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Boats

Coble boat builder
Ship's figure-head carver

Coble Boat Builder

The coble used to be the mainstay of the inshore fishing industry off Yorkshire's north-east coast. A coble is built from experience, from knowing exactly what the fisherman wants. There is no such thing as a set of plans.

A coble is clinker-built. This means the external planks overlap each other and are fastened together with clinched copper nails

Billy Clarkson of Whitby looking at the shape and form of a coble during construction. The boat's design makes for maximum seaworthiness.

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Ship's figure-head carver

Trevor Ellis carved and painted a series of ship's figureheads from pine in the small Coverdale village of Horsehouses. He supplied these to yaht clubs throughout Britain.

Figure heads have been in use on ships since pre-Christian times. Here Trevor Ellis shapes a new figurehead.

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