BOAT BUILDERS ON ICE

Sailing to the frozen north is a big trend these days. Meet two British boatbuilders who sail their self-built wooden boats to the ice every year

- WILL STIRLING

Integrity is a timber-built sailing boat based upon yacht designs of the late 1880s. She was designed and built by Stirling and Son Ltd in Plymouth, UK.

Her vital statistics are 43ft (13.1m) LOD, with a weight of 23 tonnes. Her length over the spars is 60ft (18m) as she has a long bowsprit extending forward and a boom that projects over the stern. She has a topmast that can be sent aloft in fine weather or housed against the main mast in windy weather. She also carries a square sail for downwind work. She is traditionally built and rigged with a minimum of electronics and systems. The underlying essence of the boat is one of functional aesthetics.

After a number of years of what could be termed extended sea trials and fine-tuning close to her base in Plymouth, she has gone north. The fine tuning included installation of a coal- and peat-burning stove, copper sheathing of the entire hull under the water and understanding what tools and spares would be needed for voyages that are beyond support.

There are three principal attractions of sailing in the north: the scenery is beautiful; all decisions are significantly consequential; and there is no one else there.

Integrity’s current base is North Iceland from where, every year, she undertakes short incursions into the Arctic. Always sailing with a crew of five, the first part of each voyage is necessarily a passage in order to reach the selected remote shore. A crew of five allows for a steady watch system of two hours on and six hours off while at sea. A crew of five also allows three people to enjoy a shore party while two stay on board in order to move the boat if the wind changes or if ice becomes a problem. Furthermore, five on board seems to be a flexible arrangement in terms of being able to cope with problems.