Fleet Trows
Instead of rowing the lerret across the Fleet, and then having to haul it up and over the shingle bank to the sea, the fishermen of that section of Chesil Beach developed the Fleet Trow, allowing them to leave their lerret on the beach, away from the waves. This was, after all, mostly a summer occupation. They would also have been used to transport the catch back across the Fleet, along with the crew. They were sometimes referred to as ‘Backwater boats’.
The Trow is a basic flat-bottomed punt, built from elm boards and most seem to have a small transom stern. The sides were regarded as being four planks high although, more recently, I’ve seen several with only three planks either side (2021).
The bottom boards are strengthen with straight cleats across, equally spaced with one positioned for the oarsmen to push against with their feet. Up to three pairs of oars. Grown elm knees were carefully chosen to strengthen the side planking, with split pairs being used opposite each other. Three thwarts, sometimes four.
These vessels were used for all manner of use upon the Fleet as well as just getting back and forth across: eel spearing, coot shoots, angling and pleasure.
Sources 5
If you would like to see the Author’s notes and sources, please download the PDF below.
If you would like to return to the list of boats, please click HERE