.
I've been on the SRA website, and can't find the information there,
but may just be unable to find it.
I am full of questions about these craft, such as:
1) Who decides what constitutes a legally raceable skiff and upon what
parameters?
2) Do certain parts have to be made out of certain woods in certain
ways (like pilot gigs)
3) Could anyone (with the apropriate traditional boatbuilding skills)
build one (providing they followed the construction rules) or can they
only be built by certain licensed builders?
I'm thinking of building a tourable fixed seat single in wood, and
would like something that was raceable in some sort of class (and
therefore remotely saleable) at the end of it, so wonder if the Thames
Skiff route would be worth consideration.
Jake
David Biddulph
> I'm trying to find information on the length/ width, construction etc.
> rules for Thames racing skiffs.
> I've been on the SRA website, and can't find the information there,
> but may just be unable to find it.
> I am full of questions about these craft, such as:
> 1) Who decides what constitutes a legally raceable skiff and upon what
> parameters?
Last 6 pages of http://www.skiffing.org.uk/SRA_RULES_REV_G_011006.pdf
--
David Biddulph
Rowing web pages at
http://www.biddulph.org.uk/
David Biddulph
Further to my previous answer to the earlier part of your question, one
point to bear in mind, if you are thinking about raceability and
saleability, is that races generally take place in matched skiffs (Rule C2
in the rules of racing at
http://www.skiffing.org.uk/SRA_RULES_REV_G_011006.pdf and
http://www.skiffing.org.uk/SRA_Rules_of_Racing.pdf), so for racing they tend
to be made either as pairs, or as sets of three. You'll find that it's more
frequent for ex-racing boats to be sold for recreational use, rather than
the other way round.
Jake
> Further to my previous answer to the earlier part of your question, one
> point to bear in mind, if you are thinking about raceability and
> saleability, is that races generally take place in matched skiffs (Rule C2
> to be made either as pairs, or as sets of three. You'll find that it's more
> frequent for ex-racing boats to be sold for recreational use, rather than
> the other way round.
> --
> David Biddulph
> Rowing web pages athttp://www.biddulph.org.uk/
Thanks for this info David,
I've looked at the construction rules.
The matched pairs thing could be a bit of a show stopper as I fancy
building a boat, not two of them. I take it from this, that skiff
racers typically don't own their own racing boat to train in and then
race their own boat? This seems a rather different culture from
sliding seat single scullers, where many of the more competitive ones
will own their own boat. I should have thought of this, as the fact
skiffs have match racing means there don't need to be as many hulls to
go around. I expect this makes the fewer boats quite in demand for
training purposes though? Part of the appeal of racing singles for me
has been tinkering with gearing, foot stretcher position, trim fore
and aft etc. to optimise boat speed. I guess if skiffers typically
race in an allocated boat from a matched pair, this equipment set up
element of the sport is removed. Quite liberating in some ways as I
suspect this was an element of the sport I was never much good at and
like most rowers tinkered constantly and went slower most times I
changed anything!
I spent most of yesterday researching this, and found the set of free
plans for a Thames skiff on the Thames Traditional boat society
website, but judging from the palatial coxwain's seat it's not a
racing boat. What I was looking for was a set of plans to build a
competitive thames single racing skiff, perhaps from clinker marine
ply and epoxy resin. I see that Selway Fisher designs have a number of
what they call Thames Skiffs of various sizes, but a cursory look at
them indicates they are not designed to SRA specs. Having said that,
If I couldn't compete in the boat I trained in anyway, It might be
acceptable to just build one of Selway Fishers cheap easy build stitch
and glue skiffs and just set it up with the same rowing position
geometry as an SRA skiff.
Re: ex-racing boats sold for recreational use.
Does this happen much? Where are they sold/advertised? I've never seen
one for sale.
What I'm looking for really is to get into a bit of fixed seat single
racing in Southern UK and to build a boat to both train in here in
Southampton and race in wherever I can but probably only a couple of
events per season. I'm a coastal single sculler who is winding down
sculling a bit and would like to own an attractive single boat that
can be trained in, raced in, fished out of, carry the odd passenger
etc. Do competitors in Thames skiff races have to be members of Thames
skiffing clubs or can independent competitors or those from sliding
seat rowing clubs ever take part? I'd still like to compete
occasionally especially in the next couple of seasons while I'm still
vaguely fit from racing sliding seat boats.
Kit
> > Further to my previous answer to the earlier part of your question, one
> > point to bear in mind, if you are thinking about raceability and
> > saleability, is that races generally take place in matched skiffs (Rule C2
Jake,
I think what you're proposing is very rare. As a sometime skiffer, I
am not aware of anyone racing in Thames skiffs that is not a member of
the fairly small cabal of skiffing clubs on the Thames. This is a
shame but is to be expected given the need to have standard matched
boats and the relative difficulty in transporting the boats around (in
many cases, the skiffs are rowed from the owning club to wherever the
event is being held).
As regards the boats themselves, I think the focus amongst skiffers is
far less on the boat and more on the process of drawing the oar
through the water, so they feel the need to tinker with setup much
less than sweeps or scullers. Also there is an attitude of acceptance
of the variances between boats (indeed, there is a certain pride in
being able to deal with it).
One thought is that you could build a boat according to specs, but
also be a member of a skiff club. Train in your boat, but race in the
club's boats. If your boat is built to spec, I doubt it will feel
hugely different from what you will race in. You may find it a good
idea to join the club, train a bit in the club boats to get an idea of
what they are like and how they are rowed, before embarking on your
own boat.
Also remember that the market for Thames skiffs is probably larger
outside the racing environment than within it, so I am absolutely
certain you will have no problem selling it for recreational use
afterwards.
Kit
Jake
> One thought is that you could build a boat according to specs, but
> also be a member of a skiff club. Train in your boat, but race in the
> club's boats. If your boat is built to spec, I doubt it will feel
> hugely different from what you will race in. You may find it a good
> idea to join the club, train a bit in the club boats to get an idea of
> what they are like and how they are rowed, before embarking on your
> own boat.
Thanks Kit,
I think this is the way ahead. I'll try to find a friendly skiff club
who will let me have a quick paddle in one of the boats in the first
instance, see if I can get on with such a slow boat before I further
investigate building one. If I was only occasionally racing in a loan
boat I could concentrate on building my training boat to slightly
different specs (perhaps a little shorter for easier storage) and not
be a slave to a set of rules. As long as the rowing geometry, weight,
and run of the boat were fairly similar it would be fine for training
I should imagine.
David Biddulph
Yes, I'm sure that trying it out at one of the skiff clubs is a good idea.
You'll find quite a difference from a fine racing boat (but it's great for
developing strong finishes, and for dissuading you from bashing the
catches!).
You'll find contact info for the clubs towards the bottom of
http://www.rowing.biddulph.btinternet.co.uk/skiffing.htm, or at
http://www.skiffing.org.uk/clubs.htm.