Home | History| Memoirs | News | Lisle Family | Accounts | Today | Additional Information | Quiz | Acknowledgements | Resources | Tyne Lives
Boats in Cullercoats
Based on "The Coble: a few papers written during leisure hours of the winter of 1884-5", by John Salmon (Library REF623.8202)
The coble is the best-adapted boat to deal with the dangerous North East seas. They are often seen as inferior to cutters and other fore-and-aft rigged vessels, but generally go where they are pointed and are made for their speed, they sail faster than other boats of their size. However, they require great skill to manoeuvre. They are, in unskilled hands, easily overturned or they turn turtle unless the sail is slackened off and lowered promptly. More accidents have been know to happen when the wind is low, when a sudden wind, coming off from high land, would strike the boat and sink her.
The construction of the coble has been adapted by generations of pilots who have built their cobles. A long term apprenticeship to a professional builder, and some little experience in sailing it are all necessary to build a decent coble. No moulds are ever used, just the practiced eye. Even in the late 1800s, it was felt, by some, that the pilots of their day, took less care of their cobles, than their forefathers.
Once put to sea, the size and shape of the sail was then established, taking a great length of time for each individual coble. Frequently moving the ballasts until the right sail was found. The dimensions of a coble could be; length 30ft, Ram, 22ft, beam 7ft, bottom 5 ft and side 2½ ft.
To find out more about the coble's construction, click on the sketch above. For a look at more boats, move your mouse over these photographs below and watch them change, or watch the short movie to see boats on Cullercoats Bay.
To see more images move your mouse across the photographs.
