Iain Oughtred: A Life in Wooden Boats

Iain was instrumental in Britain’s wooden boat revival. A former dinghy racer turned boatbuilder and designer, Iain developed a cult following both for the beauty of his designs and the quality of his detailed drawings. He creates boats that are exceptionally appealing, yet inexpensive, and ideally suited for the amateur builder. With over 100 designs (and growing) to his credit, Iain frequently bases designs on traditional local craft.

This comprehensive (and beautifully produced...) book traces Iain’s life from Australia to Scotland, including his sabbatical at WoodenBoat in 1986 and other and points in between. Many of his most popular designs are shown photographed in gorgeous settings, as well as a healthy selection of plans shown in the design section, plus there is an appendix listing all of his designs.

Cover photographs: top is a Caledonia Yawl, shot by Kathy Mansfield. The lower image is Iain's Elf, photographed by Iain with the snow-covered rocky beach at Findhorn, Scotland in the background. Iain makes his home in the Hebrides... on the Isle of Skye, Scotland.

What others are saying about the book:
This sensitively written book is about an artist with a belief in beauty and simplicity, who lives his dreams, mostly by himself, while giving far more to the world than he takes from it. --Maynard Bray, author of Herreshoff of Bristol, Designs to Inspire, and Technical Editor of WoodenBoat magazine.

Late at night, out in the workshop, builder's of Iain's boats have often admitted to feelings of invisible company, of being part of something much bigger; a strong sense that in the act of working with such beauty they too have become part of that great pantheon of boatbuilders. -Robert Ayliffe, founder, Duck Flat Wooden Boats

This is a fine book, both biography and design catalogue, it is a fitting tribute to a remarkable character. --Christain Brook, owner Boat Books Australia

Contents: