book review: swatchways and little ships
 

by Maurice Griffiths

i just finished reading this excellent little book this morning, a
quick read of 190 pages it can be knocked over easily in a day. This
book is a series of short stories spanning some 50 years from
19020's-1970's written by maurice Griffiths who was the editor of the
british periodical 'yachting monthly'. The stories are fairly light
and dont go into much technical detail, but they were enjoyable just
the same. It starts off with stories about his first boat, and
finishes up with mention of some specific boats he designed (eventide
24 & 26 etc), in the middle touching briefly on the second world war
wear the author was in charge of things like mine sweeping, and diving
for mines, and later with blowing up boats.

over the course of the book he talks a bit about sailing up and down
the little rivers and estuaries and experiences drying out on sand and
mud in keel boats. he goes on to talk of his ideal boats, shallow
draft with lee boards or bilge keels, drafting 2 feet or less and being
able to dry out on the flat. There were lots of terms i wasnt familiar
with, things like 'barge yachts', and 'smacks'.

It was a worthwhile way to spend a morning with a cup of coffee,
particularly since it was a bit cold this morning and i was thinking of
myself being out in one of these cosy little boats, drying out on the
sand waiting for the tide to rise with the same cup of coffee sitting
in front of a pot belly stove.

Shaun

book review: swatchways and little ships
 

imagineero wrote:

by Maurice Griffiths

i just finished reading this excellent little book this morning, a
quick read of 190 pages it can be knocked over easily in a day. This
book is a series of short stories spanning some 50 years from
19020's-1970's written by maurice Griffiths who was the editor of the
british periodical 'yachting monthly'. The stories are fairly light
and dont go into much technical detail, but they were enjoyable just
the same.

Yes this is a great little book. He also wrote a similar one
called 'Lure of the Swatchways.' One of the things that
struck me while reading it, how much boats & the gear have
changed over the years & decades... but other things have
remained exactly the same.

DSK