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Bristol Channel pilot cutter

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A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship . Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture.

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88-478: A Bristol Channel pilot cutter is a type of sailing boat used until the early part of the 20th century to deliver and collect pilots to and from merchant vessels using ports in the Bristol Channel . Each pilot worked individually, in competition with other pilots. Especially after 1861, the level of competition required larger and faster cutters, as pilots went "seeking" (looking for a ship that required

176-412: A Bermuda rigged main , and a headsail . This simple configuration is very efficient for sailing into the wind. A fractional rigged sloop has its forestay attached at a point below the top of the mast, allowing the mainsail to be flattened to improve performance by raking the upper part of the mast aft by tensioning the backstay. A smaller headsail is easier for a short-handed crew to manage. A yawl

264-475: A Roman villa was discovered in Llandough . In 1980 a Roman building consisting of 22 rooms and cellars in four ranges around a central courtyard was excavated at Glan-y-môr and is believed to be a third-century building associated with naval activity, maybe a supply depot. The Vikings launched raids in the area and Barry Island was known to be a raider base in 1087. Flat Holm and Steep Holm islands in

352-434: A mainmast taller than its foremast , distinguishing it from a ketch or a yawl. A schooner can have more than two masts, with the foremast always lower than the foremost main. Traditional topsail schooners have topmasts allowing triangular topsails sails to be flown above their gaff sails ; many modern schooners are Bermuda rigged. The most common modern sailboat is the sloop, which features one mast and two sails, typically

440-427: A maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters, and often high winds. It is amongst the sunnier of Welsh locations, due to its southerly and coastal position. The nearest official weather observation station is at Cardiff Airport near Rhoose, about 3 miles (5 km) west of the town centre. Barry has four secondary schools. Since 1993, Bryn Hafren and Barry Comprehensive School have worked together to provide

528-642: A barrow at Cold Knap Point. A large defended enclosure or Iron Age promontory hillfort was located at the Bulwarks at Porthkerry and there was evidence of the existence of an early Iron Age farmstead during construction of Barry College off Colcot Road. In Roman times farmsteads existed on the site of Barry Castle and Biglis and there were verbal reports of discovery of a cemetery including lead coffins with scallop-shell decoration. Both St. Baruc's Chapel and St. Nicholas Church have re-used Roman bricks and tiles incorporated in their building fabric and

616-421: A co-operative amalgamation of pilots who then worked a rota system to provide a service. This greatly reduced the number of sailing pilot cutters required, and these were soon replaced by steam-powered cutters that remained on station to provide a pilotage service. Bristol pilots amalgamated in 1923, but kept two of the cutters as stand-by vessels in case of breakdown of the steam pilot cutter. The Bristol Channel

704-429: A common racing configuration, today it gives versatility to cruising boats, especially in allowing a small staysail to be flown from the inner stay in high winds. A catboat has a single mast mounted far forward and does not carry a jib. Most modern designs have only one sail, the mainsail; however, the traditional catboat could carry multiple sails from the gaff rig. Catboat is a charming and distinctive sailboat featuring

792-537: A crane and are typically stepped on the keel through any cabin or other superstructure. Many sailboats have an alternate means of propulsion, in case the wind dies or where close maneuvering under sail is impractical. The smallest boats may use a paddle ; bigger ones may have oars ; still others may employ an outboard motor , mounted on the transom; still others may have an inboard engine . Barry, Vale of Glamorgan Barry ( / ˈ b ær i / ; Welsh : Y Barri ; pronounced [ə ˈbari] )

880-739: A cutter are of the boat Trial of Pill-based pilot Thomas Vowles (1847–78), showing a square rig sail that was a common feature on early cutters. Few period plans or detailed drawings exist and, as the designs developed from boat to boat, the blueprint for the next boat was taken from measuring and the experience of building the last boat, or from half-hull scale models which were then adapted. Hull shapes varied greatly. Transom sterns and square counters were common before 1890. Elliptical counters were introduced in later years. Similarly, some had plumb stems, whilst others were slightly raked. Later-built skiffs included some with rounded stems and cut away forefoots. The lines varied according to local preferences and

968-490: A fishing boat, or as a signature to be recognised by approaching cargo boat captains. Most early pilots were likely to have been local boatmen or fisherman who undertook both jobs, latterly licensed by the local Harbour Master to operate within their jurisdiction from about the 16th century, now authorised by the competent Harbour authority. Pilots in the Bristol channel were until amalgamation self-employed, Bristol Pilots of

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1056-582: A keelson of pitch pine . The top strake of planking was oak, then pitch pine to the bilge, which was elm. The planking that then continued down to the keel were either elm or pitch pine. Pitch pine was used for the decks, with the planks laid straight in working-boat fashion, as opposed to the swept deck planking of a yacht of that era. The interior joinery of an ordinary cutter was mostly made of pitch pine, though, more rarely, some used mahogany or teak . All examples were heavily internally ballasted – a few carried additional external ballast of about

1144-481: A larger vessel. They are popular in youth sailing programs for their short LOA , simple operation and minimal maintenance. They have three (or fewer) sails : the mainsail , jib , and spinnaker . Ketches are similar to a sloop, but there is a second shorter mast astern of the mainmast, but forward of the rudder post. The second mast is called the mizzen mast and the sail is called the mizzen sail. A ketch can also be Cutter-rigged with two head sails. A schooner has

1232-431: A lot of weight in two "wings" which run sideways from the main part of the keel. Even more recent is the concept of canting keels , designed to move the weight at the bottom of a sailboat to the upwind side, allowing the boat to carry more sails. A twin keel has the benefit of a shallower draft and can allow the boat to stand on dry land. Multihulls, on the other hand, have minimal need for such ballast, as they depend on

1320-575: A number of ships sank off the Barry coast . Following the rise of diesel and electric power on the UK railways, the marshalling yards at Barry Docks became the largest repository of steam engines awaiting scrapping in the UK. Dai Woodham owned the Woodham Brothers Scrap yard and he allowed rail preservation organisations to buy back the locomotives at the scrap value, allowing around 200 of

1408-461: A pebbly beach. In the park is the former Barry Railway Company viaduct with 13 arched spans standing 110 ft high. Following the closure of the Vale of Glamorgan line to passengers between Barry and Bridgend in 1964, it was reopened on 10 June 2005 and for most of its 19 miles, provides a scenic view and link to Llantwit Major and beyond to Bridgend. The Barry Island peninsula was an island until

1496-467: A pilot to a Bristol Channel port) at much greater distances. The resulting boats were known for their ability to sail in the most extreme weather, for speed and sea-kindliness . They were designed for short handed sailing, often manned only by a man and an apprentice, with one or sometimes two pilots on board. Bristol Channel pilot cutters were referred to as "skiffs" by their crews on the English side of

1584-407: A pilot, western man and a boy, one of whom was often an apprentice pilot . Once a pilot had negotiated a price for pilotage with the master of an inbound vessel, the pilot would board the vessel and the pilot cutter, would follow in the capable hands of the western man and the boy, to be reunited at Hungroad or Kingroad. Anecdotal records from Pill suggest that the first official Bristol Channel pilot

1672-563: A port, Barry is more of a manufacturing town and as a service centre for the Vale of Glamorgan . Barry Docks and the adjoining industrial area form the largest employment centre in the town. The docks, whose road links were dramatically improved with the opening of the Docks Link Road in 1981, now have direct road access with the M4 motorway . The docks can handle vessels up to 23,000 tonnes and

1760-529: A practice unpopular with both the vessels' and the cutters' crews. When not racing into the Western Approaches, cutter captains would take place in port-based "reviews", which were a local mixture of parading and open challenge-based racing. When in windy conditions, cutters would regularly win these open races against professional racing crews, when with full sails on they would reach speeds in excess of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). Ilfracombe

1848-411: A reduced draft, with a much reduced underwater profile. This, in turn, results directly in reduced wetted surface area and drag. Without a ballast keel, multihulls can go in shallow waters where monohulls can not. There are trade-offs, however, in multihull design. A well designed ballasted boat can recover from a capsize, even from turning over completely. Righting a multihull that has gotten upside down

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1936-417: A series of new steam powered pilot boats which were to be worked out of Barry Docks . The new company did not buy the then in-service sail cutters, which remained owned by their captains. This started the process of many being sold into service as private yachts. The process of amalgamation was stopped during World War I , but due to their design and speed, the last pilot cutters retired in the early 1920s once

2024-495: A ship was encountered, whilst the cargo vessel heaved-to the cutter would pull-in on the lee-side. The apprentice would then row the pilot in the punt to the vessel, whilst the captain would sail-clear. The cutter would return once the pilot was on board and the vessel underway. If the cutter had two pilots on board, the sequence would be repeated for a second vessel. If not, she would race home. Once steam power began to replace sail in cargo vessels some cutters would be towed back in,

2112-471: A single mast with a single large sail, known as a gaff-rigged sail, and a broad beam that ensures stability. This type of vessel, named after the "cat" tackle used in sailing, has a rich history dating back to the 19th century in the coastal regions of the United States, particularly New England, where it was widely used by fishermen and sailors. With its straightforward design and uncomplicated rigging,

2200-406: A ton fastened to the keel. Welsh boats had low bulwarks . Bristol-built boats had high bulwarks of between 1 foot 6 inches (0.46 m) and 2 feet (0.61 m), with a removable section through which a white-painted clinker-built rowing punt of 13 feet (4.0 m) could easily be put over the side. Punts were painted white to allow them to be seen at night, and traditionally stored on

2288-534: A village and port with its own church and watermill but in the 14th century its population was drastically reduced by the Black Death and the consequences of the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr . It took the population some 300 years to recover and once more hold the title of village, essentially a sparsely populated area with a few scattered farms and much of the land a marsh that a small river flowed through. By 1622

2376-405: A westerly advantage over the competition. Once on station — a situation that could last for a few weeks — the boats were required to display a pilot flag, which in 1849 became the white over red flag still in use today. At night, paraffin ( kerosene in U.S. English ) flares were required to be fired, with each port they having its own sequence; Bristol's was two shorts and a long. Once

2464-527: Is a town and community in the Vale of Glamorgan , Wales. It is on the north coast of the Bristol Channel approximately 9 miles (14 km) south-southwest of Cardiff . Barry is a seaside resort , with attractions including several beaches and the resurrected Barry Island Pleasure Park . According to Office for National Statistics 2021 estimate data, the population of Barry was 56,605. The town of Barry has absorbed its larger neighbouring villages of Cadoxton and Barry Island . It grew significantly from

2552-599: Is being operated from No. 2 Dock. With a new presence on the Mole in No. 1 Dock and the provision of a concrete slipway from it, leisure rowing and dinghy sailing is available (2016). The town has a town council which is controlled by the Labour Party . The majority of industrial firms are located in the dock area. The largest are the chemical producing concerns such as Cabot Carbon and Dow Corning who not long ago completed

2640-489: Is difficult in any case and impossible without help unless the boat is small or carries special equipment for the purpose. Multihulls often prove more difficult to tack, since the reduced weight leads directly to reduced momentum, causing multihulls to more quickly lose speed when headed into the wind. Also, structural integrity is much easier to achieve in a one piece monohull than in a two or three piece multihull whose connecting structure must be substantial and well connected to

2728-757: Is located on King's Square in the town centre. The A4050 road connects Barry to Culverhouse Cross Interchange and the rest of west Cardiff. There are four railway stations in the town: Barry , Barry Docks , Barry Island and Cadoxton . These are operated and served by Transport for Wales and are on the Valley Lines network, a commuter rail network focused on Cardiff. Services operate westbound to Bridgend via Llantwit Major and Rhoose Cardiff International Airport , and eastbound to Cardiff Queen Street via Dinas Powys , Cardiff Grangetown and Cardiff Central . The latter service can continue to either Merthyr Tydfil , Pontypridd and/or Aberdare . Barry

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2816-520: Is one of the most dangerous stretches of water in the world, due to its huge tidal range of over 14 metres (46 ft) – second only to the Bay of Fundy in Eastern Canada – currents hitting 7 knots (8.1 mph) (faster than many sailing ships of the day); all combining to hide rocks and constantly shifting sand bars . The Channel can be a hazardous area of water because of its strong tides and

2904-460: Is open to the public and holds events involving a large steam engine replica of Thomas the Tank Engine . Barry Island is now known for its beach and Barry Island Pleasure Park . From 1966, the island was home to a Butlins Holiday camp, which was closed in 1987 and taken over by Majestic Holidays who renamed it Barry Island Resort. Between Butlins' closure and Majestic's reopening the camp

2992-400: Is provided by a number of community, Welsh-language, and faith-based schools spread throughout the town. The main forms of public transport in the town are bus and rail. Barry is served by Cardiff Bus which operates services to Llantwit Major , Penarth , Cardiff International Airport and Cardiff City Centre as well as operating town circular services. Barry's King's Square bus station

3080-407: Is similar to a ketch, with a shorter mizzen mast carried astern the rudderpost more for balancing the helm than propulsion. Traditional sailboats are monohulls , but multi-hull catamarans and trimarans are gaining popularity. Monohull boats generally rely on ballast for stability and usually are displacement hulls. This stabilizing ballast can, in boats designed for racing, be as much as 50% of

3168-475: Is the Vale of Glamorgan Council which has its administrative headquarters in Barry. There are 23 wards electing 47 councillors, including eight wards in Barry (electing 18 county councillors) which comprise Baruc (2 councillors), Buttrills (2), Cadoc (3), Castleland (2), Court (2), Gibbonsdown (2), Dyfan (2) and Illtyd (3). As with the rest of the British Isles and Wales, Barry experiences

3256-469: Is what prevents leeway and allows sailing towards the wind. This can be an external piece or a part of the hull. Most monohulls larger than a dinghy require built-in ballast . Depending on the design of the boat, ballast may be 20 to 50 percent of the displacement. The ballast is often integrated into their keels as large masses of lead or cast iron. This secures the ballast and gets it as low as possible to improve its effectiveness. External keels are cast in

3344-747: The Antarctic to the Arctic , including stops in Patagonia , Greenland , South Georgia and Heard Island . Tilman wrote six books during his adventures in Mischief , until in 1968 she hit a rock off Jan Mayen Island in the Arctic Ocean, and then began to sink before being crushed by ice. Tilman continued his adventures in two other Bristol Channel pilot cutters, Sea Breeze and Baroque . Invited in his 80th year in 1977 to work as expert crew aboard

3432-653: The Barry Railway Company and chose to build the docks at Barry. Work commenced in 1884 and the first dock basin was opened in 1889 to be followed by two other docks and extensive port installations. The Barry Railway brought coal down from the South Wales Valleys to the new docks whose trade grew from one million tons in the first year, to over nine million tons by 1903. The port was crowded with ships and had flourishing ship repair yards, cold stores, flour mills and an ice factory. By 1913, Barry

3520-539: The Bristol Channel have their name Holm name derived from a Scandinavian word for an island in an estuary. The excavation of the Glan-y-môr site revealed the site had been reused in the 6th and 7th century and also between AD 830 and 950 as a dry stone sub-rectangular building with a turf or thatched roof. The main feature of the area at this time was the island in the Bristol Channel, separated from

3608-586: The Simon Richardson skippered En Avant with mountaineers sailing to climb Smith Island , the ship disappeared with all hands whilst en route between Rio de Janeiro and the Falkland Islands . In 2007 a new Mischief was commissioned and built by RB Boat Building. Today only 18 original cutters are believed to survive from the hundreds built. Some are available for private charter, whilst many attend maritime rallies and occasionally join

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3696-630: The Vale of Glamorgan , and home to Barry Town United F.C. The road from Bonvilston was originally the B4266, as only Pontypridd Road within the town still is, and the road from Highlight Park right through the Vale to Bridgend was the B4265, as beyond Cardiff International Airport it still is. Since the 1970s, parts of these roads are numbered A4226, with the result that the A4226 radiates from Weycock Cross roundabout in three directions. Although still

3784-618: The Welsh Labour Party has been the assembly member since the inception of the Senedd . Barry was incorporated as a municipal borough by royal charter in September 1939. The Borough was the successor to Barry and Cadoxton Local Board (1888–1894) and Barry Urban District Council (1894–1939). The area covered by the borough comprised Barry, Cadoxton-juxta-Barry, Merthyr Dyfan and parts of Penmark, Porthkerry and Sully. In 1974, it

3872-539: The definite article . The area now occupied by Barry has seen human activity in many periods of history. Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age microlith flint tools have been found at Friars Point on Barry Island and near Wenvoe and Neolithic or New Stone Age polished stone axe-heads were discovered in St. Andrews Major . A cinerary urn (pottery urn buried with cremation ashes) was found on Barry Island during excavations of Bronze Age barrows and two more were found in

3960-491: The 1880s when it was linked to the mainland as the town of Barry expanded. This was partly due to the opening of Barry Dock by the Barry Railway Company. Established by David Davies, the docks now link up the gap which used to form Barry Island. There is a railway station to access the island at Barry Docks , there is also a heritage railway station which houses refurbished steam passenger trains. The railway

4048-452: The 1880s with the development of Barry Docks , which, in 1913, was the largest coal port in the world. The origin of the town's name is disputed. It may derive from the sixth-century Saint Baruc who was buried on Barry Island where a ruined chapel was dedicated to him. Alternatively, the name may derive from Welsh bar , meaning "hill, summit". The name in Welsh Y Barri includes

4136-406: The 300 locomotives to be saved for future generations, although during the years of storage many were vandalised or looted by souvenir hunters. When interviewed just before his death, Woodham was reluctant to take full credit for this and pointed out that the town of Barry with its redundant sidings was the major factor in allowing these locomotives to be saved. Barry is the administrative centre of

4224-525: The Barry Yacht Club's annual Cock of the Bristol Channel race: There are an increasing number of replica boats, often built for the private hire and charter market. Tom Cunliffe (2013), "The Bristol Channel and its Cutters" , Pilot Cutters Under Sail , Seaforth Publishing, pp. 146–175, ISBN   9781848321540 Sailing boat Although sailboat terminology has varied across history, many terms have specific meanings in

4312-496: The Bristol Channel Pilots ltd have always have been self-employed and still are to this day. A quick pilot cutter meant greater success at gaining income. ' No ships, no money !'. They were based at ports and harbours along the Welsh and English coastlines. Bristol's pilots were actually based at Pill, Somerset , which consequently became a local boat building centre. The relationship between Pill and Bristol

4400-586: The Bristol Channel rose quickly. Owners who didn't want to lose valuable ships or cargo needed local knowledge of the wind, tides and underwater hazards. There is a tradition that John Cabot used the services of the Bristol pilot on his 1497 voyage. Definitive historical records from 1611 show the delegation of authority over pilotage from the Bristol Corporation to the Society of Merchant Venturers of Bristol. The geographic extent of this authority

4488-581: The Bristol Channel to the east of Lundy . In 1836 and 1840, Cardiff unsuccessfully sought control of the pilots serving their port. By 1861 they had almost as many pilots working there as Bristol. Working with Newport and Gloucester , Cardiff got Parliament to pass the Bristol Channel Pilotage Act 1861 ( 24 & 25 Vict. c. ccxxxvi), which gave independence to these ports. The ports of Bideford and Barnstaple are believed never to have fallen under Bristol's authority (despite being to

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4576-513: The Bristol Channel, a site occupied in Roman times by a native homestead. The castle was a small fortified manor house , built to replace an earlier earthwork. By the late 13th century the castle had two stone buildings on the east and west sides of a courtyard. Early in the 14th century the castle was strengthened by the addition of a large hall and gatehouse on its south side, the ruins of which are all that survive today. By now Barry had grown into

4664-571: The Mischief” Morgan, who once sailed her into Ilfracombe harbour in such appalling weather that he and his boat earned great respect from the local pilots for "a first class piece of seamanship." After being sold in 1921, she was owned by various commercial owners and then ended up in Valletta , Malta , where in 1954 the mountaineer and explorer Bill Tilman purchased her. After a refit, he sailed her over 110,000 miles (180,000 km), from

4752-508: The Ray family retired from service 1999. Cutters would leave their home-port in the Channel for the Western Approaches in all weathers, either having been previously contracted by a shipping line to do so, or more frequently as self-employed individuals in competition with other pilots. This was known as 'seeking' for work. Once a pilot had boarded an inward vessel, the skiff or cutter would follow

4840-448: The area was divided into manors with the Barry area split into two large lordships , Penmark and Dinas Powys . Penmark was split into the sub-manors of Fonmon, West Penmark and Barry. Dinas Powys was split into the sub-manors of Cadoxton and Uchelolau ('Highlight'). The sub-manor of Barry was granted by the de Umfraville family to the de Barri family and the seat of the manor was Barry Castle, located on high ground overlooking

4928-481: The bottom end in a receptacle that is supported above the keel of the boat or on the deck or other superstructure that allows the mast to be raised at a hinge point until it is erect. Some masts are supported solely at the keel and laterally at the deck and are called "unstayed". Most masts rely in part or entirely (for those stepped on the deck) on standing rigging , supporting them side-to-side and fore-and aft to hold them up. Masts over 25 feet (7.6 m) may require

5016-637: The by-election for the Conservatives. Arwyn Lynn Ungoed-Thomas (Labour) won the seat at the 1945 general election . The Llandaff and Barry constituency was abolished by the Representation of the People Act 1948 . and replaced by the Barry parliamentary constituency . This seat was first contested in the 1950 United Kingdom general election when Dorothy Rees (Labour) was elected. She lost

5104-411: The catboat offers a straightforward and laid-back sailing experience, making it an ideal choice for beginners and pleasure sailors alike. Even today, catboats continue to be cherished by enthusiasts who appreciate their heritage and enjoy their picturesque appearance while cruising through the waterways. A dinghy is a type of small open sailboat commonly used for recreation, sail training , and tending

5192-406: The channel, and "yawls" by those working from Welsh ports. These names suggest the type of craft used as pilot boats before the pilot cutter type took over the role. The design has been described by some as the best sailing boat design ever. The system of competition between individual pilots was steadily removed in the period 1908 – 1923, as each individual pilot district instituted

5280-438: The co-educational Barry Sixth Form. In July 2018, as part of the 'Transforming Secondary Education in Barry' scheme, both Barry Comprehensive School and Bryn Hafren closed their doors to make way for two new mixed-sex secondary schools which opened in September 2018. The old Barry Comprehensive School site has now become Whitmore High School and Bryn Hafren has now become Pencoedtre High School. Primary education (5–11) in Barry

5368-447: The context of modern yachting . A great number of sailboat-types may be distinguished by size, hull configuration, keel type, purpose, number and configuration of masts , and sail plan . Popular monohull designs include: The cutter is similar to a sloop with a single mast and mainsail, but generally carries the mast further aft to allow for a jib and staysail to be attached to the head stay and inner forestay, respectively. Once

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5456-528: The county. In 1885, the constituency was split, with Barry represented by South Glamorganshire . The Representation of the People Act 1918 created the Llandaff and Barry constituency. Sir William Cope ( Conservative ) won the 1918 general election . Labour regained the seat at the 1929 general election when Charles Ellis Lloyd was returned but two years later lost the seat to the Conservatives' Patrick Munro. After Munro's death in 1942 Cyril Lakin won

5544-502: The cutter's port-side. Speed was profit, and so in summer the sails were made of cotton , and in winter of flax . There were four sets of reefing points, with later designs encompassing roller-reefing, which although bringing its own boat handling advantages, meant that the chances of a broken boom crippling the boat were higher. The size, scale and number of any headsails were a captain's personal choice, but were often used to fool other pilots into thinking that they were being passed by

5632-614: The development of the largest silicones plant in Europe. Other main employers in Barry Docks are Jewson Builders' Merchants , Western Welding and Engineering, Bumnelly, and Associated British Ports Holdings who, since 1982 have run the docks as successors to the British Transport Docks Board. To the west of Barry is Porthkerry Park . This is a large area of open space, with woodlands, streams, and access to

5720-591: The east of Lundy). Barry gained authority over their own pilotage in 1885. Bristol Channel pilot cutters are generally seen as the most successful fore and aft rigged boats built during the age of sail. The keys of a good design were: Pilot skiffs had developed for many years, but the earliest records date to 1795 held by Bristol Museum , which lists 12 registered pilot cutters with tonnages raging from 14 to 24 tons. The records of other ports suggest that older surviving cutters ranged in length between 33 feet (10 m) and 40 feet (12 m). The earliest photographs of

5808-562: The first-class tidal position close to the deep-water channel of the Severn Estuary , allows for scheduled sailings. With its transit sheds, warehouses and open storage, the docks are equipped to handle bulk cargoes but with the scrapping of their former electric cranes, ships’ own derricks have to be used or cranes hired in by ABP as required. Two roll on/roll off berths are available and have been used by routes to Ireland and West Africa. As at January 2016, Intermodal rail freight traffic

5896-536: The geometry of their design, the wide base of their multiple hulls, for their stability. Designers of performance multihulls, such as the Open 60's , go to great lengths to reduce overall boat weight as much as possible. This leads some to comment that designing a multihull is similar to designing an aircraft. A centreboard or daggerboard is retractable lightweight keel which can be pulled up in shallow water. On small sailboats, masts may be "stepped" (put in place) with

5984-470: The hull itself has sufficient buoyancy to remain afloat. A multihull optimized for light weight (at the expense of cruising amenities and storage for food and other supplies), combined with the absence of ballast can result in performance gains in terms of acceleration, top speed, and manoeuvrability. The lack of ballast makes it much easier to get a lightweight multihull on plane, reducing its wetted surface area and thus its drag. Reduced overall weight means

6072-450: The hulls. All these hull types may also be manufactured as, or outfitted with, hydrofoils . All vessels have a keel , it is the backbone of the hull. In traditional construction, it is the structure upon which all else depends. Modern monocoque designs include a virtual keel. Even multihulls have keels. On a sailboat, the word "keel" is also used to refer to the area that is added to the hull to improve its lateral plane. The lateral plane

6160-546: The mainland by a tidal estuary . It is described in Giraldus Cambrensis or Gerald of Wales' Itinerarium Cambriae ("Journey through Wales", 1191). He states that Barry derives its name from St. Baruc whose remains are deposited in a chapel on the island. The local noble family who owned the island and the adjoining estates took the name of de Barri from the island. Following the Norman conquest of England

6248-537: The most marginal seat in Britain. John Smith won it back at the 1997 general election . In the 2010 General election there was a 6.1% swing from Labour to Conservative. This resulted in the election of Alun Cairns, a Conservative MP who has held the seat until 2024. Barry is part of the Vale of Glamorgan Senedd constituency and part of the South Wales Central Senedd region . Jane Hutt of

6336-501: The new steam and diesel technology had overtaken them in speed and efficiency. Cariad was the last sail-powered pilot cutter to retire in 1922. Bristol pilots amalgamated in 1923 into the Bristol Channel Pilots Ltd., a company which is still operating. Mischief was a 45 feet (14 m) Bristol Channel pilot cutter built by Thomas Baker of Cardiff in 1906. She was commissioned and sailed by pilot William “Billy

6424-407: The opinions of the owner; the only common feature being high bows. Typical lengths in the 19th century varied between 40 feet (12 m) and 50 feet (15 m) with a 13 feet (4.0 m) beam. The largest built is believed to be Pet , at 53 feet (16 m) long. Typical draft aft was 8 or 9 feet (2.4 or 2.7 m). The usual construction materials were frames of English oak , keel of elm with

6512-401: The pattern of fields, where enclosure was almost complete, around Barry village was pretty much as it was to remain until the growth of the modern town. According to the 1673 hearth tax list the parish contained thirteen houses. Whitehouse Cottage, the oldest existing inhabited house in modern Barry, dates from the late 1500s with the east end of the building added in around 1600. It overlooks

6600-420: The rarity of havens on the north Devon and Somerset coasts that can be entered in all states of the tide. Because of the treacherous waters, pilotage is an essential service for shipping. As Bristol developed as a regional trading and financial centre, and as coal exports and the metal making industries rose in the South Wales Valleys as local sources of metal ore dwindled, the volume of shipping into and out of

6688-472: The sea at Cold Knap . By 1871 the population of Barry was over 100, with 21 buildings, the new estate-owning Romilly family being involved in the buildup of the village but it remained a largely agricultural community. It grew when it was developed as a coal port in the 1880s. The coal trade was growing faster than the facilities at Tiger Bay in Cardiff ever could and so a group of colliery owners formed

6776-491: The seat to Sir Herbert Raymond Gower (Conservative) at the 1951 general election . He held the seat until its abolition in 1983. It was replaced by the Vale of Glamorgan constituency which Sir Herbert Raymond Gower (Conservative) won at the 1983 general election . He remained as MP until his death in 1989. At the subsequent by-election the seat was won by John Smith (Labour). At the 1992 general election Walter Sweeney (Conservative) won it by only 19 votes. That made it

6864-399: The shape of the keel. A monohull's keel is made effective by a combination of weight, depth, and length. Most modern monohull boats have fin keels, which are heavy and deep, but short in relation to the hull length. More traditional yachts carried a full keel which is generally half or more of the length of the boat. A recent feature is a winged keel , which is short and shallow, but carries

6952-407: The vessel back to port unless another pilot was carried, in which case they would continue seeking. The inwards pilot had the right to sail the vessel on departure. The inward pilotage by a pilot also granted him first rights to sail the same vessel. From 1858 whilst in transit, cutters were required by law to display white side lights, but often on the outbound leg these were turned off so as to give

7040-720: The weight of the boat, but is generally around 30%. It creates two problems; one, it gives the monohull tremendous inertia, making it less maneuverable and reducing its acceleration. Secondly, unless it has been built with buoyant foam or air tanks, if a monohull fills with water, it will sink. Multihulls rely on the geometry and the broad stance of their multiple hulls for their stability, eschewing any form of ballast. Some multihulls are designed to be as light-weight as possible while still maintaining structural integrity. They can be built with foam-filled flotation chambers and some modern trimarans are rated as unsinkable, meaning that, should every crew compartment be completely filled with water,

7128-534: Was a popular annual Review, which with its long flat firm sands provided a good place for repairs, as well as a good holiday location for the crew's families during the week. In 1913, all of the Cardiff pilots were amalgamated into a new company, the Steam Pilot Boat Company (Cardiff and Bristol Channel) Limited. The company, licensed to operate all pilots in the Bristol Channel, had commissioned

7216-642: Was abolished and its functions taken over by the Vale of Glamorgan District Council and South Glamorgan County Council . The local council, Barry Town Council , is the largest town council in Wales. It has given Olympic silver medalist David Davies freedom of the town, the first freedom granted since 1958. The mayor since May 2017 is Nic Hodges who represents Baruc Ward and is a Plaid Cymru councillor, Barry's first Plaid Cymru mayor. The town council has no overall control with Labour, Plaid Cymru and Conservative councillors. The local unitary authority, created in 1995,

7304-776: Was along the English coast from King Road (off the mouth of the Avon ) to Uphill , then a line out to the islands of Steep Holm and Flat Holm , then to Aust and back along the south bank of the Severn to the mouth of the Avon. The port of Swansea was given control of its own pilotage by the Swansea Harbour Act 1791 ( 31 Geo. 3 . c. 83) – but it is not clear if that was subordinate to Bristol. The Bristol Channel Pilotage Act 1807 ( 47 Geo. 3 Sess. 2 . c. xxxiii) gave Bristol authority over pilotage to all ports in

7392-657: Was always strained due to the distribution of the locally collected taxes, which was not solved until the passing of the 1807 Bristol Channel Pilotage Act . Pilots in the Bristol Channel had their own cutters, which were manned by a Westernmen and a boy. The cutters raced westwards to meet the incoming ships in the Western Approaches of the Irish Sea and the Atlantic Ocean . Pilots either owned their own or shared cutters, which were permanently manned by

7480-533: Was barge master George James Ray, appointed by the Corporation of Bristol in May 1497 to pilot John Cabot 's Matthew from Bristol harbour to the open sea beyond. However, this is more likely legend as no written records exist. In 1837 Pilot George Ray guided Brunel 's SS  Great Western , and in 1844 William Ray piloted the larger. SS  Great Britain on her maiden voyage. The last channel pilots of

7568-407: Was filmed in many areas of Barry and Barry Island, including establishments such as Marco's Café which feature in the show. Long-running medical drama Casualty which is filmed in Cardiff , regularly films scenes in and around Barry Island. From the 1536 Act of Union , Glamorgan was represented in parliament by one member, from the constituency of Glamorganshire , elected by the freeholders in

7656-628: Was the largest coal exporting port in the world. Barry Council Office and Library was completed in 1908. Behind the docks rose the terraced houses of Barry which, with Cadoxton, soon formed a sizeable town. The railways which had played a major part in the development of the dock helped make Barry Island a popular resort. Barry Memorial Hall on Gladstone Road was inaugurated in November 1932, and obtained its name to honour those locals who lost their lives in World War I. During its industrial peak

7744-662: Was used as for filming scenes in the "Shangri-La" holiday camp from the Doctor Who serial Delta and the Bannermen . The camp closed in 1996 after Majestic had a disagreement with the local council, who refused an entertainments licence unless work was carried out to improve the now 30-year-old site. It was redeveloped for housing between 1997 and 2003 with the remaining two camp buildings and outdoor pool demolished in early 2005. The preserved Vale of Glamorgan Railway runs on Barry Island. The BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey

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