The John Gardner Chapter of the TSCA and the New London Currach Rowers participated in the Messing About in Boats Day at the UConn Avery Point Campus. The event was sponsored by the Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve and provided an opportunity for UConn students, faculty, and staff to enjoy a variety of water activities. The JGTSCA offered participants the opportunity to take a traditional dory for a row. The boats are “Hybrid Avery Point Dories” modeled after traditional Grand Banks fishing dories. They are built lighter and are set up for “Gunkholing” perfect for exploring the estuarine coastal areas found here at the mouth of the Thames and Poquonnock rivers. The New London Currach Rowers allowed attendees to give Irish rowing a try with a traditional Irish currach. The design of a currach is 2,000 years old, built for fishing in the wild Irish Sea and northern Atlantic, and is now mainly used competitively.
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The John Gardner Chapter of the TSCA hosted its annual Small Craft Workshop. The workshop ran in conjunction with the 32nd annual WoodenBoat Show at Mystic Seaport on June 28-30, 2024. Wooden Boat enthusiasts gathered for the 31st annual WoodenBoat Show at Mystic Seaport on June 23-25, 2023. In addition to the main event, the John Gardner Chapter hosted our John Gardner Small Craft Workshop at Australia Beach all three days. Move your mouse cursor over the image below and click the Play button to view a slideshow. The UConn Avery Point EcoHusky Club hosted an Earth Day celebration on April 19 on the campus green. The spring weather was a bit chilly but the event was informative and engaging. In coordination with the Earth Day event, the JGTSCA had an open house at the boathouse. JGTSCA members were available to describe our projects and activities. Ellie provided Mexican food which was appreciated by students, staff, and visitors. (Hover over the photo below and click the Play button to view a slideshow.) Mystic Seaport - June 23-25, 2023Come one, come all to celebrate Traditional Small Craft in the place where it was born! Mystic Seaport Museum, WoodenBoat and the John Gardner Chapter of the TSCA are joining forces to sponsor the best ever small boat gathering. The Seaport Boathouse Livery will be available to all at no extra charge. Go try out working replicas of the original small craft from the Museum’s Small Craft Collection. To celebrate breaking ground on the new Small Craft Hall, we will be honoring replicas of the originals. If you have one at home, bring it and share its story. If yours is in the tradition of the original, say of more modern materials, but honors the essence of the original, that is OK, even encouraged in this age of trailer sailing and garage storage. Included will be special tours of the Small Craft Collection. Go visit your favorites then come back and take a replica for a ride. Observing an original or replica is all well and good but there is only one way to see how it feels. If you can’t find one but really like it, pick up a set of plans from the Collections Research Center and bring back the new boat next year to celebrate the Grand Opening of the new Small Craft Hall. Activities will be going on all weekend. WoodenBoat is sponsoring a speaker’s series series which is open to all participants. Shipwrights at the Seaport Shipyard will be demonstrating skills in real time, making chips fly. Those demonstrations, too, are included. And throughout the weekend members of the John Gardner Chapter will be offering rides in their dories or, if permission is asked, in their own private boats. We use our boats, not just look at them. Morning rows both up the river to the source of the mighty Mystic River as well as down-river to our favorite sandbar beach kick off the days. Late afternoons are reserved for sailing. Let’s keep the River busy. Workshop presentations will include building stories, skills explained (make your own rope
fender?) or how to reef your Catboat sail, scandalize your Spritsail or add some new control lines to your existing rig. Come to Australia Beach just behind the John Gardner Boat Shop on campus and check in at the Workshop Tent or, better yet, visit the Seaport’s website and sign up in advance. Launch off our beach or nearby ramps, some of which are carry-in. Reach out and let us know what skill you would like to bring, boat you would like to talk about or which activity interests you. We look forward to seeing you there. Bill Rutherford [email protected] 860-222-5249 |
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