In a large hold on one of the ships in our harbor, a seaworthy Scottish rowing skiff—a St. Ayles Skiff—is being built.
Scottish design
Team at work in the hold
A group of ten enthusiasts—almost all of whom are members of the TIOG rowing club, which has three boats in the Bierhaven—got started this spring. The project leader is Hans van Dalen, who lives on a boat in the Binnenhaven in Zuid: “My sister lives in Scotland and rows in a St. Ayles Skiff on the Firth of Forth near Queensferry (Edinburgh). Every Scottish village on the water has a rowing club that has built a skiff like this, and they organize fantastic rowing races for people of all ages and skill levels. I thought it would be fantastic to do the same thing here in Rotterdam.”
Dutch Enthusiasm
The St. Ayles Skiff was designed by Iain Oughtred (1939–2024) to foster community building, based on a historic fishing boat used in the Scottish islands for fishing in the Atlantic Ocean. A lightweight, seaworthy rowing skiff for four rowers and a coxswain, suitable for rough waters. The first one was launched in 2009, and hundreds followed. It caught on not only in the United Kingdom but also in the Netherlands. The cradle of the Dutch St. Ayles Skiff movement is in Woudrichem, where many neighboring villages have since built their own St. Ayles Skiffs. There are about 35 St. Ayles Skiffs sailing in the Netherlands, and 350 worldwide.
Rotterdam Design
Hans, Eric, and Paul in conversation with Arie Schreuders
In preparation for the construction in Rotterdam, the skiff rowers conducted test rows in Woudrichem and received advice and assistance from Arie Schreuders, who has already built five of them, and Kees van Vugt, president of the national St. Ayles Skiff Association and board member of the International St. Ayles Skiff Association. In the cargo hold, the hull of the first Rotterdam St. Ayles Skiff is now complete. The boat’s keel-laying was celebrated in the traditional Scottish manner with a glass of whiskey. Now it’s time to move on to the gunwales, oarlocks, benches, footrests, oars, and, of course, a sleek Rotterdam design as the finishing touch.
The builders are usually at work on Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons. You can contact the team at staylesskiffclubrotterdam@gmail.com. You’re more than welcome to join us.