Irish Hooker boats - any info out there?

[seb]

I am just reading Douglas Whynott's "A Unit of Water, a Unit of Time", and, in recording the life story of one of the crew at the yard, he is talking about an Irish type of traditional boat called an "Irish Hooker". The guy (sorry, can't remember the name - maybe at third or fourth reading will do better :)) has repaired one of these traditional boats in Ireland, and shipped it over to Canada, from where it was sailed back to Maine.

I've tried searching on the Internet, and only one passing reference came up. I've searched these forums, and no reference at all. I am quite into old or traditional wooden sailing boat designs, specially work boats. Any of you guys has more information on this type of boat? Some plans, photos, stories?

I wasn't sure if the best forum to post this would be this one, or the design one. Many thanks for all replies.

[ 04-02-2004, 07:52 AM: Message edited by: seb ]

[Matt J.]

Seb,
In the UK, and you're unfamiliar with the Irish Hookers? I've got some pictures (only a few), I could email you from our trip to Ireland last summer. Again, they ain't great, but they're pictures.
-Matt

[Matt J.]

Better yet, for [some] photos, got to www.google.com (http://www.google.com) and click on the Images, well, here you are:
Google Image search (http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=)

and type in Irish Hooker... they have [a few] pictures. Google's a great tool, give it a try.

Good luck,
Matt

edited to add: I spoke too soon... a couple pictures, but nothing to get excited about. :rolleyes:

[ 04-02-2004, 09:36 AM: Message edited by: Matt Joyce ]

[RGM]

Great looking boats. I was at "Sea Ocean Books" (Seattle) yesterday checking things out and noticed that the owner had tacked up a couple of drawings (copies of a pen and ink perhaps) of a Galway Hooker and a Achill Hooker. Upon seeing those I asked if he had any books that discussed and/or detailed them, provided design and line info, etc. He replied "No". However he indicated that there was something out there. So, besides Matt's fine suggestion of trying a Google Search, also try a search thru www.abebooks.com (http://www.abebooks.com) , that might yield some results. Between the two you may find something. I also am interested and will proceed with the hunt from my end and will gladly share any info that I find. Release The Hounds!!!

[seb]

Thanks for all your replies. It doesn't really seem that there is much information about this type of boat out there. To Matt: Yes please, some pictures would be nice. Can you get my e-mail address from my profile? (well, I couldn't figure out how to access other members' profiles yet). Or better yet, why don't you try posting them here on the forum, so that others will enjoy them as well and learn more about this traditional type of boat.

I'm a big fan of the history of small working vessels. It seems that most of the material and attention out there is concentrated on the impressive/large stuff - liners, warships, square riggers, merchant ships. I'm more interested in stuff that could be handled by 1-2 persons. There is something neat and beutiful about small boats.

[seb]

Just discovered that you can obtain some more results in google by trying galway+hooker. I guess this is a local version of the Irish hooker. See what more I can unearth.

[seb]

And also that the name comes from the dutch "hoeker" - no idea what it means. Still, no line plans, or description of construction materials (well, somewhere says they were made of oak).

[Thad]

I did a little mast repair last Fall for a man who was on his way to sail in one of the last Galway hookers. He had made a model of the very boat and in some way this had gotten him in contact with the boat's owner. When he came back for the stick he had a story about going out in fairly heavy conditions and having the best sail of his life (or something along that line). Since he made a model there must be drawings somewhere.

[Otter]

A set up line like "irish hookers" and we only get one joke reply? No clever names like Trixie O'Toole? C'mon guys, thats pretty sad. ;)

[RGM]

After entering a search for Galway Hookers on abebooks.com I got a few hits. They all appeared to be on the same book "Last of The Galway Hookers". There were a number of different editions available in various condition. Some were limited editions signed by the author. Quite a variation in price also. There were some in the UK, Oz and the US (mostly in California I think). It may be one of the few sources of information on the boat. Good luck.

[Jamie Hascall]

Don't forget to do a search on our Sponsors site. WB has done a number of articles on Galway Hookers, their American relative the Boston Hooker, and a book review on the Irish Hooker in issue #50.

Now how did we get through all this without a joke about them all working the waterfront and looking for sailors is beyond me! :D

[pjwalsh]

Chapelle has a lines plan of the "Boston Hooker" variant in American Small Sailing Craft. The wooden boat article has some photographs of some surviving hookers and a couple of small scale lines plans. L.F. Herreshoff describes the boston hooker type with some (uncomplimentary) words and a sketch in his book "The Compleat Cruiser"

The best photographs I have seen of the smaller Galway Hooker type (Gleotag?) are in the classic documentary film "Man of Aran" in which a crew of Aran Islanders goes out to harpoon basking sharks. The boat is unrigged and is rowed but the hull can be observed working in some rough water. The photography in this movie is magnificent by the way. There is a breathtaking sequence of a curragh shooting some really hairy looking surf.

[Allen Foote]

There was a book published in England around 1980 called "The Restoration of Yachts" that included a section on them.

[JimM]

Classicboat Magazine will have an artical about a Galway Hooker in the April magazine.

Jim McGee