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The
Saxonia is one of the few remaining bawleys on the East Coast.
Where
once she earned her living by fishing the local waters for whitebait
and shrimps, today she offers groups of up to 8 people the unique
opportunity of a day aboard a traditional sailing smack.
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Thames Sailing Bawleys –
a living history
Smacks,
bawleys and barges are the last working survivors of
the East Coast maritime heritage and are
living museums of a way of life that depended on the sea. These
craft were uniquely adapted to work the shallow local waters in pursuit of
their own particular trade: the barges carrying cargo, the smacks dredging
for oysters and the bawleys trawling for shrimp and whitebait.
The
Saxonia is typical of her class in terms of her solid construction, wide
decks, tall top-mast and brailed-up mainsail. Below decks her layout
remains traditional with a cosy wood-lined cabin and wood-fired stove
providing a welcome retreat on colder days.
Some
facts and figures:
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Built
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1930 by Aldous & Sons,
Brightlingsea
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Type/Rig
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Gaff
rig - Thames sailing bawley
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Length
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34’ (plus 14’ bowsprit)
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Beam
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13’ 9”
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Draft
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4’
6”
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Material
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Pine planking on oak frames
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Engine
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35 hp diesel
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