Coble ready to cast off

Jun 16 2009 By The Journal

IT'S finally all ship-shape at The Customs House in South Shields with the colourful finalé of its community art project.

Casting Off … A Coat For A Boat – which sees a specially-made wooden coble kitted out from to sail to anchor in knitwear – is now on show in the venue’s Sandford Goudie Gallery until September.

A total 350 knitters were involved in the project – the idea of Esen Kaya, visual arts development officer at The Customs House.

It’s been coated in a special waterproof solution and the plan is to see it sail in the river on July 12 as part of that month’s Mouth of the Tyne Festival.