Bimbling around in an internet discussion thread which has nothing to do with barges, I came across an acquaintance posting first “I’m going back down to the boat. It’s pouring with wet Devon sunshine here, so a perfect day for it.” and then later, with a lot more pain and anguish, “Several days and nights of heavy rain on the boat. She’s damp and suffering from my neglect. It isn’t that I don’t care, but old classic little ships are hard work and she deserves so much more than I can give her now or will be able to give her in the future. I can’t even sail her anymore and it would be a disgrace to let her rot. She has years of good life left in her”.
“It’s sad”, he goes on, “but only for me. Three potential new owners have been waiting for two years for me to make this decision so I’ve asked the yard-mistress to tell them and let me know who’ll take her. I’ve a feeling they might club together and they can have her for a few quid, because we all know her upkeep will cost lots. She’ll be sailed again. That’s the main thing.
Two other regulars offered me an afternoon out on the river any time I want next summer, so that’ll be good. I’ll have some of the quiet pleasure without any of the responsibility or guilt.
It’s the right decision, but I’ve never felt so old”.
Poor bloke – hanging up his sea boots. The ‘lady’ in question is a Mevagissey Tosher, an old gaff rigged boat, one of a series of types who did the jobs around Falmouth and Devon. I have ‘borrowed’ a picture from a boat builder website created by Marcus Lewis, http://www.woodenboatbuilder.co.uk/?p=252. More images are available on the Gaffers and Luggers Association website, http://www.galawebsite.co.uk/about-gala/tosher
This Gaffers and Luggers website has it that “Toshers were originally lugger rigged but demand led to the adaption to a Gaff Cutter; this proved more popular than the lugger rig as the Gaffer is raced locally in the “Old Gaffers” class. The mould was taken from an old Mevagissey Tosher, “YoYo”.
Mevagissey Tosher taken from Marcus Lewis (Boat Builder) website
This. 18’6″ craft is a great favourite locally and is available as either a Gaff Cutter or a lugger. The Tosher is identical to her forerunners in every way; the mould for the G.R.P. boat was taken from a craft over a hundred years old. The previous owner worked her for nine years, sailing daily to the pollack and bass grounds off the Manacle Rocks, with only a 3.5 Kelvin when the wind was light. This roomy, able sea boat is best when used for sailing, lining or crabbing, as well as being an ideal family day sailer.”
You learn something every day!’
Thanks for that, Trish. Email me a good picture and I’ll post it here. You can ‘shrink’ it first if you prefer. They have to be down to about postcard sized on screen (60 kB approx file-size) before I can post them.