Over the years Brian has worked on many boats of all types, but he is probably best known for his work on Essex smacks and other working boats. Smacks he has worked on include 'Hyacinth', 'Mary' and 'My Alice'. For many years he has produced the Essex Smacks Boat, a fibreglass 12ft sailing dinghy.
In recent years Brian has been involved in a number of Lottery funded projects including the rebuilding of the Thames Barge 'Thalatta', the first class Essex smack 'Pioneer' and the Stour lighter 'John Constable'. He and his colleagues rebuilt the Leigh cockle boat 'Endeavour' for the Endeavour Trust, Endeavour being a Dunkirk Little Ship, one of several Leigh boats that went to Dunkirk in 1940.
He and his colleagues are capable of all types of work to any standard the customer requires.
The common cry from traditionalists is that GRP boats all look the same, however the Smacks Boat bucks the trend. First produced in the early 1970's from a wooden dinghy built by master craftsman Alf Last of Cooks..
The original concept was to take Alf Last's dinghy and add a simple lug rig to make a stable boat that could carry well but also be a satisfying boat for novice or expert alike to mess around in. Some Smacks Boats..
The hull of the Smacks Boat is three layers of glass-fibre mat with a double gel coat. Any colour gel can be supplied, the most popular colours are white and grey. The buoyancy is formed from 9mm marine plywood..
Prices start at £5950.00 for a basic boat, this includes the cost of the hull in either white or grey gelcoat, fitted out with a galvanized steel centreplate, centre thwart and buoyancy either end. The buoyancy is fitted..
Smacks Boats started out as the tenders for the local Maldon sailing smacks and for those who want a solid dinghy that carries and looks well with a traditional feel it would be difficult to find anything better, the fact that they are good sailing boats too is a bonus.
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