CLASSIC BOAT AUGUST 2016 19TELL TALES
COURTESY OF LATIDUE KINSALEQ& A
Bobby Nash of Latitude Kinsale 3-D charts
Your tagline is “any chart anywhere
in the world”. Is it tricky getting
survey data for the more exotic
requests? From the beginning we
have worked with the Admiralty but
I’ve built up my own chart database,
including classic black and white
charts with multiple variations going
back through the years.Can you describe the production
process? Once we’ve decided on the
chart with the client, we’ll buy in
multiple charts and start the careful
process of cutting out the sections by
hand, using a special blade. No C&C
equipment at all. You have to be
meticulous about the order in which
you cut it. You end up with a jigsaw of
anything up to 2,000 pieces. We have
assistants to remember how it all fits
together. The main skill is patience.Are your charts within the reach of
everyday consumers? What do you
give to the guy who has everything?
You are buying something that is
handmade, it is a unique work of art,
there’s a tremendous amount of work
that goes into each piece and the
materials are expensive. It is not a
retail product. However, recently we
have introduced the Origins product
which is smaller and more economical
for us to produce, for the gift market.Where did the idea come from?
My background was in the electronics
industry, working in product
management for Apple on thePowerbooks and Notebooks and then
I led a design team at Tyco. I’m a
sailor and originally I had the idea for
a light chart, where all the lights flash
in the correct sequence and colour.
I was in my early forties, with two
young kids, I had a product and a
concept that I knew deep down
would work. You only get one chance
in life to do something like this.How many charts have you
produced? Overall it’s in the
thousands. We have a capacity per
year. The promise I hold most dear is
that we will deliver on a commission
by the agreed date. In some cases we
can deliver within days, typically
weeks. Today a quote went out for a
100ft yacht in Holland, without having
met the client, but they know they
can trust us. Two weeks ago we
shipped two pieces to a 80m boat in
Saudi. Shipping products abroad is a
game in itself. I drew on my previous
life to make this cost effective.What are the most popular areas?
Scotland is popular, tricky to make
but the detail of the 3-D charts is
exquisite. My favourite was one of
Loch Sunart. Charter destinations
such as the Balearics and Antigua are
popular. People order portfolios
showing different areas, for instance
waters where they’ve holidayed or
where they've grown up sailing as
children. I always try to put a new
slant on a popular area, to make it
personal and different.C/O ADPR
CBARCHIVELONDON
Commons v Commons
on the Thames
On a hot, airless day this June, MPs and Enterprise aces
held a charity match race in 10 identical Enterprise
dinghies, the Jack Holt classic celebrating its 60th
anniversary this year. They sailed past the Houses of
Parliament inside the 70m exclusion zone, completing
one race, with victory going (rather predictably given
the lack of Lords able to attend) to the Commons. The
race has been held intermittently for years, but not since- The House of Commons SC commodore Mark
Garnier is keen to reinstate the tradition for the future.
Westminster Boating Base acted as race organiser.
HOBART, AUSTRALIA
Record entries for Tassie fest
NEW YORK
Award for CB contributor
FLORENCE, ITALY
Award for Malahne
A month after registration opened for the 12th My
State Australian Wooden Boat Festival in February
2017, 150 boats had signed up. This is a record for the
festival and bodes well for Australian classic sailing.Ellen Massey-Leonard, who has written in these
pages of her far-flung voyages, and of the iconic
Herreshoff 12.5 among other topics, won the Vilas
Literary Prize earlier this summer, awarded annually
by the Cruising Club of America.The 165ft (50.3m) Camper & Nicholsons motor yacht
Malahne built in 1937, has won ‘best rebuilt yacht’ at
the recent World Superyacht Awards.