As Steve was restoring ‘Cachalot’, he was already thinking about a tender, so why not build one with similarly elegant lines?

Research indicated that an Ian Oughtred design, clinker built with gunter rig should serve our purposes. Where could he build her? At the top of the garden, above the houses and amongst the wooded hillsides of Matlock Bath, Derbyshire, of course!

The project began in 2008, a full ten years before ‘Cachalot’ was in need of a tender. Named ‘Cachalette’, she was launched 14 years ago to the day on 6 June, 2010 at Carsington Sailing Club, Derbyshire. Finding this out has prompted us to re-tell the story of our ‘little boat’ along with our recently acquired kayaks. She took part in the OGA East Coast River Deben Rally, 24 – 27 May, 2024 photographed by Bev in her kayak with Steve at the helm.