Fyne Boats

Nearly 20 years ago I built a simple, slab-sided wooden canoe from a kit supplied by a company called Fyne Boat Kits. Since I’m pretty rubbish with tools I opted for a “supervised build” which meant that I went along to the company’s modest workshop on the shores of Lake Windermere in Cumbria. There boatbuilding brothers Hugh and Paul watched (and helped!) as I stitched and glued my 15 foot canoe together from plywood sheets that they’d pre-cut. My daughters Ellie and Laura — then aged 10 and 7 — came along to help out. It was a relaxing and rewarding week. The boat turned out rather well and for years it gave great service along the Lancaster Canal, and on Lakes Coniston and Windermere.

Two decades on I’m back at Fyne Boats. They’ve moved to bigger premises at Gatebeck near Kendal where a new group of enthusiasts was about to embark on a week of boatbuilding.

Towards the end of the week I was back at the workshop to check up on progress.