A Collection of St. Ayles Skiffs

Written by Small Boats

From Issue Small Boats Annual 2016

Since the first St. Ayles skiff was launched at the Scottish Fisheries Museum in 2009, hundreds have been built. Designed by the late Iain Oughtred, the St. Ayles Skiff was commissioned by the museum and boat-kit manufacturer, Alec Jordan, to coincide with the museum’s creation of the Scottish Coastal Rowing Project. The goal was to revive interest in community rowing, a pastime that was popular in the U.K. until the 1950s.

Oughtred designed the 22′ plywood-and-epoxy glued-lap skiff for an easy build. Today, Jordan Boats in the U.K., Michael Hewes & Co. in the U.S., and Stray Dog Boatworks in Australia offer the CNC-cut plywood kits. Below are some St. Ayles skiffs completed by our readers that we featured in the 2016 Small Boats Annual.

The Scottish Coastal Rowing Association serves as the home organization of the fleet, with about 60 clubs started in the last five years. We profiled the St. Ayles Skiff in the 2012 issue of Small Boats.

ILOAIR

Photo by Geoff Norris

In November 2014, Angus Campbell and Rory Cowan started the Arran Coastal Rowing Club on the Isle of Arran in Scotland. A couple of months later, Rory, teacher Steve Garaway, and three students from the Arran High School started building the St. Ayles kit. The Arran Coastal Rowing Club launched IOLAIR (Gaelic for “sea eagle”) in September 2015 at Lamlash on Arran. Another skiff is in the works.

SEA SHADOW & SEA SPIRIT

Photo by Chris Ireland

In 2013, a group of friends in Picton, Ontario, built Canada’s first St. Ayles skiff, which they named SEA SHADOW. That launching led to the creation of the Ayle of Quinte Skiff Club, and the construction of Canada’s second St. Ayles skiff, SEA SPIRIT. Launched in 2015 at Waupoos Marina, she is seen here with her sistership SEA SHADOW and most of her builders. From left to right: Duncan Payne, Tony Dean, Don Farrington, Doug Macpherson, Peter Bell, Brian Wheatley, John Fricker, Bob McKittrick, Sandy Pratt, Jim Vince, Gary Osborne. Missing is Chris Ireland, who took the picture.

BILLIE

Photo by Bob Hawkins

In July 2014, the Living Boat Trust of Tasmania was awarded a grant that covered much of the cost of building a St. Ayles skiff. Pete Heading supervised the group of eager volunteers who worked on the boat. At her 2015 launching, they named her BILLIE, after a beloved dog mascot of the Trust. A blog of the construction is available on the Living Boat Trust website.

SEA SPARTAN

Photo by Sarah Dumser

Under direction from their wood arts teacher, Jim Dumser, a dozen students at the Community School of Davidson built SEA SPARTAN in just four months. They launched her on Lake Norman in Davidson, North Carolina, in May 2015. Seated from stern to bow are Jim Dumser, Kevin Harris, Austin Talbert, Connor Collop, and Michael Simon.

YACKYDOOLA

Photo by Niall Odhar

On the Isle of Lewis in Scotland the An Eather Rowing Club built YACKYDOOLA and launched her in July 2015 on Loch a’ Bhaile amid much fanfare and celebration. The builders from left to right: Ian Mackay, Ian Hunter, team leader Charlie Green, Rhys Howell, and John Mitchell.

TROIKA

Photo by Dave Pickering

In 2015, Ali Grant, who had previously been involved in building two other St. Ayles skiffs, was working as a youth worker at Muirhouse Youth Development Group in Edinburgh, Scotland. She and boatbuilder Nik Savage supported three young men in the construction of a St. Ayles skiff. The trio spent two afternoons a week working with Ali and Nik to build their own skiff, TROIKA, which means three people working together. The photo shows Nik Savage, Figo El Sherif, Francisc Dorot, trainee rower Stanley McKay, and Ali Grant.