I met Alastair recently whilst getting some advice on restoring my Canadian Canoe and he mentioned that he had just completed one in Cedar Strip and it is currently for sale.
If anyone is interested in getting their hands on a beautiful, unique, Cedar Strip hull for the new season please contact Alastair directly.
16ft long, water tight compartments at either end, two seats.
£1350 ono
Contact: Alastair Duffin @ Duffin Marine: 02890457381
A Word about the Builder
Based upon an Article written by Avril Torrens for the Newtownards Chronicle
End of an eraThe final ship ever built at Harland and Wolff sailed out of Belfast last year, marking the end of the city's 150-year association with the industry. The company's famous cranes - Samson and Goliath - are still be used in ship conversions and repairs but never again will they witness a major vessel built from scratch.
Wooden boatsHowever, boat building is still going strong in their shadow over East Belfast - albeit on a very much smaller scale. Newtownards man Alastair Duffin of Duffin Marine is carrying on a family business that has been turning out beautifully, crafted wooden boats for the past 50 years at the Holywood Arches site.
Family BusinessThe firm was originally set up as a building company by Alastair's grandfather. Alastair said: "My father had always wanted to join the Royal Navy but when his father died he had to take over the building firm along with his brother. I suppose building boats in his spare time was one way of making up for not being able to sail the world".
"My father was a very keen sailor and my brother used to crew for him but when he went off to the Navy I had to take over as crew. I enjoyed it, but my big interest was motorbikes." As his father began to build more and more boats, Alastair's interest began grow and when he gave up motorbikes following an accident he became more involved in the company.
GP14Originally constructing clinker-built boats, the company began to build GPl4s around 1962 and it was this design of boat that Alastair became most interested in. He built his first GP14 when he was 22 and is still building them today. Ideally suited as a family sailing dinghy or more commonly to racing, the class goes from strength to strength as their popularity continues to grow due to their versatility. Indeed, a large number of the boats racing in the UK and Ireland today have been built by Duffin Marine. And while GP14s are built to stringent guidelines set by the GP14 Class Association, each boat Alastair produces is unique. He uses different woods, veneers and inlays to create a product of which any furniture manufacturer would be proud.
Wood is bestGP14s are now available in almost maintenance-free GRP but these cannot compare to the wooden boats that Alistair produces. There is more work involved in maintaining a wooden boat but the handling and performance of a Duffin-built GP14 is second to none. Alastair added: "Glass boats lose their competitive edge after just two to three years but wooden boats can keep their competitiveness. I can think of at least two or three people in Ireland who have boats over 10-years-old that are still winning events and championships."
One-designTo date Alistair has built well over 150 GP14s and 11 of those form one of the biggest fleets in Ireland based at Newtownards Sailing Club. The one-design nature of the craft means that the skill of the sailor plays a big part in who wins races and Alistair has proved himself to be a highly competent and competitive helm, winning many races and events over the years.
New Series 3Alastair continually strives to improve on his boats and has been responsible for the majority of the alterations the GP14 has seen over the years. He has just received final approval of his most recent designs that will see a new Series 3 GP14 being produced and sailed throughout the world.
Proud TraditionEven if Belfast has lost its place in the world shipbuilding, Alastair Duffin will ensure that the city still has a boat tradition of which it can be proud. A Duffin Hull currently holds the World Title for GP14 racing.
Contact: Alastair Duffin @ Duffin Marine: 02890457381
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Topic: New Cedar Strip Canadian Canoe (Read 11550 times)