The Ardglass branch of Down Coastal Rowing turn over their St Ayle’s skiff.[/caption]
The Ardglass branch of Down Coastal Rowing has turned over its 19-feet St Ayle’s skiff after only a few week’s work by a dedicated group of amateur boatbuilders led by ship’s carpenter Ricky le Bloas made an excellent effort to catch up with the other clubs around the Lecale who had already started their projects.
It is hoped that a rowing festival will run in October this year when the boats will race against each other for the first time. The competition of St Ayle’s skiff rowing is now an international activity and they are being raced as far away as New Zealand.
Each skiff will have four rowers and a cox and everyone is encouraged to join the Down Coastal Rowing Club and support the initiative. Maybe you could be a rower in the Narrows Challenge this October?
To date, the skiffs that have  been turned over are in Portaferry, Kircubbin, Killyleagh, and Strangford. Ardglass is the fifth skiff to progress to this stage as boat building crews grapple with the technical skills of boatbuilding.
