A throne fit for a King (who never came)
by Gavin Atkin

I've been interested in Fleet Trows since I first read about them in Eric McKee's wonderful book 'Working Boats of Britain - their shape and purpose'. Some of you may remember that I even got around to working up a design for a modern plywood version, the Light Trow, which I felt offered an alternative type of light skiff that could sail as well as row. No-one has built it yet, but I still think that boat would make a great camp cruiser on our rivers and Broads. Download the hull design here, and the sailing rig etc here.

Anyway, I recently had a chance to call in on the Fleet and take some photos. The Fleet is an unusual body of water by UK standards: it's a long flash behind a long arcing shingle beach, Chesil Bank, that itself is notable for the way the stones grade from large to small along its length. The sign tells most of the story, so I won't say much, except to observe that if the King had made his planned trip, he would no doubt have been placed in the shooter's 'throne' at the back of Pintail or one of her sisters in order to pot a few wildfowl.


Explanation


Throne

Throne2

Detail

Detail2

Diagram

Oar

Quant

Full of gear

On the water

Abandoned