A Lerret, a traditional wooden boat, constructed without designer plans, will be launched at Lyme Regis on 31st July at 11.30am. This intriguing double-ended clinker vessel, native to the Dorset coast, was built by crafter extraordinaire Gail McGarva.
The boat was built without any designer drawings, taking the lines from the last sea-worthy Lerret of 1923 named “Vera”. A £13,5000 award from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), which enables craftsmen to develop their skills through study and training, enabled Gail to fund the boat.
Gail has previously constructed a number of impressive boats during her training at the Boat Building Academy at Lyme Regis. She built a replica of the oldest remaining Shetland boat and was awarded the prestigious British Marine Federation’s Trainee of the Year Award for her achievements in wooden boat construction. Other remarkable works of hers include a Bantry bay gig (wooden rowing boat) and two 32ft Cornish Pilot gigs.
The Lyme Lerret will be used as a community vessel to enable young people to gain confidence at sea, develop their rowing skills and improve team-working skills.
For more information on QEST, visit www.qest.org