Winklebrig design heritage

[Old Forum]

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 08:06 am:      
I have always felt that the design of the Winklebrig owed more to the working boat heritage than that of leisure craft, so I was delighted to come across this picture of one of my great grandfather's herring drifters which fished out of Lowestoft in the 1860's. Is it just my fantasy or can anyone else spot the similarities with the second picture?

[Old Forum]

Roger Parish
Username: Roger_parish

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 01:19 pm:      
Now we know where you got your ideas from! There is a close resemblance even down to the fidded topmast. How about this one?

[Old Forum]

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 07:09 pm:      
Excellent!

[Old Forum]

Alison_bergqvist
Username: Alison_bergqvist

Registered: 06-2012
   
Posted on Monday, June 25, 2012 - 08:58 pm:      
I have just registered to use the Winkle Brig forum and am itching to use it to chat with all you boaty people. Although it was the wonderful photo of the herring drifter that caught my eye I also wanted to confirm that the design of the Winkle Brig did indeed owe much to the heritage of traditional working boats. Eric's philosophy was always to keep things simple, sturdy and straightforward, and he avoided all unnecessary fripperies and fiddly bits that had no good purpose. The more basic the technology the less likely things were to go wrong and the easier they would be to fix if they did. That doesn't mean to say that the look of the boat didn't matter – it absolutely did but I'm sure I don't need to preach to the converted! I also wanted to say that I have often wondered how many Winkle Brig fans have the sea in their blood as does Martin. My great and great-great grandfathers were Pill Bristol Channel Pilots. Sadly I am the only family member left with a passion for boats – hence my ramblings to you all herewith.

[Old Forum]

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 - 09:51 am:      
Good to hear from you Alison. I assume you are related to Eric? If so I am slightly worried by your last sentence. Is Eric still with us?

[Old Forum]

Alison_bergqvist
Username: Alison_bergqvist

Registered: 06-2012
   
Posted on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 - 06:19 pm:      
Whoops - sorry - I see what you mean. I am the ex-wife who helped him design and market the early Winkle Brigs. I was referring to my own family of Selways rather than Eric's Bergqvist family. He was very much alive and kicking a few weeks ago and I assume still is today!

[Old Forum]

David Cawston
Username: David_cawston

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 - 10:02 pm:      
Hi Alison,
Delighted you have found the forum. When we show people around Markie we tell them how you were responsible for the excellent layout below decks. You really did a great job in such a restricted space and it works for us, although after 25 years of WB ownership, as we get older and yearn for creature comforts, we are disappointed you did not design in a shower and standing headroom :-)
Dave & Cate

[Old Forum]

Alison_bergqvist
Username: Alison_bergqvist

Registered: 06-2012
   
Posted on Friday, June 29, 2012 - 12:54 pm:      
Hi David & Cate
Good to know you are still happily hitched to Markie after so long. I wonder if you hold the record for the longest relationship with a WB? Perhaps you will have to trade her in for something more comfy and capacious eventually. Or swallow the anchor and swap Winkle Brig for Winnebago - sublime to ridiculous!
Alison

[Old Forum]

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2012 - 09:25 pm:      
Here is another in the Winklebrig extended family!
http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?144675-lovely-boat-lovely-bloke-winkl e-brig-balanced-lug
I went down to see James Lawrence sails at Brightlingsea today to discuss the suitability of a lug rig with my two foresails. When I was there I bumped into an old ex-sailing barge skipper who told me that in this part of the world the original Winklebrig came about when in the 19th century the Thames sailing barges put lugsails on their 'tenders' and thus the Winklebrig was born.
He felt that the lugsail is the natural choice for the modern Winklebrig as it overcomes the weather helm issues inherent in boats with the mast as far forward as ours.

[Old Forum]

Roger Parish
Username: Roger_parish

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2012 - 10:14 pm:      
I have seen this video clip before of James Lawrence sailing his WB.
Did you notice a comment posted about the clip which refers to the WB in Australia. Link below:
http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?144675-lovely-boat-lovely-bloke-winkl e-brig-balanced-lug