H J Mears Boatbuilders, Axmouth Harbour, Seaton, Devon

Just a short article this one, with only a few photos, but it's somewhere that I've often enjoyed for a wander....albeit sometimes sneakily! Although, I've never met anyone less than pleasant there, and have always been welcomed whenever I've asked if I can take photos.
 

 

It's a lovely and interesting spot. Situated on a spit of land which juts out into the estuary of the River Axe on the Seaton side of Axmouth Harbour, Mears Boatbuilders have been an established traditional wooden boat builders since 1945. In recent years, boats produced at the yard include Beer Luggers and other fishing vessels as well as pleasure launches.

The photos don't reflect the newly-built boats, by the way. They're mainly of an old one with a shoal of kayaks like ramora fish feeding off a shark, and other odd bits which were a real photographic delight.

At the time of one of my visits there was a huge alsation dog with a vicious bark at the yard, thankfully penned up behind some wire fencing. On another day I was having a cuppa at the harbour cafe when I overheard a funny conversation about the scary doggie between some boatbuilders and fishermen sat at the next table.
 
One was saying that it had a lovely nature apart from the fact it can't stand humans. And the conversation went something like this -
 
'Yeah it's got a real attitude problem.'
'I don't like the way it sits there looking at you with a flick knife in its paw.'
'That's right, it's already got three asbos.'
'Wearing a hoodie with holes cut out for it's ears.'
'With LOVE tattooed on one paw, HATE on the other.'
'And MUM tattoed on it's neck.'
  

And finally, a great sign for traditional boatbuilders on the door...

"If God had meant us to build fibre-glass boats He would have grown fibre-glass trees." :)