PEC builders launch Canada’s first St. Ayles skiff

The builders, family and friends gathered on the shores of Picton Bay to christen and launch “Sea Shadow”, Canada’s first St. Ayles skiff.

The celebration marked the culmination of a five month “labour of love” project.
This winter, 12 retired amateur boat builders here in the County built Canada’s first Scottish Coastal rowing skiff. The five-person boat was launched June 1st. The crew’s intention is to enter it into the North American rowing skiff competitions in Mystic, Connecticut on the Canada Day weekend.

On June 1, with bag pipes playing, a wreath of white oak and ash branches on her bow to ensure safe returns, “Sea Shadow” was carried into the water and taken for her inaugural row.

The builders are: Chris Ireland, Bob McKittrick, Duncan Payne, Sandy Pratt, Tony Dean, Doug MacPherson, Barry Tucker, Greg Leggatt, Gary Osborne, John Fricker, Don Farrington and Jim Vince.

The “Scottish Coastal Rowing Project” under the auspices of the Scottish Fisheries Museum, started in 2009 and the enthusiasm for the concept blossomed not only along the coasts of Scotland, then down into England, but around the world.
The St Ayles is supplied in a kit form, which means that the basic hull shape and dimensions will be the same for each boat. However, a great deal of work goes into transforming sheets of precut plywood parts into the graceful shape of a St Ayles skiff.

… See more photos and the building of the Ayle of Quinte project on their blog at  ayleofquinte.wordpress.com