The vessel in the attached photo is probably not a prime example of the
boat-builder's craft but at least it's on-topic here.

It's a member of the RAF's Cuckoo class of unmanned (and unpowered) air-sea
rescue vessels, of which 16 were moored in the English Channel during WW2.
The idea was that aircraft which couldn't make it home would ditch nearby,
the crew would clamber aboard and await rescue. The boats had 6 bunks, dry
clothing, food and water, signal flares etc. They don't seem to have been
used much in practice although, allegedly, German E-boats visited
occasionally to borrow some of the stores.

I'd never heard of such things until I came across this particular example a
few months ago at the Irvine site of the Scottish Maritime Museum. It's the
only survivor and is serialled ASR10.

If anyone's interested, more information is available at the following URLs:

http://www.scottishmaritimemuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/ASR10.pdf

http://www.scubadolphins.org.uk/club/cuckoo

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