WoodenBoat 224 JanFeb 2012

224

Shantyboats

THE MAGAZINE FOR WOODEN BOAT OWNERS, BUILDERS, AND DESIGNERS

Uffa Fox Part IV
Completing the 12' Peapod
Scrub Planes
A Simple Mast
Reuel Parker
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

The Pleasures of a Shantyboat
Seacocks and Through-Hulls Explained
The Designs of Reuel Parker
A Versatile Small Dinghy
www.woodenboat.com

c1vA_WB224_Jan12_spot.indd 1

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
NUMBER 224

$6.95
$7.95 in Canada
£3.95 in U.K.

11/22/11 2:43 PM

Wherever great
paints are sailed.
Paint and varnish. Experience the two passions
of Epifanes at your local chandlery, online at
www.epifanes.com or call us at 1-800-269-0961.

AALSMEER, HOLLAND

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JANUARY 24-29

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11/21/11
11/28/11 6:16
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PM

52 The Wee Pup
A small, able tender in the wake
Darin Carlucci
of the Monhegan skiff

Page 64
Page 38

56 Shantyboat Renaissance

Features

A simple floating home for
a complex world

24 Seacocks
The unsung heroes of
watertight integrity

Harry Bryan

64 Building the 12' Peapod
Steve D’Antonio

Part Three

Arch Davis

38 Pragmatic Beauty
The life and career of
designer Reuel Parker

Donnie Mullen

48 The Scrub Plane
What it is and what it does

Jim Tolpin

Page 82

74 A Simple Mast for
a Small Boat


Arch Davis

82 Uffa Fox—Madman or Genius?
Page 52

Part Four:
A special connection

Nic Compton

2 • WoodenBoat 224

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11/23/11 1:37 PM

Number 224
January/February 2012

ReadeR SeRviceS
20 How to Reach Us
Page 48

107 Boatbuilders

depaRTmenTS
RTmenTS

114 Kits and Plans

5 Editor’s Page
A Cabin Afloat

118 Classified

8 Letters

127 Index to Advertisers

11 Fo’c’s’le
After a Fashion
13 Currents

105 Boatbrokers

David Kasanof
edited by Tom Jackson

33 Apprentice’s Workbench
Installing Chines: Attaching the sides
Harry Bryan
to the bottom of your hull

TeaR-ouT SupplemenT

75 Designs
Gartside 14.9-Meter Motorsailer:
Able and Comfortable Robert W. Stephens

Building a Skiff to
Teach Math

78 In Focus
The Scottish Traditional
Boat Festival

Kathy Mansfield

90 Wood Technology
The Fir with Wood
Like Larch

Richard Jagels

92 Launchings…

and Relaunchings

Robin Jettinghoff

99 The WoodenBoat Review
• Shantyboat
• Mast Mate Ladder
• New or Noteworthy
• Books Received

Harry Bryan
Alex Nislick

Getting Started in Boats:
Joe Youcha

Cover: Benjamin and
Martha Guy’s new
shantyboat, designed
and built by Harry
Bryan, is a simple
floating cabin with no
permanent means of
propulsion; here, she
swings to her mooring
on the Westport River
in Massachusetts.
See Page 56.
Photograph by
Benjamin Mendlowitz
WoodenBoat (ISSN 0095–067X) is published bimonthly in January, March, May, July, September,
and November in Brooklin, Maine, by WoodenBoat Publications, Inc., Jonathan A. Wilson,
Chairman. Subscription offices are at P.O. Box 16958, North Hollywood, CA 91615–6958;
1–800–877–5284 for U.S. and Canada. Overseas: 1–818–487–2084.

104 Calendar of Events

Subscription rate is $32.00 for one year (6 issues) in the U.S. and its possessions. Canadian
subscription rate is $37.00, U.S. funds. Surface rate overseas is $45.00, U.S. funds per year.
Periodical postage paid at Brooklin, ME 04616 and additional mailing offices. In Canada,
periodical postage paid at Toronto, Ontario (Canadian periodical Agreement No. 40612608,
GST Registration No. R127081008).

128 Save a Classic

RUTH ANNE II: A Converted

Sardine Carrier

pages 16/17

Maynard Bray

U.S. Postmaster: Please send Change of Address (form 3579) to P.O. Box 16958, North Hollywood, CA 91615–6958
Canada Postmaster: Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON, N6C 6B2, Canada.

January/February 2012 • 3

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11/23/11 1:37 PM

The 21stAnnual

Whether you are looking for a boat to motor, sail, or paddle, there will be lots of them on display at the
21st Annual WoodenBoat Show. And if you already have the perfect boat, come learn new skills, find
a book on her history, buy oars for her dinghy, or a cap for you. Bring the family. Build your own boat!
Admission includes access to all the ongoing Mystic Seaport exhibits and collections.

June 29-July 1, 2012
Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT • www.thewoodenboatshow.com
Produced and Presented by WoodenBoat Magazine

Buy your tickets online for this not-to-be-missed weekend event!

www.thewoodenboatshow.com/tickets.php

TM

WBShow224_FINAL.indd 4

11/22/11 4:47 PM

41 WoodenBoat Lane • P.o. Box 78
Brooklin, Me 04616–0078
tel. 207–359–4651 • fax 207–359–8920
e-mail: [email protected]
web site: www.woodenboat.com
PUBLISHER Carl Cramer
EdItORIAL
Editor Matthew P. Murphy
Senior Editor Tom Jackson
Assistant Editor robin Jettinghoff
technical Editor Maynard Bray
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Contributing Editors Harry Bryan, Greg rössel
Copy Editor Jane Crosen
ARt & PROdUCtION
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207–594–8622; [email protected]

wEst Coast aNd wEstErN CaNada:



iNtErNatioNal: 207–359–4651;



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woodENBoat M arkEtplaCE:

Tina dunne, [email protected]
RESEARCH
director Anne Bray
Associates Patricia J. Lown, rosemary Poole
BUSINESS
Office Manager Tina Stephens
Staff Accountant Jackie Fuller
Associate roxanne Sherman
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tHE WOOdENBOAt StORE
www.woodenboatstore.com
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Associates Jody Allen, elaine Hutchinson,
Chet Staples
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PUBLIC RELAtIONS
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CoNTrIBuTIoNS: Address all editorial communications to Editor, WoodenBoat, P.O. Box 78, Brooklin,
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A Cabin Afloat
Fifteen or so years ago I had a brief dalliance with flying. After
completing ground school and taking the required hours of
instruction, I earned a solo certificate, a slip of paper that
allowed me to rent a small airplane once a week, and observe
the beautiful Maine landscape from above. It was good fun for
a while. Save for one memorable trip to the town of Millinocket,
where I bought a cup of coffee at the airport and then flew
home, I never went anywhere but up, out over Acadia National
Park or along the Blue Hill Peninsula, and back. I could
observe that landscape, but I could not be in it.
I recall, on one of my weekly excursions, watching a float
plane leave my home airport with a canoe lashed to one of
its floats. This sparked in my imagination an image of that
plane nestled up to a lakeshore, tent pitched nearby, and
canoe alongside. This is what I wanted in flying: freedom and
exploration—an opening of places inaccessible by roads, and
a quiet solitude and one-ness with the natural world. But it
contrasted mightily with my limited aviation experience: When
a flying trip was over, one did not relax in the cockpit, breaking
out the cheese, crackers, and libations to enjoy the tranquility
and sights and sounds of the tarmac before retiring to a bunk,
as one might in a quiet anchorage. No, one logged hours, tied
down the plane, covered and secured plane parts that needed
shelter and restraint, and went home. I soon grew bored with
a small plane’s loud engine and the regulation of it all—not
to mention the expense. That boredom, and a new 30-year
mortgage, soon put an end to my flying ambitions. I wanted to
be in boats, anyhow, not airplanes.
I’m remembering this here because Harry Bryan’s
shantyboat, which appears on the cover of this issue and in an
article beginning on page 56, is a beautiful reminder to me of
one of the best—though often overlooked—aspects of being
in boats: staying put. Some boats are made for going—a racing
hydroplane, for example, or a trapeze-equipped sailing skiff.
But the shantyboat, with its absence of propulsion machinery,
is made for simply being. You can pole, motor, or tow it from
place to place if you want to, but you’ll not have any memorable
sea voyages in this boat. Harry displayed the shantyboat at
last year’s WoodenBoat Show at Mystic Seaport, and it was
illuminating to watch people encounter it for the first time,
and immediately understand it. Their facial expressions and
comments revealed an innate understanding, as if to say,
“But of course!” The boat’s owner, Benjamin Guy, writes a
complementary article to Harry’s (page 59), and he’s observed
this, too:
“The shantyboat is easily understood and comfortable for
anyone, including my spouse, who has studiously avoided
anything to do with boats for most of her life. Now she finds
herself on the boat for supper most evenings, or engaged there
with some ladies for a game of Scrabble on a hot afternoon.”
And to think that one can find such peace in the natural
world, without a float plane.

January/February 2012 • 5

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11/22/11 3:08 PM

WoodenBoat School
2012 Schedule at a Glance
*MAY

JUNE

27 – 2

3–9

JULY
10 – 16

Fundamentals of Boatbuilding
with Greg Rössel

17 – 23

1–7

8 – 14

15 – 21

22 – 28

Fundamentals of Boatbuilding
with Wade Smith

Fundamentals of Boatbuilding
with Greg Rössel

Fundamentals of Boatbuilding
with Warren Barker

Introduction to Cold
Molded Construction
with Mike Moros

Building the Caledonia Yawl
with Geoff Kerr

Build Your Own
Build Your Own
Greenland-Style Kayak Stand-Up Paddleboard
with Geoff Kerr
with Mark Kaufman

Save A Classic with Eric Blake

Traditional Wood-andCanvas Canoe Construction
with Rollin Thurlow

Making Friends with Your
Marine Diesel Engine
with Jon Bardo

Build Your Own
Northeaster Dory
with David Fawley

Build Your Own
Fox Canoe with
Bill Thomas

Building the
Asa Thomson Skiff
with John Karbott

Introduction to
Boatbuilding with
Bill Thomas

Stitch-and-Glue
Construction with
Sam Devlin

*May 13-19 and

Inspecting Wooden
Boats with
David Wyman

Inspecting Fiberglass
Boats with
Sue Canfield

Lofting with
Greg Rössel

May 20-26
Alumni Work Weeks

24 – 30

Coastwise Navigation
with Jane Ahlfeld

Gift certificates
available for all
urses!
WoodenBoat co

Build Your Own Bronze
Salute Cannon with Duke
McGuiggan & Michael Caldwell

Build Your Own Plank
Constructed Pond Yacht
with Thom McLaughlin

Elements of
Elements of Seamanship
Seamanship with
with Annie Nixon &
Jane Ahlfeld & Annie Nixon
Steve Stone
WANDERBIRD with
Rick & Karen Miles
(June 23-July 2)

Elements of Coastal
Kayaking with
Bill Thomas

The Skills of Coastal
Seamanship with
Andy Oldman

Fine Strip-Planked
Boat Construction
with Nick Schade

Woodcarving
with Reed Hayden

Boat Cabinetry with
Dave Merrifield

Vintage Pond Yachts
Part II with
Thom McLaughlin

Marine Electrics
with Patrick Dole

The Art of Scrimshaw
with Ron Newton

Bronze Casting for
Boatbuilders with
Sam Johnson

Metal Working for the
Boatbuilder & Woodworker
with Erica Moody

Elements of Seamanship II
with Martin Gardner &
Robin Lincoln

Elements of Seamanship
Elements of
with Martin Gardner &
Seamanship with
Sue LaVoie
Jane Ahlfeld & Sue LaVoie

Island Exploration
& Seamanship with
Andy Oldman

Blacksmithing and
Modern Welding with
Doug Wilson & Will Dupuis

Coastal Cruising
Seamanship on ABIGAIL
with Hans Veirthaler

Coastal Landscapes in
Color with
Susan Vanderlin

Craft of Sail on
ABIGAIL with
Hans Vierthaler
Sailing Downeast
with Andy Oldman
Elements of Coastal
Kayaking (camping 2
nights) with Bill Thomas

Can’t make it to Brooklin, Maine? Try our courses at Chesapeake Light Craft Shop,
We’re very excited to be working with John Harris
and the good folks at CHESAPEAKE LIGHT CRAFT
in Annapolis, Maryland, and, once again, to be able
to offer courses at their excellent facility.

APRIL 2-7

BUILD YOUR OWN PASSAGEMAKER DINGHY
OR EASTPORT PRAM
With Geoff Kerr
Materials: $1305 (dinghy) $1005(pram)

Tuition for each of these courses is $750

APRIL 16-21 BUILD YOUR OWN ANNAPOLIS WHERRY
With David Fawley
Materials: $1429

Check our website for our entire 2012 program

MAY 14-19

www.woodenboat.com

WBSchool224_Tan.indd 6

BUILD YOUR OWN CHESAPEAKE 17LT SEA KAYAK
With Geoff Kerr
Materials: $1029

11/22/11 3:50 PM

F

La

C
w

Bu
w

L
Jane

Access to experience
The finest instructors available and a beautiful location on the coast of Maine make
WoodenBoat School an exciting learning experience for amateurs and professionals alike.
This season, our 32nd, we are offering over 90 one- and two-week courses in
various facets of boatbuilding, as well as, seamanship and related crafts.

SEPTEMBER

AUGUST
29 – 4

5 – 11

12 – 18

19 – 25

26 – 1

2–8

9 – 15

16 – 22

23 – 29

ld
on

FAMILY WEEK

dtion
w

Build Your Own
Lapstrake Canoe with
John Harris

Building a Dory
with Walt Ansel

Build Your Own
Shearwater Sport Kayak
with Eric Schade

Traditional Lapstrake Construction
with Geoff Burke

Build Your Own
Annapolis Wherry
with Geoff Kerr

Glued-Lapstrake
Plywood Construction
with John Brooks

Finishing Out
Small Boats with
John Brooks

Build Your Own Willow/
Quickbeam Sea Kayak
with Bill Thomas

th

Build Your Own
Chuckanut Kayak
with David Gentry

The Essentials of
Fine Woodworking
with Janet Collins

Build Your Own
Skipjack Sailing Model
with Alan Suydam

Building the Somes Sound 12½
with John Brooks

Building the 12½'
Semi-Dory Skiff with
John Karbott

The Art of Woodcuts
with Gene Shaw

Boatbuilder’s Hand
Tools with
Harry Bryan

Building Half Models
with Eric Dow

aw
n

Build Your Own Pram
with Bill Thomas

Rigging with
Myles Thurlow

Elements of Boat
Design with
Graham Byrnes

Strip Composite
Construction with
Clint Chase

Traditional & Modern
Oar Making with
Clint Chase

Coastal Maine in
Watercolor with
Amy Hosa

Introduction to
Sailmaking with
Marti & Jed Siebert

Introduction to
Canvas Work with
Ann Brayton

Inspecting Fiberglass
Boats with
David Wyman

Elements of Seamanship
with Martin Gardner &
Dave Gentry

Sailmaking for Pond
Yacht Owners with
Alan Suydam

Lofting with
Greg Rössel

Small Boat Voyaging
with Jane Ahlfeld &
Bill Thomas

Marine Photography
with Jon Strout &
Jane Peterson

Elements of Coastal
Kayaking (over 40)
with Mike O’Brien

Sea Sense Under Sail
with Havilah Hawkins

p II
&

Building the Ben Garvey with Geoff Kerr

Elements of Seamanship

Learn to Sail with
(women only) with Jane
Jane Ahlfeld & Annie Nixon Ahlfeld & Gretchen Snyder
Craft of Sail on
BELFORD GRAY
with David Bill

Craft of Sail II
with David Bill
Coastal Cruising
Seamanship on ABIGAIL
with Hans Veirthaler

t
n

l
2
mas

Wooden Boat Restoration Methods
with Walt Ansel

Beach Cruising & Coastal Sailing Traditional Daysailers
Craft of Sail on MISTY
Camping with Ross Beane
& Beach Cruisers with
with Queene Foster
& Bill Thomas
Al Fletcher & Mike O’Brien

Seascape/Landscape
in Watercolor
with Phil Steel

Craft of Sail on MISTY

Tallship Sailing and
Seamanship with Capt.
Barry King & Jane Ahlfeld

Cruising through the
Watches on ABIGAIL
with Hans Vierthaler

(women only)

with Queene Foster

Elements of Coastal
Kayaking II
with Stan Wass

in Annapolis, Maryland
SEPTEMBER 10-15 BUILD YOUR OWN WOOD DUCK KAYAK
With Eric Schade
Materials: 10’ - $954 12’ - $1029
SEPTEMBER 24-29 BUILD YOUR OWN NORTHEASTER DORY
With David Fawley
Materials: $1425 (rowing) $2524 (sailing)
OCTOBER 22-27

WBSchool224_Tan.indd 7

BUILD YOUR OWN STAND-UP PADDLEBOARD
With Geoff Kerr
Materials: $915

Advanced Fundamentals of Boatbuilding
with Greg Rössel

Fundamentals of Boatbuilding
with Wade Smith

Sea Sense Under Sail
with Havilah Hawkins
Windjamming on
LEWIS R. FRENCH
with Capt. Garth Wells

For additional information
Check our website for our entire 2012 program:

www.woodenboat.com
or call Kim or Rich at

207–359–4651

To order a complete course catalog, call toll-free

1-800-273-SHIP (7447)
WoodenBoat SChooL
P.O. Box 78,
Brooklin, Maine 04616-0078

11/22/11 3:51 PM

BamBoo Boo
Dr. Richard Jagels,
I thoroughly enjoyed your article in
WoodenBoat on bamboo. Last year, I
started making an 8' dinghy out of
bamboo strips and found it a unique
challenge. Much to my dismay, after
four to six weeks of spare-time work,
I was moving my shop and the boat
project was struck by a forklift (yes, I
was driving). It fell off the supports
and splintered into thousands of
pieces before I got a picture—and,
more important, before fiberglassing.
The boat was not savable, and after
a few tears and a box of tissues, I
abandoned the project and vowed
to try again someday. Hence, I was
excited to find out that I am not the
only one crazy enough to make a boat
out of bamboo! Here are a few notes
from this endeavor:
I cut 1" strips from ¼", threelayer plyboo (www.plyboo.com) and
cove-and-beaded the strips myself.
Surprisingly, that process was not too
difficult. The plyboo was, however,

rather difficult to work within the
traditional methods of cove-and-bead
boatbuilding—particularly stapling it
to forms. I developed a technique
with a pneumatic stapler, and once
proven it went smoothly, but never
quickly! The splinters from bamboo
are not fun; they pierce skin like a
hypodermic needle.
I look forward to more boats made
from bamboo in WoodenBoat.
Eric Aragon
Salt Lake City, Utah

Safety Afloat
I have been boating for more than
60 years. This simple statement also
says that safety is my first priority. As
such, I was disappointed with the
cover photo of issue 223 featuring a
boater alone in a small flat-bottomed
skiff at speed, standing up, no visible
life jacket, no safety harness, and no
lanyard to an engine cutoff. This
unfortunate visual message was
repeated on pages 54 and 57. These
pictures are in direct contrast to

the words of safety provided in the
Getting Started in Boats article in the
same issue. I hope, in the future, all
of your messages will be consistent in
advocating for safety first.
Daniel R. Hanson, MD, PhD
Altoona, Wisconsin

Uffa Fox
Nic Compton’s recent piece on Uffa
Fox and the International Fourteen
was of special interest to me and I'm
sure to many other readers. We have
a lapstrake version in Nova Scotia,
vintage 1947, which I bought from
the Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club
(Montréal) in 1955. My children all
learned to sail this boat and want
their children to have the same
opportunity. The original boat, now
pushing 70, is beyond economical
repair, so we decided to build a new
one using the original hull as a model.
Studying the the lines and details
of Uffa Fox’s ALARM (built 1937)
convinces me that our boat came off
the same mold. I started building the

Great Lakes Boat Building School

Here today.

A job tomorrow.
“It blew my mind to see the skills a couple students brought to my
business after only one year at the school. I immediately hired them
both, full-time.” Brad Koster, owner Mertaugh Boat Works
“The instructors’ enthusiasm to hand off their knowledge and
experience was quickly matched by the eagerness of the job market to
accept me the same week I graduated.” Preston Johnston, Class of 2011
“Attending GLBBS allowed me to develop the necessary skills. Started
working the Monday after graduation.” Geoffrey Hamilton, Class of 2011
“GLBBS provides a high quality of education in wooden boat building, demonstrating superior craftsmanship.”
Thomas M. Mertaugh, owner Classic and Antique Boats, Ltd.

CLASSIC WOODWORKING
TRADITIONAL & COMPOSITE
WOODEN BOAT BUILDING DEGREE PROGRAMS
YACHT JOINERY

“I was offered an apprenticeship at Chesapeake Bay Maritime
Museum prior to graduating. My education and training at GLBBS
were an excellent foundation for working on historic, large boats.
The smaller class size and highly personal instruction have proven to
be great advantages.” Bud McIntire, Class of 2011
“Excellent instruction fosters excellent students and GLBBS delivers
on both, graduating the kind of students we look to hire.”
Steve Van Dam, Van Dam Boats

Les Cheneaux Islands, Michigan 906.484.1081

8 • WoodenBoat 224

www.greatlakesboatbuilding.org

new boat this fall and was expecting
trouble with that plumb stem, as
the garboards make a 45-degree
twist in 30". I was quite wrong—and
didn’t even have to use steam—so
encourage anyone who admires these
classic boats to do likewise. If anyone
has a lapstrake Fourteen dating from
the 1940s, I’d like to hear from them.
Plans for AVENGER—a very similar
boat—are available from the Uffa Fox
website (www.uffafox.com).
Simon Watts
San Francisco
[email protected]

downwind with the bow up in classic
form, never leaving the protection of
the slick she creates to windward. It is
very comforting to see the breaking
waves disintegrate upwind between
our bow and stern, while continuing
to break both forward and aft of us. I
would not care to be fore-reaching out
of that protected slick, however slowly.
Mark Bennett
Mintaka

Bruce Halabisky replies:
I agree that when heaving-to it
is best to eliminate any headway.
However, the real objective of
Heaving-To?
heaving-to is to create a comfortable
and safe  environment  on the open
Dear Editor,
Mr. Halabisky’s concept of heaving-to sea. Sometimes this is only possible
(WB No. 223) differs from mine and when there is no headway and, as
from authors Lin and Larry Pardey.  Mr. Bennett describes, there is a
In Storm Tactics, page 31, they say, “If protective slick to windward. In less
the boat is making headway, you are severe conditions an acceptable level
not hove-to, you are sailing!”  In my of comfort and safety may be reached
own boat, an Ingrid 38, I have hove-to without the boat being stationary and
many times under mizzen alone.  In she might, in fact, fore-reach slowly at
this configuration, she drifts dead a half a knot or so.

Erratum: The Compleat Name

Dear Editor,
In WB No. 223 I committed a sin
unpardonable in the eyes of all anglers:
I misspelled the given name of the
revered 17th-century poet and writer
Izaak Walton, author of The Compleat
Angler. I acknowledge my error and
beg forgiveness of all fly fishermen.
Bruce Stannard
Robinson, NSW Australia
For Your Safety
Working in a boatshop requires certain
considerations to ensure your safety
and health. We want you to enjoy doing
your own work, but urge you to exercise
caution throughout the process. Before
using a power or hand tool with which
you are unfamiliar, consult operating
instructions. Many materials found in
boatshops are deadly or may have longterm ill effects; before using any toxic
material, consult the Material Safety
Data Sheet for that substance. Above
all, protect yourself from improper use
that may lead to permanent injury or
death.

®

Billy Black photo

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January/February 2012 • 9

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E-mail: [email protected]
Please note: This publication is not sent as part of a subscription and must be purchased separately.

CircSmallBoats224.indd 10

11/22/11 4:03 PM

After a Fashion
by David Kasanof

W

e all admire folks who would
rather stick to their principles than cave in to the dictates of
fashion. I admire them too. I’d just
rather not be one of them. Purity
and noble steadfastness are usually
no fun.
Early in my sailing career I got a
taste of such purity when a friend
lent me his Friendship sloop for the
weekend. There was just one catch:
He had changed the traditional gaff
rig to a marconi rig. At first I was
reluctant to take the boat out, but
it seemed churlish to refuse. I think
I said something about sunglasses
on the Mona Lisa. But my friend’s
arguments made sense. The modern rig was easier to handle and
more close-winded. The reduced
sail area was safer and the rig was
less complicated, hence less prone
to parts failure. It was a case of practical good sense versus tradition for
the sake of tradition.
I took this boat out. Most folks
don’t know a Friendship sloop from
a catamaran, so I was generally
unmolested—although some people didn’t wave back when I waved,
and one person yelled, “What have
you done?” Oh yes, there was one
(but only one) death threat. Some
chap rather peevishly offered to
shoot me if I came close enough.
After the sail, I felt as if I had
been party to some great crime.
Good grief, I had sailed a Friendship sloop with an altered rig, no
gaff. Despite the solid arguments
for changing the rig, I felt guilty.
Gosh, when I wave to other folks on
their boats, I feel really, really bad
when they don’t wave back.
I remembered that sail when I
was considering the purchase of my
next boat. Otherwise, I might have
spent almost 20 years on a Chinese
junk instead of my beloved gaffcutter CONTENT. In the cold light

PETE GOrSKI

of reason, the junk is far superior to
Western rigs, especially for one who
intends to live aboard. It’s easier to
reef, about as close-winded as the
gaffer, and roomier below.
So, why didn’t I get one? I just
couldn’t face up to being “the guy
who lives on that Chinese junk.”
Imagine a conversation about sails.
Someone mentions North, another
mentions Hood. Another asks me
who made my sails. I reply that they
were stitched up from bamboo slats
from a grove owned and operated
by a certain Master Wu, his family, newcomers to the trade, having
been in business for only three centuries. My companions drift away
and don’t talk to me about sails
again.
I’m aware that some sailors have
employed the junk rig combined
with a Western-style hull and cloth
sails. That’s like using chopsticks
with knives, forks, and spoons
attached to them. C’mon fella, the

bamboo sails are part of the whole
deal. They are, as mentioned, much
easier to reef than cloth sails and,
most important, they look ...well...
Chinese.
Being the odd man out is a tough
row to hoe. Because CONTENT had
no anchor winch, I devised a hookand-lanyard gizmo that enabled me
to secure the part of the anchor
chain that I had already hauled
aboard by hand. That enabled me
to haul more chain aboard without “losing” what I had already gotten on deck. I recall explaining my
“clever” invention to an old salt who
had served on lumber schooners
as a youth during the last days of
commercial sail. “Oh,” he said, “you
made yourself a devil’s claw. But
you know, Dave, nowadays we have
something called an anchor winch.”
In other words, I had followed my
independent creative instinct boldly
into the beginning of the previous
century.

January/February 2012 • 11

Focsle224_FINAL.indd 11

11/22/11 9:26 AM

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May 18–20, 2012

The WOOD (Wooden Open One-Design) Regatta was
established by WoodenBoat magazine in 1991, and won
U.S. Sailing’s One-Design Creativity award in 1992. It’s a
sailing contest in which wooden sailboats less than 30'
in length race against others, with handicapping under
Portsmouth Yardstick.

Please join us in this event for one-design and custom wooden sailboats of all ages.
For more information, go to www.woodenboat.com
and click on “WOOD Regatta” at the bottom of the
left-hand column.
41 WoodenBoat Lane, Brooklin, ME 04616
207.359.4651, [email protected]

12 • WoodenBoat 224

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11/22/11 1:50 PM

CURRENTS

Edited by Tom Jackson

A warm place in
the heart of a city
by Tom Jackson
e who work with wood and value
craftsmanship are unsurprised to
find humanity in wood construction.
Especially when worked by hand—
and here boats are among the best
examples—wood holds in its grain the
character of its builder in ways no other
material can match. In keeping with
these characteristics, The Center for
Wooden Boats in Seattle, Washington,
is performing for a new adjacent city
park the same role it has always played
for the city: it is humanizing the place.
The recently completed park itself
struck me as a bit of a blank slate when I
visited in September 2011. Its largely flat
expanse of grass is transected by concrete walkways, and the boat shape of
the concrete flower beds is only evident
when seen from the air or in artist’s renderings. The park’s saving grace is
found in the sum total of its water features: a rather uninspired sidewalk line
of water jets that kids should find fun on
a hot day, a tiny-looking beach cut into
the shore between concrete walls, the
use of the lake’s cleaned-up and restored
shoreline itself, and above all a large circular concrete pool which should be
wonderful for pond-yacht sailing. New
mooring quays are home to the venerable and important steamship VIRGINIA
V and the Northwest Seaport’s historic
fleet. It has ample space for visiting
ships— LADY WASHINGTON was in when
I was there. No doubt time will soften
the new park’s hard edges, especially
when its trees mature into the envisioned groves. But for now it seems more
of a place to pass through than to light.
Fortunately, a new round of facilities upgrades at the CWB have made
the center, even more than ever, a place
not only to light but to spend the better part of a day, regularly. It has always
been active and lively. Boats come and
go, young volunteers hustle around,
hulls are under construction or repair,
people ambling along the floats stoop
to read boat information cards. A
new ramp installed this year as part
of a facilities upgrade makes the main
entrance even more inviting. The ramp
itself is a metal structure—all ramps
these days seem to need the capacity to
move vast herds of very tall cattle—but
it has wood in its decking. Central grating lets light pass through for environ-

TOM JACKSON

W

Above left—A new city park adjacent to The Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle,
Washington, has space for historic and visiting ships, and soon the Museum of
History and Industry will move into a former armory. Above right—Next to the
concrete of the new park, the CWB’s upgraded entry and floats are proof of how
warm and inviting wooden construction can be.

mental reasons. The canopy, however, is
all wood and blends well with the original buildings designed for the center
by its founder, Dick Wagner. The new
entryway has places to linger, and the
boats moored alongside show up better.
The floats, too, have been upgraded,
with wood decks with central gratings.
New steel pilings hold them in place.
Because of the park’s construction, the
center had to rework its utilities and
provide another ramp, predominantly
built of wood, as a western access via the
park. In all, it was a $600,000 project,
according to Betsy Davis, the center’s
executive director.
The CWB also plans to eventually
construct a $1.5-million education
building on land at the head of the
park, with construction bays visible for
trolley riders and anyone stuck in traffic. The two-story building, 10,000 sq ft
as proposed, would expand the center’s
boatbuilding space and house classrooms, exhibits, a sail loft, administrative space, and a sorely needed library.
(Off-site, the CWB has lost a lease on
a boat-storage site and is looking for
another one, though it may have to end
up shedding some of its collections.
Meanwhile, the Center has reached
an agreement to lease a site near a
large city park at north Lake Union
that would first provide building space
and, in the long term, a second urban
“campus” for the CWB with ample water
access and large-boat repair facilities.)
Sad as the loss of the 1895 threemasted schooner WAWONA was for

south Lake Union, even the most rockribbed preservationists had to admit it
was painful watching her long fall into
decrepitude just an arm’s reach from
the CWB. She was cut up in 2009 (see
Currents, WB No. 208). Pieces of the
historic ship will re-emerge, however, in
exhibits at the Museum of History and
Industry when it moves in to a former
U.S. Naval Reserve Armory just a stone’s
throw from the CWB. The museum,
which will include a maritime historical component, is expected to reopen
at the new site in late 2012 after a
$60-million renovation now underway.
As these changes swirl within it and
around it, the CWB continues as a quiet
but persistent reminder that people
gravitate not to architectural models
but to places where activity is real and
interaction comes naturally. The center’s
wooden structures reinforce its purpose,
but it is the boats themselves, above all,
that beacon people to put their hands,
and their character and their humanity,
to use.
Tom Jackson is WoodenBoat’s senior editor.

Around the yards
■ Two of Maine’s pre-eminent wooden
boat builders are partners in a new
boatyard in Belfast, Maine. Front
Street Shipyard has sprung up very rapidly on what had once been, among
other things, a sardine packing plant, a
railroad roundhouse, and a proposed
January/February 2012 • 13

Currents224_FINALwAds.indd 13

11/22/11 5:46 PM

A 165-ton
Travelift will
see plenty of
use at the Front
Street Shipyard
in Belfast,
Maine.

TOM JACKSON

condominium development. J.B. Turner,
the managing partner, teamed up with
Brooklin Boat Yard and Rockport Marine,
and also with his former employer, Kenway Corp., to start the yard, with the
city government’s quick approval. The
staff as of this writing was 29, and could
quickly double. Existing buildings were
reworked, and several new buildings
were completed or underway as of late
2011. Its 18 marina slips filled quickly,
and 25 more are planned, all with more
than 10' draft at the lowest tides. There
will also eventually be a linear float with
250' of day moorage and pierhead washrooms and a brokerage office.
According to Steve White of Brooklin
Boat Yard and Taylor Allen of Rockport
Marine, the new collaboration won’t
have any effect on their existing yards
or their focus on wooden hull construction and repair. They’re investing in the
yard, but not venturing into composites
themselves. But large wooden yachts
may well be among those that the partners think may come from as far away as
the Caribbean for service in Maine. The
facility’s flat land and deep-water access
allow large haulout capacity and storage
space. Nearby amenities in Belfast—
stores, restaurants and a movie theater,

for example—should help make the
yard a Penobscot Bay destination for
yacht servicing.
“Certainly there’s an opportunity
there for J.B. to attract some larger
wooden yachts that are not easily serviced in this neck of the woods,” Allen
said. “This is a great cruising area, and
that facility could eventually attract
some of the bigger wooden yachts that

are harder for other yards around here
to handle. There’s the opportunity to
more easily do larger projects that
are more difficult for us to do here,”
he said. “We’re a postage-stamp-sized
piece of land here,” the same term
White used to describe his own yard.
“For a long time, I’ve wanted the ability
to handle larger boats than we can
handle here now,” Allen said. “I’ve

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14 • WoodenBoat 224

Currents224_FINALwAds.indd 14

11/22/11 3:57 PM

used to move boats to and from storage
sheds. Front Street Shipyard, 101 Front St.,
P.O. Box 558, Belfast, ME 04915; 207–
930–3740; www.frontstreetshipyard.com.
■ Yacht designers Bob Stephens and
Paul Waring, who several years ago
branched off from their earlier roles
as in-house yacht designers at Brooklin
Boat Yard, have left the yard entirely and
have opened their own independent
office, Stephens Waring Yacht Design,
in—wait for it—Belfast, Maine. Their
May 2011 office opening coincided with,
but is unrelated to, the development of
the Front Street Shipyard (see above),
with which they have no affiliation.
Although Brooklin Boat Yard and
Rockport Marine say their core woodenboat businesses won’t change with the
inception of the new Belfast yard, Stephens and Waring are distinctly moving in new directions with their move
to the city. They have been closely
associated with cold-molded wooden
yachts, and for a couple of transitional
years remained in offices at Brooklin
Boat Yard with yard owner Steve White
as part of the design partnership. Stephens and Waring are hoping to design
series boats for production in materials

other than wood, in addition to designing custom boats in a variety of materials, among which wood will remain one
alternative. “It finally just became pretty
clear that it was going to be best if we
each focused on what we did best,” said

TOM JACKSON

essentially given up trying to make it
work here because it’s just too small. So
it’s an added opportunity for us up
there.” Another possible opportunity is
subcontracts, for example on high-end
interior woodworking.
Kenway, on the other hand, has a
background with a variety of high-tech
composites. The company will build
some of its Maritime line of center-console fishing boats at the site, together
with large composite structures such
as submarine fenders for the U.S. Navy
and large turbine blades potentially for
offshore wind-power generators.
What the businesses have in common, the partners say, is a need for
deep-water access and waterfront space.
The yard, with 1,000' of frontage at the
head of navigation, can handle new
construction up to about 145'. Two sideby-side construction bays in a purposebuilt structure are 160' long, 48' wide,
and several stories tall, one side with
two 5-ton overhead rolling cranes and
the other with a single 10-ton. Mezzanines will allow efficient work access.
The yard has its own 31'-wide launching ramp, plus a 165-ton capacity Travelift fitted with an 18-ton mast-hauling
crane. A 60-ton Brownell trailer will be

Paul Waring (left) and Bob Stephens
have moved their yacht design firm to
an office in Belfast, Maine.

January/February 2012 • 15

Currents224_FINALwAds.indd 15

11/22/11 3:58 PM

TOM JACKSON

Stephens, who is a regular contributor
to WoodenBoat’s design review section
(see page 75). “Steve was ready to focus
on boatbuilding, and we were ready to
focus on really running a world-class
design office.”
Cold-molded boat construction still
represents good value in custom-yacht
construction, Stephens said, but aluminum and modern composite construction have made inroads. “It used to be
true,” Stephens said, “that if you wanted
to build the highest-tech custom race
boat possible, the lightest, fastest boat,
it was going to be cold-molded wood.
And that wasn’t very long ago. But the
development of alternative materials for
custom boats has changed the marketplace.” Winning races and being on the
cutting edge of technology, which have
always heavily influenced custom yacht
design, now often involve building with
high-end composites such as carbonfiber. One recent Stephens and Waring
design, done “on spec,” is a 38-footer
that has potential for series construction, and another is a 56' custom yacht
whose hull material is still under review,
although the yacht has been discussed
as a prototype for a line of production
boats. A French firm, meanwhile, is nibbling at a design for aluminum production. “We don’t necessarily care what
material something is built out of,” Waring said, “but we’ll certainly try to push
or recommend certain materials for the
right job and the right mission or focus
of the particular design.”
The designers have also long been
associated with the “spirit of tradition”
class, for which many of the designs
have had long, fine overhangs like
yachts from the early 20th century.
Lately, though, the two men have been
working in a different vein, using influences as varied as hulls of historic racing
sandbaggers and aspects of rig and deck
layouts from modern Open 60 racing
yachts. “The ‘spirit’ of tradition to me
is a name that suggests the idea of evolving the process and utilizing the tools
that we already know and have seen, but
trying to incorporate something completely new and different,” Waring said.
“We see it as our challenge and our duty
to press that envelope in directions people haven’t thought of before. But also
there’s just so much territory to explore
in terms of aesthetics, shape, and performance. Primarily, what we’re saying
to the world is, ‘Here we are.’ We believe
we’re a force in the marine industry,
and we would like to expand our business opportunities and have larger
goals in mind to try to achieve.” Stephens
Waring Yacht Design, 92 Main St., Third
Floor, Belfast, ME 04915; 207–338–6636;
www.stephenswaring.com.

The William Fife–designed schooner ADVENTURESS, 83’ on deck, is undergoing a
complete reconstruction at Rockport Marine in Maine.

■ Speaking of Brooklin Boat Yard, the
yard in November 2011 began building
two new boats, both designed earlier
by Bob Stephens and Paul Waring. One
is a 46' 7" sistership to LENA , a coldmolded sloop designed in 2000. The
second boat is 26' 3" jet-drive runabout,
a near-sister to PANDL , which the yard
built several years ago.
■ And speaking of Rockport Marine,
the yard is well along in a complete restoration of the 83' LOD William Fife–
designed schooner ADVENTURESS
of 1924. The yacht was brought to the
yard two years ago, after having been
in Newport, Rhode Island, for about
10 years. “The new owner, who’s a terrific guy, knew when he bought the boat
that he would need an entire new deck
and deck frame, and that we would be
doing some other things as well,” yard
owner Taylor Allen said. “But it has
developed into a full-blown restoration
of the entire boat,” not just extensive
deck and hull work but an entirely new
rig and a new interior as well. “We’ve
replaced all of the backbone, except
for the big plank keel and some of the
deadwood. Everything else is new. The
previous owner reframed the middle
half of the boat, and when the deck was
off we then reframed both ends, so all
of the framing is new.” The double-sawn
frames are of white oak. “We got rid of
all the iron floor timbers, which had
really destroyed a lot of the oak down
there. We replaced all of them with
bronze. We’ve replanked probably half
the boat,” matching the original teak
planking. The deck and deckhouses,
too, are all-new teak constructions, as is
the transom. All the work is to Lloyd’s
specifications. The yacht, confiscated in
France during World War II and heavily
altered by a French owner after the war,

retained little of its original appearance. Working with Fife drawings, and
with consultation from Fairlie Restorations in England, the yard is renewing
the boat but matching original styling
at least conceptually. The largest deck
structure, for example, matches the style
of the original but is longer, a change
necessitated by the installation of a new
engine farther forward than the original. The interior is to be trimmed in
European walnut, with extensive use
of raised-panel construction. “Except
for some components of the hull, it’s
essentially a new boat,” Allen said. “The
guy said, ‘Look, build me the boat, do
the best job you can, make it as close to
the design intent as original, but don’t
go overboard.’” Where the yacht differs
mightily is in her systems, with all-Monel
tanks for water, fuel, and waste, hydraulic controls for some of her winches, and
extensive electronic systems. The rig, too,
is entirely redesigned. The boat, originally launched as a marconi schooner
and later converted to a ketch, will sail
as a gaff-topsail schooner. Her sails will
be made by Nat Wilson of East Boothbay, Maine. She’ll have all-new Sitkaspruce masts and spars made in-house
at Rockport Marine. Most of her new
bronze hardware is made in-house, with
some elements, such as a complex main
boom gooseneck fitting, by Fairlie Restorations. “This is the combination of a
great piece of work, and a great owner,”
Allen said. “For us, it’s as good as it gets,
frankly.” Relaunching is expected in
June 2012, more or less. Rockport Marine,
1 Main St., P.O. Box 203, Rockport, ME
04856; 207–236–9651; www.rockportmarine.com.
■ Kit versions of some of Sam Devlin’s
stitch-and-glue boat designs from Devlin
Designing Boatbuilders in Tumwater,

16 • WoodenBoat 224

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11/22/11 3:58 PM

GETTING STARTED IN BOATS
from the Editors of

Volume 32

GS_Vol32_LearningMath_FINAL.indd 1

Magazine

Building a Skiff
to Teach Math

11/21/11 4:14 PM

— Building a

Skiff to teach M ath —
by Joe Youcha

Photo illustrations by Bob Grove

O

ur kids need to learn how to use
math. They need more “hands-on”
experiences than they usually get in
a classroom. I believe, by working as teachers, wooden boat builders can help. This
piece introduces how to do this work, and I
hope it will also serve as a call to action.
Build a boat with kids and they’ll learn
fractions, geometry, and maybe even a little
bit of algebra. More important, they’ll learn
that without math they can’t do the job right.
Being unable to do the job right has direct
consequences: the boat will leak and they
are going to get wet. Kids who learn to use
math in the shop can transfer those skills to
the classroom with confidence and ability.
Most of my experience in building boats
with kids has involved the Bevin’s Skiff, a 12'
rowing and sailing skiff that we designed at
the Alexandria Seaport Foundation in 1997
specifically as a teaching tool. A “Math Instructor’s Guide” accompanies the volume
of building instructions for the boat. So,
naturally, that’s the boat we like to use in
teaching these skills, and it’s the boat shown
in these pages. But most of these skills can
be taught by building any simple skiff.
The usual process of skiff-building starts
with raw lumber and a set of plans. You then
lay out and cut the parts; assemble the stem,
sides, center frame, and transom; put on the

bottom and keel; and install the frames, rails,
and seats. We have found that when we want
to optimize math instruction, boatbuilding
happens in a different order.
When teaching math, jump right in. Start
with a kit of parts, so the students see the
shape of their boat quickly—usually the
first day. After one class launches its boat,
we have those same students lay out and cut
the parts for the next building group. This
order of work keeps the students motivated
and matches their growing math skills with
the tasks they need to accomplish.
Many math skills and concepts are repeated
throughout the construction. This is a wonderful teaching environment. Repetition
reinforces concepts, and the same topic can
challenge different kids in different ways.
For example, one student may learn about
isosceles triangles by measuring back along
each side the same distance from the stem
while laying out frame spacing. Another student may already know that isosceles triangles have two equal legs but may be challenged when using the same kind of triangles
to lay out perpendicular lines.
Repetition of math skills also gives the instructor multiple chances to figure out how
an individual kid learns best. Remember, if
the student hasn’t learned, the instructor
hasn’t taught.…

WOODENBOAT PUBLICATIONS, INC.
P.O. Box 78 (41 WoodenBoat Ln.), Brooklin, ME 04616 • Tel. 207–359–4651
www.GettingStartedinBoats.com • www.WoodenBoat.com
1–800–274–4936 (U.S. and Canada)

Subscribe to WoodenBoat Magazine: 1–800–274–4936
2 • Building a Skiff to Teach Math

GS_Vol32_LearningMath_FINAL.indd 2

11/21/11 4:14 PM

— Measuring and Ratios —
When a set of two-dimensional boat plans
becomes a three-dimensional boat under their
hands, students see a direct connection between
mathematical principles and their practical
application.

up to do particular jobs. The ability to teach a
skill is a student’s best proof that he or she has
learned the skill.

Measuring— In almost every building step,
you have the opportunity to measure, add, subtract, multiply, or divide fractions and mixed
numbers.
When you are measuring the spacing of
nails used to fasten the side panels to the
stem, don’t be surprised if your builders can’t
read a ruler. When they need to measure the
width of the bottom and divide it in half in
order to locate the keel centerline, they’ll be
using a ruler and successfully dividing mixed
numbers. And by the time they get to laying
out the side and bottom panels for the next
class’s boat, they will be fluent in fractions
and how to use them. They will even be combining geometry with fractions to plot the
necessary points.
You can also have the kids who have mastered
certain skills teach those who haven’t. Pair them

Ratios— Boatbuilding relies on ratios almost
as much as measuring. The proper length of the
first nail you drive is three times the thickness of
the plywood it is fastening to the stem. A bucking
iron enables the nails locating the center frame
to be easily driven because the mass of the bucking iron is so much greater than the mass of the
hammer (which incidentally provides a chance
to talk about momentum and the conservation
of energy). Ratios are used when mixing epoxy,
and also when using scale drawings to lay out
side and bottom panel shapes. The plywood
scarf joints you’ll need to make are an example
of the ratio of “rise over run,” or slope, which
offers a great introduction to algebra.

A task as simple as measuring instantly emphasizes
the importance of fractions in addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division, and the tape measure
provides an easily understandable visual reference.
Building a Skiff to Teach Math • 3

GS_Vol32_LearningMath_FINAL.indd 3

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— Lines and Planes —
Practical geometry comes into play in the
use of straight lines in marking curved
surfaces, as when springing a chalkline dead
amidships on the hull bottom to determine
where to center the keel timber.

T

he saying that “carpentry is geometry” also applies to boatbuilding,
which relies on many of the spatial truths
described by geometry.
Lines are a basic geometric building
block. There are straight lines throughout a boat; they’re just usually bent over
curved surfaces.
Using the chalkline to mark the centerline on the bottom, and then two parallel lines where the edges of the keel
will lie, demonstrates that the shortest
distance between two points is indeed a
straight line.
When the chines are beveled to receive
the bottom panel, another straight line
is the straightedge used to check if
enough of the chine has been planed
away. (Planing the bevel on the chines is
the creation of a geometric plane through
the process of subtraction. Every time
you make shavings, you are subtracting.
Hmm, subtraction without numbers—
what a concept!)
The concepts of parallel and perpendicular
lines are fundamental to both geometry and to
almost any building process. Whenever you have
two lines perpendicular to the same line, you’ve
created two parallel lines. Therefore, the center
frame and transom are parallel in plan view,
because both are perpendicular to the boat’s
centerline. Thwart edges are parallel to one
another, and the center frame is perpendicular
to the keel. Also, when drawing the shapes of
the side and bottom panels, all the station lines
are parallel to each other because they are
perpendicular to the baseline.
If you choose to make your own gauge to locate the nails that will fasten the bottom to the
chines, you’re using the concept of parallel lines
to make a tool that will mark a line you can’t see.
Demonstrating the basic properties of planar

geometry is simple because all the boat parts
start with faces that are flat, geometric planes.
Many of these flat planes change into curved
planes, or surfaces, as they are bent into their
final shape to form the boat. Although bending the flat side panels around the hull’s flaring
center frame is a simple mechanical process, it
takes complex math, like differential geometry,
to describe the resulting curved surfaces. This is
an opportunity to challenge more advanced students and introduce the usefulness of more advanced math. Without this math built into their
software, computers wouldn’t be useful design
tools.
An understanding of planes also affects more
basic tasks. The ability to use a handsaw, for
example, depends upon the sawyer’s ability to
line up his saw, wrist, and shoulder in the same
geometric plane.

4 • Building a Skiff to Teach Math

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— Angles —
The use of a bevel gauge is a great way to
demonstrate the principles of parallelism,
supplementary angles, and corresponding angles.

W

hen two pieces of wood meet, they make
an angle. Where the boat’s sides meet the
stem is a good example of an acute angle, and
where the center frame extends across the bottom and up the side is a good example of an obtuse one. Have your builders measure angles using a bevel gauge and then read the angle on a
protractor, which will help them to understand
degrees.
The bevel gauge is a great teaching tool. In
the classic geometry textbook, the tool is represented by the illustration of two sets of parallel lines intersecting, making corresponding
and supplementary angles come alive. Parallel
lines once again prove themselves useful. The
bevel gauge will get a lot of use when marking
the compound angles on the ends of the chines
and deckbeam.

Isosceles Triangles—Isosceles triangles occur
at almost every step of boatbuilding. They first
appear when the stem, center frame, and transom
Marking points
equidistant
from the stem,
for example,
to accurately
position molds,
frames, or
oarlocks—a
process
boatbuilders
call “horning”—
demonstrates
the use of
isosceles
triangles.

have to be lined up. An isosceles triangle’s
centerline creates two symmetrical right triangles and is perpendicular to its baseline. By creating symmetrical shapes, isosceles triangles
help a boatbuilder make sure one side of the
boat measures the same as the other. If the sides
are different, the boat will not only look funny
but will tend to go in circles.
Isosceles triangles can also be used to erect
station lines in the panel layout, by using the
basic “arc scribe” geometric construction. In
this method, relatively short arcs are marked on
the baseline on both sides of a starting point
that is also on the baseline. Then, somewhat
longer arcs are marked from these new points
to cross at a point above the baseline; marking
a straight line from the starting point to where
the two new arcs cross creates a line that is
perfectly perpendicular to the starting point.

Right Angles— Right angles are another basic
geometric element. Even though we think there
aren’t many right angles in boats, they are very
important to the building process. The corners
of plywood panels and dimensioned lumber are
all 90 degrees. We’ve already mentioned how
the center frame and transom are perpendicular to the boat’s centerline. The students will
use framing squares when marking the center
frame’s location on the side panels. They’ll also
use a square resting on the top of the chine to
mark the locations of the frames. Measuring
along a right angle from a given reference line is
the only way to get a true measurement, such as
altitude of a triangle. It’s also how your builders
will use a combination square to measure from
the sheer to establish the height of the seat riser.
Building a Skiff to Teach Math • 5

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11/21/11 4:14 PM

— Algebra —

Laying out shapes such as molds requires
the use of x- and y-axis coordinates,
providing an opportunity to introduce
algebra.

E

ach year, it seems that we ask kids to learn
algebra at a younger and younger age. Yet,
even though they may learn the subject in seventh grade, they may not have a chance to apply it in a class, other than math, until they take
chemistry, usually in the tenth grade. Boatbuilding offers multiple ways to introduce algebra while (or even before!) kids are learning the
subject in math class.
Coordinate planes are used to lay out panel
shapes. Remember the perpendicular “x” and
“y” axes intersecting at a point of origin? Every point on a side or bottom panel has x and
y coordinates. The widths on either side of the
bottom panel’s centerline are really positive and
negative numbers. And scarf joints can be considered one example of the rise and run of a
slope.
Every kid wants to know, “How many people
will this boat hold?” Algebraic formulas can calculate the answer. Once you have calculated the
underwater area of the skiff’s cross sections and
plot those points on perpendicular lines at each
station, you can draw the resulting curve, called
a curve of areas. Figuring the boat’s underwater volume from this curve of areas is a great
example of how a formula such as Simpson’s
Rule (look it up!) comes into play when facing challenges like trying to calculate the total
volume of the boat’s underwater shape. Then,
a little more multiplication using the ratio of
water’s weight to the boat’s volume gives you its

displacement, which can be used to
determine its capacity. It’s pretty complicated math to answer a simple question, but, again, it’s a great opportunity
to challenge students and to show them
that complicated-looking formulas have
real-world uses.
Quadratic equations are intimidating and
may seem useless for most algebra students (and
ax2 + bx + c = 0 still makes me nervous). Yet,
you can make factoring them familiar when you
show your builders that doing so depends upon
the same concept they used for finding the least
common denominator when adding measurements that are expressed in fractions.
A couple of framing squares on a piece of plywood
(seen from an oblique angle in this photo) can easily
represent coordinate planes and demonstrate how
to plot slope.

6 • Building a Skiff to Teach Math

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11/21/11 4:15 PM

— Integrating the Project into the Classroom —

Many lessons can be learned from building a
simple skiff, but they need to be coordinated
with a teacher’s parallel efforts in the
classroom.

A

s a society, we tend to think schools are the
places where kids should learn math. Building a boat to teach math can often occur in the
classroom. If you’re going to build a boat in conjunction with a school, finding a good teacher
as your partner is critical. A major part of your
job is to support that teacher. You are building
the boat to help his or her students learn math
and apply it. You need to be able to function in
the teacher’s world and be aware of the realities
that govern his or her work.
In the United States, the national Common
Core Standards, or your state’s educational standards, determine how the students and teachers are judged. Whatever their shortcomings,
these standards and their accompanying tests
at least indicate which skills our students need
to acquire. From the test results I’ve seen, the
math skills inherent in building a skiff—especially fractions and geometry—are exactly the
ones that our kids aren’t learning very well.
Fifth graders need to divide fractions and
plot points using a coordinate plane. Eighth
graders need to understand the angles created
when “parallel lines are cut by a transversal.”
(Sounds like a bevel gauge to me....) Geometry
students have to “apply geometric concepts in
modeling situations, explain volume formulas
and use them to solve problems, and visualize
relationships between two-dimensional and
three-dimensional objects.” Algebra students must

“create equations that describe numbers or relationships and represent and solve equations and
inequalities graphically.” When you build a
boat, you have the opportunity to make these
abstract words from the standards concrete.
So, we have to speak the current language of
education. Teachers and administrators need to
see that the time spent building a boat results
in increased math competencies. A couple of
pieces of advice for those who want to pursue
this possibility:
• Don’t be afraid to use simple tests. Testing before the class tells you the skills your students
already have as well as those they need to learn.
A test afterward shows the students (and the
school) what you’ve been able to accomplish. We
usually use five-question quizzes.
• Bring other resources, contacts, and connections into the boatshop or classroom to support
the teacher and serve the students. When we
build, we always bring in volunteers who can talk
about boats, work individually with students,
and let the kids hear about the importance of
math from someone other than their teachers.
You have a way to make learning math fun,
and useful. Do it. We’ll help.
For additional information, contact Joe Youcha at The
Alexandria Seaport Foundation, P.O. Box 25036, Alexandria, VA 22314 or see www.building2teach.com. Building
To Teach has teaching materials, hands-on exercises, and
instructor training opportunities available.

Building a Skiff to Teach Math • 7

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11/21/11 4:15 PM

— Using Models to Help Teach —

When building a full-sized boat
isn’t possible or practical, having
a class build boat models can go
a long way toward illustrating the
same principles, and all of the
students will have something
they can call their own to take
home and treasure.

M

odels are also great teaching tools.
Sometimes you can’t build the full-sized
boat or don’t want to. Sometimes there’s not
enough time, space, or money, or maybe it
doesn’t fit the program design if you want all
the kids to go home with something of their
own. In our programs, we use three models
that are based on Bevin’s Skiff: a cardstock
model, a “pinewood derby” sailer, and a radiocontrolled, plank-on-frame model.
Building a model boat can introduce the
same building steps involved in the full-sized
boat and demonstrate the same use of math,
as well as create enthusiasm and motivation.
Which model we pick depends upon what we
want to accomplish with the class. For example, we build the cardstock model before we
build the full-sized boat to give the students a
“run-through” of the process. It takes less than
an hour, tests their measuring skills, and gives
them something to take home. The pinewood
derby model is the next step up. Cut from a
block of 2×4 with dowel masts and plastic

sails, this simple model introduces measuring,
fractions, and basic geometry—plus the kids
can sail it and take it home.
The RC model is more complex. It’s built up
plank-on-frame, just like the full-sized skiff.
We use it as a substitute for building the fullsized boat and when we’re working with a class
over a longer period of time. It’s small enough
so that all the kids can build their own boats.
And, sailing the models can really give them a
boating experience.
Connections between boatbuilding and math
can be made by building any of these models,
although not as thoroughly as through building
a full-sized boat. The more involved the project,
the more teaching opportunities if offers.
As part of the Alexandria Seaport Foundation,
Joe Youcha has helped hundreds of community
groups build their own boats. With a new program called Building to Teach, he's now helping
boat building groups learn how to teach math as
part of that process.

Getting Started in Boats is dedicated to those who are new to boats and boatbuilding.
Please tear out and pass along your copy to someone you know who will be interested.
Earlier volumes of Getting Started are available in past issues of WoodenBoat, and as PDF (electronic) files, from
The WoodenBoat Store. Please refer to the web pages, at: www.woodenboat.com/wbmag/getting-started

8 • Building a Skiff to Teach Math

GS_Vol32_LearningMath_FINAL.indd 8

11/22/11 1:56 PM

The Goal — Bring new people to wooden boats!

The Solution —
GETTING STARTED

IN

BOATS,

a removable supplement included in
every issue of WoodenBoat.

This publication is produced for the
absolute beginner; for your family,
friends, and neighbors, members of local
community groups, colleagues at work—
the people you know who should be
inspired into boats and boating.
Share your passion!
To download previous issues of Getting Started that you might
have missed, please visit www.woodenboatstore.com.

WoodenBoat Publications
41 WoodenBoat Lane, Brooklin, ME 04616
207–359–4651 • www.woodenboat.com

WoodenBoat’s Boatbuilding & Rowing Challenge (BARC) is the beginning of a grassroots effort which could
be emulated around the world. It's an endeavor to involve communities and, in our specific case, high school programs,
in the team-building aspects of boatbuilding and then competitively rowing one specific boat: Iain Oughtred's 22',
330 pound St. Ayles Skiff, with a crew of four rowers and one helmsperson (coxswain). Using Alec Jordan's (Jordan
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For further information, please see our website: http://BARC.woodenboat.com

chris perkins

peter nisbet

January/February 2012 • 17

WB224_Pg17Fracts.indd 17

11/22/11 1:46 PM

Washington, are available. Devlin has
an agreement with West Satsop Boatworks of Montesano to provide computer numerically controlled cutting of
kit parts for ten different designs:
5×10 Skiff, Pond Skipper, Oarling II,
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Eider, Litl Coot, and three variations on
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“puzzle- splice” joints. More kits are

promised for the future. Devlin Designing Boatbuilders, 3010 37th Ave. S.W.,
Tumwater, WA 98512; www.devlinboat.
com. See also www.westsatsop.com.
■ After a hiatus, the Waters Dancing
Boat Kit Company of Edmonton,
Alberta, has resumed shipping its kayak
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kayak designs and two types of canoes.
Its storefront, BoatCraft, markets completed boats along with wooden boat
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■ In Cornwall, England, Marcus Rowden and Freya Hart are leading the
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named GRAYHOUND. Similar in size
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Admiralty drawings of a 1776 construction by John Parkin, who built fast luggers both for smugglers and for the
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deck, in Cornwall, England.

18 • WoodenBoat 224

Currents224_FINALwAds.indd 18

11/22/11 3:58 PM

COURTESY CHESAPEAKE BAY MARITIME
MUSEUM

saves the Seaport from imminent danger and holds out the prospect of new
leadership. The first priority, according to a presentation by Susan Henshaw
Jones, director of the MCNY, is to get
some life into the site by rejuvenating
programs to give the museum a higher
profile. This would be a good time,
needless to say, to show support by
becoming a member. Seaport Museum of
New York, 12 Fulton St., New York, NY
10038; www.seany.org. Museum of the City

of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave., New York,
NY 10029; www.mcny.org. See also www.
saveourseaport.wordpress.com.

P

amela Bates, the executive director
of Lowell’s Boat Shop in Amesbury,
Massachusetts, has won the National Trust
for Historic Preservation’s 2011 Peter
H. Brink Award for Individual Achievement. On her watch, which has been
entirely as a volunteer, a new organization was formed to run the combination

Nearing her centennial, the tugboat
DELAWARE is having extensive
work done at the Chesapeake Bay
Maritime Museum.

effort. GRAYHOUND is being built not
far from Plymouth, at Millbrook on the
Rame Head peninsula, which is close
to Cawsand, where the original was
probably built. She is 65' LOD, with a
sparred length of 108', a beam of 19', a
straight keel with a lot of drag aft giving
her a draft of 10', and carrying 3,500 sq
ft of sail. A September 2012 launching
is expected. Grayhound Lugger Sailing,
Southdown Marina, Southdown Quay,
Millbrook, Torpoint, Cornwall, PL10 1HG,
England; +44 (0) 792–264–8472; www.
grayhoundlugger.blogspot.com.
■ The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
in St. Michaels, Maryland, is restoring
the 1912 river tugboat DELAWARE ,
which is part of the museum’s collections. The 39' 8" LOA boat was built in
Bethel, Delaware, by William H. Smith,
and in 1929 she moved to Easton,
Maryland, after being bought by James
Ireland, who worked with John H. Bailey in marine construction. Bailey later
became the sole owner. DELAWARE was
laid up in the late 1980s. The project
includes replacing six strakes of portside bottom planking and repairing
floor timbers, frame heels, and the keel
as needed. A deck carlin will also be
replaced, along with part of the deck.
Her lower guards, 2 1/2" × 2 1/2" × 25', will
be restored to their original configuration. CBMM, P.O. Box 636, St. Michaels,
MD 21663; 410–745–2916; www.cbmm.org.

Offcuts

N

ews comes that management of the
troubled Seaport Museum of New
York on South Street in Manhattan will
be taken on by the Museum of the City
of New York, at least for 18 months. The
deal, facilitated by a grant of $2 million,

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20 • WoodenBoat 224

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11/22/11 1:56 PM

aybe it’s a sign of the times,
but at the Newport International Boat Show—a venue not
known as a seething hotbead of
wooden boat and small craft interest—comparatively small boats
won prizes this year. One of them,
the Destino 20 mahogany runabout by a new wooden boat building company in Connecticut, took
honors for “best powerboat under
30' ” and “best new powerboat.”

COURTESTY DESTINO
YACHTS

M

A 20’ runabout by Destino Yachts of
Connecticut won powerboat awards at the
Newport International Boat Show in 2011.

A new 65,000-sq-ft building nearing
completion will house Seattle
Central Community College’s
Wood Construction Center, which
incorporates a boatbuilding program
with roots that go back to 1936.

A

t Washington State’s Seattle Central
Community College, a new building
housing the Wood Construction Center
is nearing completion. The Center
encompasses the Marine Carpentry
program, under the direction of Gordon
Sanstad. He is also the sole instructor
since lead instructor Dave Mullins’s
retirement in fall 2010. Sanstad says
the building will have a total of 65,000
sq ft, housing programs of which the
boat carpentry course is one part. The
program, the successor to the Edison
Boatbuilding School founded in 1936,
was incorporated into the community
college system in 1967.

B

ruce Mackenzie has been named
director of the Workshop on the
Water program at the Independence
Seaport Museum in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. During his career as
a boatbuilder and educator, he has,
among other things, started a boatbuilding program at Cape Fear Community College in North Carolina and
served as senior shipwright for the USS
CONSTELLATION in Baltimore, Maryland. He succeeds John Brady, who was
earlier named executive director of the
museum.

2012

Ever hear a smile? It sounds like this: “My Calendar of
Wooden Boats arrived...” because year after year the images
from Ben Mendlowitz continue to be awe-inspiring, and the
Maynard Bray captions continue to enlighten. This year’s
dozen include a pinky schooner, a Herreshoff Coquina,
a Concordia yawl under a full moon, a 1910 tug from the
Pacific Northwest, and more. Opens to 12˝ x 24˝.

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TOM JACKSON

boatshop and museum, a sizable grant
was won for extensive building restoration (see Currents, WB No. 213), more
boats are being built, and rowing events
are again part of life on the Merrimack
River. A tip of the hat and a raise of the
pint to her, if you please. Lowell’s Boat
Shop, 459 Main St., Amesbury, MA 01913;
978–834–0050; www.lowellsboatshop.com.

The
WoodenBoat

STORE
PO Box 78, Brooklin, ME 04616

Calendar of Wooden Boats
Item #800-212 $15.95
(plus shipping)

To Order: Call Toll-Free
1.800.273.SHIP (7447)
January/February 2012 • 21

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• WoodenBoat 224

1

24/11/11 16:31

The company, founded by Ole Nielsen,
is at 10 Pawson Rd., Branford, CT 06405;
860–395–9682; www.destinoyachts.com.
The “best sailboat under 30' ” and “best
new sailboat” was a BayRaider 20, alas
a fiberglass version, by Swallow Boats
(Gwbert Rd., Cardigan, Wales, SA43
1PN, U.K.; +44 (0) 123–961–5482;
www.swallowboats.co.uk). Swallow Boats
started off designing boats for kit construction, using precut plywood panels
and epoxy. Although it has moved into
the ’glass-boat market, it still makes plywood kits for several of its designs.

to the bone. With a heart that beat in
rhythm with the waves.”
■ Adrian Mount Pearsall, 85, September
6, 2011, Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania. Only two years after graduating
in 1950 as an architectural engineer
from the University of Illinois, Mr.
Pearsall started Craft Associates in the
basement of his home in Kingston,
Pennsylvania. The company became
prominent in modern furniture design

and manufacture in the 1950s and
1960s, when it was the largest employer
in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. One of
Mr. Pearsall’s passions was sailing and
restoring classic boats, and among the
yachts he restored were the 1905
N.G. Herreshoff–designed New York 30
AMORITA , the W. Starling Burgess–
designed 50' 1913 P-class sloop CHIPS,
the 1924 Herreshoff Watch Hill 15
EMMA , and the 1926 William Fife–
designed 72-footer HALLOWE’EN.

S

parkman & Stephens, the famous New
York City yacht design and brokerage company, has moved its headquarters
office to Greenwich, Connecticut, some
30 miles away from Manhattan, where
it had been located for 82 years. The
company, founded by Olin Stephens
and Drake Sparkman, already has
branch offices in Newport, Rhode
Island, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Sparkman & Stephens, 170 Mason St.,
Greenwich, CT 06830; 203–687–4700;
www.sparkmanstephens.com.

Across the bar
■ Ole Crumlin-Pedersen, 76, October 14,
2011, Roskilde, Denmark. Mr. CrumlinPedersen was only 21 years old when he
approached the Danish National Museum
about doing something to study an old
ship, which he believed was from the
Viking age, known to be at the bottom of
the Roskilde Fjord near Skuldelev. The
careful excavation of a wreck that had
been nicknamed locally as “Queen Margrete’s ship” turned out to be not one but
five Viking-age ships, which together provided an uncommonly well-rounded view
of the era’s boatbuilding techniques. Mr.
Crumlin-Pedersen was a leader in the
excavation, which began in 1956 with the
placement of a cofferdam so the site could
be drained, a technique that became a
model for shoal-water seafloor archaeology. Mr. Crumlin-Pedersen went on to
play a key role in founding the Viking
Ship Museum at Roskilde, which houses
the excavated remains. In addition, the
museum built accurate replicas of all five
ships to study their construction, use, and
handling (see WB No. 206). Another of
his legacies is the museum’s exceptional
record of publications, including many
books by, or in collaboration with, Mr.
Crumlin-Pedersen himself, focusing on
Scandinavian and northern European
maritime culture and history (see www.
vikingeskibsmuseet.dk). “We, who worked
closely with Ole, knew him as a man with
a mission,” museum director Tinna
Damgård-Sørensen wrote. “Professional

Families or Groups:

Find YOUR Opportunity to Build a Boat

Family BoatBuilding Organizers:
List Your Event for Free

www.FamilyBoatBuilding.com
The Motherlode of all
Family BoatBuilding events
will be taking place at the

WoodenBoat Show
June 29–July 1, 2012

Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT
Come build a kit in two and a half days during the show with
the help of expert instruction. Then take it home with you!
NO previous boatbuilding skills are required.
We hope to have as many as 8–12 different kits to
choose from. We will be posting available kits for you at
www.thewoodenboatshow.com. Click the
“Family BoatBuilding” tab at the top of the page.
We use the expression “family,” but you may form your own
group of friends, 4-H or Boy Scout troop, church group, or other
well-meaning organization.
Family BoatBuilding is produced by WoodenBoat magazine,
online at www.woodenboat.com.

January/February 2012 • 23

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11/22/11 3:59 PM

Seacocks

The unsung heroes of
watertight integrity
Text and photographs
by Steve D’Antonio

ALISon SHAw

T

he volume of water even a small hole in a boat’s
bottom will admit can be astounding. If you’ve
ever removed a transducer for cleaning or forgotten to install a garboard plug when launching your boat,
you know that the momentary gush of water is alarming.
There is value in witnessing this force of nature, as it can
demonstrate the severity of a failed below-the-waterline
hose, through-hull fitting, or seacock.

Let’s say that hole in the boat is 1" in diameter and
3' below the waterline—the approximate dimensions
of an engine’s raw-water intake (raw water is simply
the water in which the boat is floating, whether it’s
salt, brackish, or fresh). That hole would admit 34 gallons per minute, or 2,040 gallons per hour. You might
be tempted to think, “I have a 2,000-gallon-per-hour
pump that can almost keep up.” However, the actual

Above—Seacocks are the valves that can stem the flow of raw water in through-hull fittings. Install them correctly, maintain
them well, and they’ll give decades of reliable service.

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capacity of nearly all bilge pumps as they are installed
varies significantly from their rated output; in the tests
I’ve conducted, output can be reduced up to 50 percent by, among other things, resistance imparted by
hose length and the suction lift, as well as restrictions
such as check valves or undersized plumbing. Reduction in voltage due to wiring that’s too small also diminishes the output. And, as the water enters the boat, the
breach sinks ever deeper, increasing the pressure and,
thus, the rate of flooding. In less than five minutes, the
weight of water that will have flooded the boat through
that 1"-diameter hole will be in excess of 1,000 lbs.
Nearly all raw-water plumbing failures are preventable. In my experience as a marine mechanic, boatyard manager, and systems consultant, I’ve seen all
manner of seacock-related defects and maladies, too
many of which have led to failure and flooding. There
are two primary types of failures. The first and most
common is caused by a breached raw-water hose. While
serious, such flooding is often quickly and easily
stemmed simply by closing the seacock that is admitting the water (this assumes the seacock has been
installed in an accessible location and is properly
maintained—and it assumes that someone is aboard
the boat). The second, less common but significantly
more serious failure involves the through-hull fitting,
seacock, or related rigid plumbing. Such a failure is
nearly always catastrophic.

ThrouGh-hullS and
SeacockS defined

Through-hull fittings are the threaded
pipes with a mushroom-like end visible on
the exterior of the hull. The seacock itself
is simply the valve that is threaded onto
the through-hull fitting. Most, if not all,
of the through-hull’s threads will be hidden
by the seacock, as indicated by the marked
threads in this photo.

Standards and Guidelines
There are few, if any, binding guidelines for the design
and installation of seacocks in recreational boats.
There are, however, widely accepted standards set forth
by the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC). The
value of relying on these standards, even if they aren’t
mandated by any governing body, is that they eliminate
“field-engineered,” seat-of-the-pants installations. They
may also be required by your insurer. As a professional
who has worked in the marine industry for nearly 25
years, I’ve seen countless cases of inferior and just plain
incorrect seacock installations, some of which had
already failed, yet were still defended by their installers with the refrain, “That’s the way we’ve always done
it and it’s never been a problem.” Rest assured, just
because it hasn’t failed doesn’t mean it’s right or that
it won’t fail at some point in the future. Relying on an
independent, industry-recognized standard will pay
dividends. The following are highlights of the ABYC’s
recommendations.
Top left—Be selective when choosing plumbing
components for use with seacocks—or for any seawater
application. Brass, because it is susceptible to a form
of corrosion known as dezincification, must never be
used. Here, a brass pipe-to-hose adapter crumbled when the
hose was removed. Bottom left—Avoid stressing seacocks
with the attachment of long, rigid pipe assemblies. In this
case, an integral seacock and sea strainer failed because of
the leverage imparted by the strainer on the seacock valve.
January/February 2012 • 25

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11/17/11 4:35 PM

WhAT iS The
heeled WATeRline?
It is important to clearly understand
the phrase, “below the maximum
heeled waterline.” On a sailboat, this
is defined as any penetration that’s
submerged when the boat is sailing
rail-down. For powerboats, the guideline is somewhat more lenient, encompassing hull penetrations that would
be submerged if the boat were to heel
up to 7 degrees. My personal preference for powerboats calls for seacocks to be installed on penetrations
within the 7-degree guideline or on
ones that are less than 12" above the
static waterline, whichever describes a
larger or taller zone.

Sta

tic

WL

Heeled WL

Where Seacocks Are Required
The ABYC recommends that “All piping, tubing or
hose lines penetrating the hull below the maximum heeled
waterline (see sidebar), under all normal conditions of
trim and heel, shall be equipped with a seacock to stop
the admission of water in the event of failure of pipes,
tubing or hose.” (The emphasizing italics are mine.)
One exception to this rule includes engine and genset
exhaust outlets, which do not require a seacock. And in
2008, the standard was revised to allow the use of reinforced piping or hoses that resist kinking and collapse
where there is no seacock on any penetration below the
heeled waterline and above the load waterline.

Seacock

This heeled-waterline guideline is frequently ignored
by builders and repairers. If the through-hull is above
the level waterline, then most people simply assume no
seacock is required. The fact is, if it’s below the heeled
waterline, then a seacock is recommended unless the
exception noted above comes into play.

Thread Compatibility
The ABYC guideline says, “Threads used in seacock
installations shall be compatible (e.g., NPT to NPT, NPS
to NPS).” Tapered-thread NPT valves are routinely, and
wrongly, attached to a straight-thread NPS through-hull
fitting, and this often results in no more than two or
Thread engagement is a critically
important aspect of seacock
installations, and the threads that
connect through-hull fittings to
seacocks must be compatible. On the
left, a through-hull fitting is properly
paired with a flanged seacock, both
fittings utilizing the straight NPS
thread type.  The black line on the
through-hull represents engagement of
at least 10 threads when mated with
the seacock.  On the right are a
through-hull fitting and an in-line ball
valve, a common albeit incorrect
pairing. It represents two major
violations of the accepted standards:
incompatible threads and no loaddistributing flange on the valve. Meager
thread engagement is indicated by the
black line on the through-hull.

26 • WoodenBoat 224

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MATThEW P. MUrPhY

This Marelon seacock is installed in a cold-molded sailboat. Note the UL tag, approving its use as a “sea valve.”

three threads of engagement—far fewer than the
eight or ten threads afforded by matching fittings—
and, therefore, far more prone to failure.
These ABYC strictures leave little doubt as to where
seacocks are required. There’s more to a good seacock
installation, however, than simply complying with these
recommendations. In order to be considered secure,
reliable, and functional, seacocks must meet several
material and installation parameters.

Ready Accessibility
If a raw-water component—a hose, strainer, or even a
seacock itself—fails, the resulting flooding may quickly
inundate the batteries, alternator, and other electrical
gear. The search for the leak will likely require that you
intimately know your boat and where each seacock is
located. You may be conducting the search in the dark
and by feel.
You can prepare for such an event by thoroughly
familiarizing yourself with the locations of all throughhull fittings, both above and below the waterline. Walk
around the boat next time she’s hauled out, make a
chart of each through-hull location, both above and
below the waterline, and then match these up with the
hardware on the inside, labeling on the chart each
one’s function as you go. Ensure that each through-hull
penetration is equipped with a seacock, if required;
ideally, each seacock itself should also be charted. If
you cruise with crews who aren’t as familiar with the boat

as you are, post the chart in a conspicuous location—at
the navigation station or even in the head, where it will
be viewed while the occupant is sitting down.
There’s another accessibility issue that involves seacocks and through-hull fittings: You must be able to get
to them easily, without the need for tools and without
having to move large quantities of provisions, gear, or
permanently installed equipment. I recently inspected
a boat aboard which a set of house batteries had been
installed on a shelf that was located over a seacock. The
only way to reach that seacock was to unship the batteries. After doing so, the seacock was, not surprisingly,
found to be seized. In a flooding emergency, it’s likely
this seacock could not be reached in time to be closed.

Materials
The materials from which seacocks, through-hull fittings, and related plumbing components are made
play an important role in their longevity and reliability.
The selection is not as straightforward as it may seem
because alloys whose characteristics differ significantly
may look alike. Ideally, you should select only seacocks
that are UL-approved “sea valves” or those that carry
an ABYC approval. Be aware that most generic, in-line,
UL-approved valves are not “UL-approved sea valves.”
Many valves carry a UL approval, but only a select few
are rated for use as seacocks.
Copper-based alloys are among the most popular
for seacocks and through-hulls, and with good reason.
January/February 2012 • 27

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11/17/11 4:36 PM

While pure copper lacks the necessary strength for
below-the-waterline plumbing applications, when
alloyed with certain other metals, it is both strong
and corrosion-resistant. Silicon-bronze, sometimes
also referred to as 85-5-5-5 because it consists of 85
percent copper, 5 percent zinc, 5 percent lead, and
5 percent silicon, is perhaps the most common alloy
used for seacock and other raw-water applications.
Red brass or leaded red brass is yet another copper
alloy that is suitable for raw-water applications. Most
pipe nipples (short lengths of pipe that are threaded
on both ends) are made from leaded red brass. There is
one caveat to using any alloy that contains zinc: The zinc
content should not exceed approximately 10 percent
of the material’s make-up. Copper alloys whose zinc
content is higher, the most common of which is brass,
are susceptible to a corrosion phenomenon known as
dezincification. The zinc in these alloys corrodes in
very much the same way zinc anodes corrode to protect shafts, propellers, and other below-the-waterline
alloys, leaving behind a porous and significantly weakened structure that is often characterized by its pinkish hue. Because of their propensity to dezincify, brass
and other copper alloys such as naval brass or Tobin
bronze (the latter’s name is a misnomer; by definition,
bronze alloys are virtually free of zinc), in spite of their
nautical-sounding names, should never be used in any
raw-water applications. (Leaded red brass whose zinc
content is below 10 percent is an exception, and even it
should be monitored for dezincification.) This includes
components as small and as easily overlooked as drain
plugs found on some seacocks and raw-water strainers. Boats have been lost because of the failure of such
brass plumbing components. Some brass hardware—
in-line valves in particular—is nickel or chrome plated,
giving it the appearance of stainless steel. Regardless
of such plating, brass must never be used in the aforementioned applications.
Stainless steel should be avoided for raw-water
applications. While it’s often thought of as a very
durable marine metal, it is susceptible to yet another
type of deterioration called crevice corrosion. This
occurs when stainless alloys are exposed to stagnant,
oxygen-depleted water for extended periods, and this
especially includes exposure to water-soaked wood. If
for some reason stainless steel must be used, ensure
that it is of the most corrosion-resistant alloy possible,
typically type 316.
Non-metallic or composite materials have gained
significant popularity for seacock and raw-water plumbing applications. These materials are immune to all
forms of corrosion, and because they are non-metallic
do not lead to bonding-induced delignification of their
surrounding wood, an important consideration in
wooden boats (see WB No. 115). While those attributes
make non-metallic seacocks good candidates, there are
a few notes of caution. Not all non-metallic or “plastic”
components are created equal. Composites are reinforced plastics, much like fiberglass hulls, and are
highly desirable and in fact are the only ABYC and ULapproved non-metallic seacock material. Ordinary,
unreinforced hardware made from plastics such as

PVC, on the other hand, should never be used as seacocks. Most composite seacocks are made from reinforced (reinforcement is key), UV-inhibited nylon or
acetyl and polybutylene terephalate, the most popular
of which is Forespar’s proprietary Marelon. The UV
inhibition is critical, even for below-waterline applications, because while the boat is hauled out for storage,
those through-hull fittings, particularly the ones just
below the waterline, will be exposed to sunlight. The
insidiousness of ultraviolet decay should not be underestimated; I’ve tapped on seemingly sound throughhulls with the handle end of a screwdriver and had
them fall off, shearing neatly at the mushroom-head-tothread interface. Thus, if you have non-metallic seacocks
and through-hull fittings, make certain they are made
from UV-stabilized, UL/ABYC -approved materials.

Seacock Design
A wide variety of seacocks are currently in use or available today. In my work, I encounter everything from
50-or-more-year-old cone-style valves that remain serviceable and sound, to what I refer to as “swimming
pool valves” made from PVC. There are only a few styles
that meet the necessary criteria to ensure watertight
integrity and reliability. Regardless of the design, every
seacock must embody a handful of features. These
include: (1) a load-distributing flange, (2) a corrosionresistant (bronze, stainless-steel, or composite) handle that rotates through no more and no less than 90
degrees of arc, and (3) straight or NPS female threads
for full engagement with the through-hull (more on
that below).
The 90-degree handle rotation enables the user to
determine, at a glance, if the valve is opened or closed,
and it ensures quick manipulation. While it’s not an
ABYC requirement, many seacock flanges include holes
for through-bolts or lag screws. These offer an added
measure of security in the event the seacock is stressed,
if it’s struck from within the boat, or in the event of a
grounding. In an effort to avoid a zipper-effect hull failure caused by too many holes too close together, I prefer
Cone-style valves are both rugged and reliable if properly
installed and maintained.  Among their greatest virtues
is their serviceability, as they can be easily disassembled,
cleaned, lapped if necessary, greased, and reassembled. 
Left unserviced, however, they are prone to seizure. 

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SEACOCK LUBRICATION

Many metallic seacocks include threaded
drain ports into which zerk fittings can be
installed to pump grease into the barrel of
the seacock, allowing lubrication without
disassembly. It’s worth noting, however,
that most grease fittings, unless specifically designed to be submerged (these are
available, are often made of Monel, and
are costly), should not remain attached to
a seacock. When it comes to lubrication, my
preference is for Lubriplate’s Wheelbearing
Grease, which is exceptionally viscous and
not easily washed off www.lubriplate.com/
products/auto-and-marine/wheel-bearinggrease.html).
lag screws rather than through-bolts for this application.
The aforementioned bronze cone or “legacy” seacocks have served many boats well for decades and continue to do so; while prone to “weeping,” these valves
are notable for their ruggedness, extreme durability,
and virtually infinite longevity. Their primary advantage is that they can be completely disassembled for
cleaning, lapping (using lapping compound if necessary), and lubrication. If not maintained, however,
they are prone to seizure. Many users have resorted to
persuading a stuck handle with a mallet or pipe extension, which often results in a deformed or bent handle.
While this approach is not recommended, the good
news is that, in most cases, the handle is replaceable.
Consistent maintenance is a better option (see sidebar).
The modern version of the cone valve relies on
a hard, chrome-plated bronze or stainless-steel ball
that’s seated against Teflon seals. These ball valves
have become extremely popular because of their reliability and low maintenance; they rarely seize unless
significant growth occurs on the ball while the valve is
closed. The Teflon seals act as wipers, squeegeeing off
any slime or minor growth with each rotation. While

generally durable, the seals can be damaged by barnacles and other hard growth when the ball is rotated.
Eventually, this may lead to some leakage, but I’ve never
seen a ball-valve seacock fail catastrophically.
Gate valves (and similar globe valves) are occasionally pressed into service as seacocks. They open by lifting a round or rectangular “gate” out of the path of the
water, and are ubiquitous in household and industrial
applications; you likely have a dozen or more in your
home for isolating vanity and kitchen sinks, water heaters, and washing machines. They are readily available
from plumbing supply and home-improvement stores,
and they are much less expensive than UL/ABYC -compliant seacocks. So, what’s not to like about these humble valves? Plenty.
In addition to not meeting UL and ABYC standards
for use as a sea valve (ABYC guidelines specifically
prohibit their use), gate valves are notorious for their
propensity to fail when used in raw-water applications.
The materials from which they are made, especially the
gate stem, often include brass, with its aforementioned
dezincification weakness. If the stem corrodes, it will
separate from the gate. The insidiousness of this failure
is that the user may not realize this has occurred. He
or she may believe the valve is being opened or closed
because the handle continues to turn, when in fact the
gate remains stationary. Speaking of the handle, nearly
all are made of ordinary painted steel or aluminum,
both of which quickly come to grief in the damp, shipboard environment. Finally, most gate valves are of the
in-line variety and as such they lack the necessary loaddistributing flange.
Flanged seacocks are inherently stronger than those
without flanges because the flange allows loads or stress
to be distributed over a larger area, using a principle
similar to that of a large washer or backing block under
a fastening. The ABYC guidelines call for seacocks that
are able to withstand 500 lbs of static, lateral force for
30 seconds without failure. While the flange itself is
not necessary for ABYC compliance, non-flanged valve
installations will have a tough time meeting this threshold. You’re likely to meet the aforementioned threadcompatibility guideline if you use a flanged seacocks, as
most have straight NPS threads that match those used
on through-hull fittings. At the very least, any seacock
or raw-water plumbing installation should be rugged
enough to be stepped on without failure. If it’s too fragile to endure such loads, then it’s simply not suitable.
If properly selected, correctly installed, and adequately maintained (see sidebar), seacocks will serve
long and reliable lives. Inspect yours, make certain they
meet ABYC standards, and you’ll cruise with greater
peace of mind.
A former full-service yard manager and longtime technical writer,
the author now works with boat builders, owners, and others in the
industry as Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting, Inc.
For a detailed review of the American Boat and Yacht Council’s recommended practices for seacocks and through hulls, please refer to the
organization’s Standards and Technical Information Reports
for Small Craft, Chapter H-27. The document is available for purchase at www.abycinc.org.
January/February 2012 • 29

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How to Install a Through-hull Fitting

A

lthough there are several common through-hull
installation methods, my preferred approach
is as follows: For a new seacock installation in
a planked hull, select a location that avoids caulked
plank seams, then drill a 1/8" pilot hole. After confirming that the location is correct, use a holesaw to cut a
hole that is as close to the through-hull fitting’s outside
diameter as possible. A snug fit is desirable; a 11/2" hole
for a 1" through-hull fitting is less than ideal, while a
1 1/8" hole for the same through-hull would be fine, as it
allows some clearance to absorb plank swelling.
Replacement of an existing seacock with a similar
unit requires no hole drilling, provided the existing
hole is correctly sized. But the old through-hull and
seacock must be removed—a task that presents its
own set of challenges. If the components are being
held together by polyurethane adhesive or sealant,
the through-hull and seacock may be heated carefully
using a heat gun; in most cases the sealant’s bond will
be released once heat is applied.
With a proper hole in the hull, the procedure goes
as follows:

threads in the seacock. If the through-hull has too
many threads (i.e., if its neck is too long), it will need to
be trimmed. Do this by marking the cut’s location, then
remove the through-hull and install the nut you took
off earlier. Clamp the end of the through-hull that’s to
be cut off in a vise, and don’t overtighten or you’ll distort the through-hull. Make the cut as straight across
the neck as possible with a hacksaw, then unscrew the
nut from the remaining portion of the through-hull.
The nut will act as a thread chase, removing any burrs
or irregularities. It’s important that the through-hull
not bottom out in the seacock’s threads; it’s preferable
for the through-hull to be two or three threads (or
approximately 1/4") shorter than the available threads
within the seacock. When the cutting is done, dry-fit
the seacock and through-hull assembly to ensure that
the threads of the through-hull do not bottom out
in the seacock before the seacock flange has seated
against the backing block. If the fit is good, remove the
components.

1) Shape and install the backing block. The
backing block is an essential component for any
seacock installation, and it should be proportional
to the size of the seacock base. In general, a round
backing block that shows a minimum of 1" to 1 1/2"
between its outside perimeter and the seacock base
is appropriate. For a planked hull, a strong, durable hardwood such as oak or locust will serve well;
this should be fitted to the hull and liberally bedded
in a medium-strength polysulfide or polyurethane
adhesive-sealant. In plywood or wood-composite hulls,
a block made of 3/4" marine plywood, glued in place
with thickened epoxy, is my preference. The block is
“clamped” in place with the through-hull itself while
the epoxy or bedding compound cures; waxing the
through-hull fitting with mold release—or any wax—
will prevent it from becoming stuck in the hole when
the epoxy cures. Whether you’re using epoxy, polyurethane, or polysulfide bedding, any surface you’re
applying it to should be free of debris, sealant, oil,
paint, or grease.
After your bedding of choice has cured, remove the
through-hull fitting.

be removed—nothing adheres well to bottom paint—
so sand it down to bare wood or primer and lightly
abrade the area with 180-grit sandpaper. Liberally coat
the through-hull threads with an appropriate, belowwaterline-approved marine polysulfide or polyurethane sealant. Begin applying it two or three threads
down from the un-flanged end of the through-hull to
prevent sealant from being pushed inside the throughhull and seacock during assembly, where it may clog or
interfere with the valve’s operation. Coat the throughhull flange (outside the boat) and the seacock flange
(inside the boat) with sealant. This sealant is being used
as just that: a sealant, rather than an adhesive. So, highstrength adhesive-sealants such as 3M 5200 are overkill
for this job. Again, with your helper and a through-hull
holding tool (these are available for specific brands of
through-hulls or they may be made up from flat steel or
aluminum stock), assemble the two components, ensuring good sealant squeeze-out both inside and outside
the hull. Do not use alcohol to clean excess sealant, as it
is apt to inhibit the curing. Initial cleanup should only
be carried out with a putty knife or plastic filler applicator, then followed by solvents approved by the sealant
manufacturer.

2) Dry-fit and trim the through-hull fitting.

The seacock is now ready for its dry-fit. Measure the
available threads within the seacock body. With a
helper outside the hull, have him or her push and hold
the through-hull fitting into its hole so that the visible
threads can be viewed and measured. (Remove and
save the nut that comes with the through-hull; it will
be used later, but not as part of the permanent installation.) There should be sufficient visible threads in
the through-hull to engage nearly all of the available

3) Apply sealant and thread the through-hull
into the seacock. All bottom paint in the area must

4) Install lag screws. Finally, if the seacock flange

has fastening holes in it, drill pilot holes for 1" bronze
lag screws using a drill bit stop (or a few wraps of masking tape to mark the bit). The lag screws, while providing some supplemental holding power, are primarily
designed to prevent the seacock from spinning off the
through-hull if it’s accidentally struck.
Once the seacock is installed, it can be plumbed
using a pipe-to-hose adapter, appropriate raw-water

30 • WoodenBoat 224

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a

and Seacock

BoB LAPoInTE

g

hose, and hose clamps. Hose should be specifically
rated for raw-water use. My preference is for a variety
referred to as Marine Wet Exhaust Hose that carries
an SAE designation of J2006R. This hose is available
in either a conventional or wire-reinforced styles, the
latter being well suited for suction applications such as
engine and generator intakes. Ideally, raw-water hoses
should be double-clamped, provided the pipe-to-hose
adapter over which they are installed will support twin
clamps. If it won’t, a single high-quality clamp will
have to suffice. (ABYC guidelines do not specifically
call for double clamps other than on exhaust and fuelfill hoses; however, two clamps are always preferred
where possible.)
Avoid installing additional rigid plumbing directly
to a seacock unless it’s absolutely necessary. Ideally,
only a pipe-to-hose adapter—and possibly a 90-degree
elbow—should be directly plumbed to a seacock. Any
other plumbing, T-fittings, valves, strainers, etc. should

be connected to a seacock via a length of hose. The
reason for this is to minimize the leverage such plumbing can exert on the seacock. If additional rigid
plumbing is connected directly to the seacock, then it
must be capable of enduring the 500-lb, 30-second
stress test. Passing this test becomes extremely problematic if a seacock has sprouted what I refer to as a
“plumbing tree.”
—SD

This through-hull fitting has sprouted a “plumbing tree”—an
assemblage of rigid plumbing whose potential leverage, if
stood upon or hit, could damage the through-hull
fitting and cause the boat to flood and sink.
January/February 2012 • 31

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11/22/11 4:23 PM

THE APPRENTICE’S WORKBENCH

Installing
Chines

3

2

Attaching the sides to
the bottom of your hull
by Harry Bryan

A

chine is the line of intersection
between the sides and bottom of
a flat- or V-bottomed hull. We may
also speak of a multichined hull if its
strakes are wide enough to produce
significant angles where adjoining
planks meet (Figure 1, below). A
chine log is a fore-and-aft structural
member fitted along these lines of intersection. The designer determines
the angle and placement of chines.
The boatbuilder concerns himself
with joining planking at the chines
and the installation of the chine logs
(henceforth called, simply, “chines”),
if they are called for.
A chine primarily serves to fasten the edges of the planks that
land upon it, thus connecting these
planks to each other. In some contemporary boatbuilding methods,
the chine is eliminated, resulting
in less weight and complication. In
stitch-and-glue construction, for example, instead of a chine, fiberglass
tape laid in an epoxy fillet connects
adjoining planks.
Traditionally planked flat-bottomed
skiffs and prams usually connect
both sides and the bottom to a chine.
A typical cross-section of a chine in
this area is shown in Figure 2, above.
If the design has much rocker to the
bottom but only a little flare to the
sides, the chines will have significant edge-set and may be difficult

A typical chine in a flat-bottomed
boat. Note that the frame end need
not be beveled to fit the boat’s
bottom but can be rounded as shown,
and that the top edge of the chine is
usually left square, i.e. unbeveled.

to install. In this case steaming can
help prevent breakage and ease the
strain on the building jig.
One can also laminate the chines
in two or more pieces or kerf them
lengthwise except for the last few
inches on one end, apply thickened
epoxy to the kerf, and bend them
into place. Pete Culler, who designed
and built many small boats using
chines, preferred to spile these pieces (see WB No. 223), then saw out
them out to the required curve.
Phil Bolger, a designer known for
his unconventional thinking, argued
for putting the chines outside of the
hull, as well (see Figure 3 above).
With the chines on the outside: (1)
Bulkheads won’t need to be notched
around them, making it easier to fit
these structures. (2) Outside chines
can be run past the stem and transom and trimmed to length after
fastening, rather than fussing with
an exact fit within the hull. (3) If the
chines do run past the stem and transom framing, they will likely be easier to connect to the ends of the boat.
(4) While in theory outside chines
would slow a boat down because of

An outside chine, although not
common, is sometimes easier to
install as well as creating a simpler
interior for fitting watertight
bulkheads.

their increased surface area, a sailboat with outside chines should get
a better bite on the water and reduce
leeway when working to windward.
I am sure that Mr. Bolger would
not have recommended an outside
chine for all flat-bottomed designs. I
would be worried that their use on
a planing skiff, for example, might
increase the tendency for the bow
to catch a wave and sheer off to one
side, a dangerous occurrence at high
speed.
Chines that are too high in cross
section can lead to problems. Because they are often made of oak,
which swells more than the cedar
or pine planking, the chines can
swell proud of the garboard’s edge,
thereby pushing the bottom planking away from the garboard. Making the chines no wider than necessary to take the fastenings (Figures
4 and 5) should solve this problem.
In like manner, wide transom cleats
may push the side planking away
from the transom, causing leaks after swelling. They, too, should be no
wider than necessary. Bed and fasten
the chines well to prevent rainwater

1
Chine

Flat Bottom

Chine

Chines
V-Bottom

Multi-Chine

Chines are formed at the intersection of the bottom and sides of flat- and V-bottomed hulls. A multichined hull forms
chines where its wide strakes meet.

January/February 2012 • 33

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THE APPRENTICE’S WORKBENCH

4

5

Drawing 4 shows how a too-wide oak
chine can push the bottom planking
away from the cedar garboard when
it swells up, since oak expands
more than cedar. Drawing 5 shows
a better-proportioned chine, it’s
no larger than needed to take the
fastenings from the garboard and
bottom. This smaller cross section
will also be easier to install if there is
much bend or edge-set.

from getting between them and the
planking.
One good way to eliminate chine
problems is to eliminate the chine.
Many of the well-regarded and longlasting skiffs developed at Westport,

Massachusetts, had their crossplanked bottoms nailed directly into
the garboard’s edge with no chine.
The garboard was increased in thickness to create a more substantial
landing for the bottom planking. For
instance, a 12' skiff built by F.L. Tripp
at Westport Point used a ¾" garboard
and a 9⁄16" sheerstrake (Figure 6).
When fastening a cross-planked
bottom at the chines, use three fastenings where each plank crosses
the chine. This will eliminate any
cupping and consequent leaking as
the plank swells. I learned this the
hard way.

6

Heavy
Garboard

If the garboard is thick and dense
enough to hold the fastenings
driven into it from the bottom, there
is no harm in eliminating the chine
and its complications altogether.

V-Bottom Chines
The chines of a V-bottomed hull
usually require significantly more beveling than those of a flat-bottomed
model. While the bottom and sides
of a V-bottom may meet at nearly 90
degrees near the transom, they are
almost in line with each other at the
stem. Despite this, the beveling is
usually straightforward. The chines
are let into notches in the molds or

sawn frames. The correct bevel is established at these known points and,
with the aid of a batten, the changing
bevel can be made to flow from one
point to the next (see sidebar).
Some thought must be given to
how the planking of the bottom and
topsides will meet at the chine. I
find it helpful to draw full-sized sections of the chine and planking at a

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34 • WoodenBoat 224

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THE APPRENTICE’S WORKBENCH

minimum of four places along the
length of the hull.
The illustrations at right show, from
left to right, how the bottom planking typically overlaps the side
planking on a V-bottom boat from
the stern until the beam starts to
narrow toward the stem. The second drawing shows why an overlap
cannot be used forward, instead a
butted seam is required as shown in
the third drawing. The transition
from lap to butt is abrupt, and once
the concept is grasped, beveling for
this transition is not difficult to execute. These problems can arise
whether the planking is plywood or
solid wood, or whether the boat is
cross-planked Chesapeake style, or
fore-and-aft planked on its bottom.
Lately in our shop we have been using a butt seam for the whole length
of the chine. This seam is planed
slightly open to receive caulking. The
chine angle can be bisected on the
full-sized drawings and the amount
of beveling wood calculated. This extra wood must be carefully included

Bottom

Chine

Beveling
Wood

Bottom

Bottom

Butted
Seam

Overlapped
Seam

Topside

Topside
Far left—Often, the bottom planking overlaps the side planking for about threequarters of the length of the chine starting at the transom. Left—An overlapped
seam cannot be used in the forward sections of most V-bottomed hulls (see
placement of bottom screw). Right—For the final forward quarter of the chine’s
length, the planks are butted. The fastenings work better with a butted and
beveled seam in this area. Far right—A beveled caulking seam usually has to be
employed forward, but may be used for the full length of the chine if desired.
Note that beveling wood must be allowed for when sawing out the planks.

in the spiled shape of the plank. The
rightmost drawing above should help
make this clear. With a fully butted
seam it does not matter whether the
bottom or topside plank is put on first,
but if you elect to lap the bottom over

the sides, the lowest topside plank
must be hung before the bottom can
(Sidebar follows)
be finished.
Harry Bryan is a contributing editor to
WoodenBoat.

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THE APPRENTICE’S WORKBENCH

Laying Out Notches for the Chine in a V-Bottomed Hull
Bottom
frame

B

A
13⁄4"

⁄"
Topside
frame
34

Batten

D

C
Too little area
Chine position as
determined by
pattern does not give
enough area to fasten
topside planking near bow
of boat.

Better position
for the chine in
Drawing C as
determined by a
batten carried on
to the stem.

Note in Figure A how a ¾" × 1¾"
chine fits into the angle between
the bottom and the side of the
aftermost frame. Make a pattern
of the chine’s cross section using
thin cardboard or a scrap of the
actual chine material (if there’s
extra). Trace this pattern in the
bottom-side angle of each frame
moving forward from the stern.
As you approach the bow, you
will find that the chine joint falls
too high to give enough area on
the vertical face of the chine to
fasten the topside planking (Figure C). To fix this, tack a batten
along the topside corner of the
notches you drew on the after
frames (Figures A and B), then
let it flow in a fair curve to the
stem. This batten represents one

36 • WoodenBoat 224

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THE APPRENTICE’S WORKBENCH

Rabbet
Aft face of stem
edge of the chine log. Fit it at the
stem to allow the chine to center over the designed chine line.
Draw along the batten at each
frame and set your notch pattern
on this line as shown in Figure D.
There should be a solid connection between the chine and the
stem. There is not usually enough
wood between the bearding line,
which marks the aftermost edge
of the rabbet cut into the stem,
and the aft corner of the stem
to bevel off the chine and fasten
it with screws. It will be better if
you let the chine run forward of
the bearding line a little and cut
a mortise into the stem to receive
it. But if this mortise is cut deep
enough to accept the full thickness of the chine; it could seriously

Bearding Line
ine line
Design ch

Planking
Stem

Former
bearding line

Cross section of stem
at design chine line.
A partially beveled chine end, mortised into the stem, makes a strong
connection in this area.

the depth of mortise can be reduced while still leaving enough
wood for the fastenings.
—HB

weaken the stem. What to do? The
illustration above shows that by
partially beveling the chine’s end,

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Pragmatic Beauty
by Donnie Mullen

T

he Vietnam War changed the course of Reuel
Parker’s life. In 1967 he was a junior at Columbia University in New York, studying mechanical
engineering and music. His college enrollment should
have protected him from the draft, but a bout of bronchitis had left him one credit below the draft-deferment
minimum. At the age of 21 he found himself plucked
from school and deposited into the Army.
A nonviolent Unitarian, Parker refused to kill people, and during basic training he formally enlisted to
avoid being assigned to the artillery. “The military was a
nightmare and it radicalized me,” Parker recently said.
“It derailed a formal career in engineering or physics.”
Unfortunately, he received orders that would lead to
the frontlines. Pushed to his moral limit, he deserted.

“I was dropped straight out of being a good college kid
right on down to being terrified on a daily basis,” he
remembered.
After eight months, Parker turned himself in as a
conscientious objector. He was discharged “for the
good of the service,” and was immediately faced with
the need to earn a living. He worked as a carpenter and
musician.
In 1971, he moved to San Francisco, where, within
three years, he owned his own contracting business
(cowboy style: no license, no phone) specializing in
high-end residential and commercial construction. He
also began to experiment with architecture. Socially,
he explored alternative communities and spent a few
years living in a commune in the redwood forest. When

38 • WoodenBoat 224

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11/21/11 11:43 AM

50' commuter

36' SamPan

18' Seabright
28' Pilot Schooner

27' commuter

17' FiSherman

33' Scow

45' Pilot Schooner

The designs of Reuel Parker
Opposite—Reuel Parker (inset) designs and builds well-performing wood-composite interpretations of historical watercraft.
The 50' Lorcha T’IEN HOU is based on a modified junk-rigged boat developed by the Portuguese in the 16th century. Above—A
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that community dissolved, Parker, still bitter over his
Army experience, started to think about a fresh start.
In 1974, he decided to revisit a fascination from his
youth, and a new goal emerged: He would build a big
cruising sailboat and get lost.

I

n today’s boating world, Reuel Parker has carved a
lasting place for himself. Mention him to the bigname builders of the U.S. East Coast, to the serious cruisers of the Bahamas, or to the do-it-yourself

crowd just about anywhere, and they know who he is.
Yet he keeps his distance, preferring to live and work
on his own. He is a talented designer and builder, an
accomplished cruiser, and an author of books and magazine articles. He is a tireless worker. When engaged in
a building project, he is known for his efficiency and
ability to accomplish a mountainous workload. If the
project is larger, he employs a crew, but when building
smaller boats he often works alone. He is always designing in his head and continues to use pencil, paper,
January/february 2012 • 39

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11/21/11 3:38 PM

Parker designed and built the 75’ LOA Virginia Pilot Schooner LEOPARD in the early 1990s, and lived and traveled aboard her
for five years, until 1998.

and a drafting table to bring his new ideas to life. His
writing reflects his love of cold-molded construction,
design history, and cruising. He is largely self-taught.
“Today everything is about documentation,” he said.
“I have no paperwork. I have a very good, varied background,” and, he added, his life has been populated by
good teachers.
Trying to distill Parker’s 130-plus boat designs to a
cherished few or a “type” is far from fair. Tom Lokocz,
a mechanical engineer, longtime friend, and neighbor
of Parker, said, “Reuel’s known for relatively simpleto-build shallow-draft cold-molded boats.” Joel White
helped to describe Parker’s niche further when he
wrote, “Parker’s boats are often based on older designs
modified to take advantage of modern materials and
modern thinking.”
“He’s an eccentric,” said Bill Smith, Parker’s boatbuilding partner of nearly 30 years. “He certainly has
the ability and the eye to do more modern yacht design
and probably could have profited more by falling in
line, but he’s stuck to his guns.”
Dan MacNaughton, co-editor of The Encyclopedia of
Yacht Designers, wrote in an email that he thinks Parker’s
work comes close to the optimum in design: “He has
kept things simple and rugged, with traditional appeal
and  design references, without building in any of the
disadvantages of their [his boats’] working ancestors.”
As one fan put it: “A lot of designers sell boats, but

Reuel’s boats stop your eye.” Among his many cherished creations, there are a couple that have captured
popular attention. Primary among them is the breathtaking LEOPARD, a 75' hot rod based on a Virginia pilot
schooner but with a round-bilged, moderate-draft hull
and centerboard. Parker designed LEOPARD to carry a
lot of sail and gave her relatively flat sections aft, which
allow her to exceed hull speed.
“When people think of Reuel Parker they think of
LEOPARD,” said Tom Lokocz. Indeed, it’s amazing how
many sailors have a prophetic LEOPARD sighting to
share. One such story was recounted by the former publisher at International Marine, Jon Eaton, who worked
with Parker on his first two books. “I remember seeing
LEOPARD pass the mouth of the anchorage, heading
for Seal Harbor. With her raked masts and bowsprit,
she looked stately, even majestic.”
Another standout in Parker’s design repertoire is the
elegant Commuter 36, a motorboat designed after
the American commuter yachts of the 1930s but with
a sharpie-inspired hull. In 2009, the Commuter 36 was
one of several boats used to determine the parameters
of a contest to design an efficient and economical small
powerboat, sponsored by this magazine and its sister
publication, Professional BoatBuilder.
There are hundreds of boats out there that began on
Parker’s drafting table. Beyond what he’s designed and
built himself (nearly 50), he’s in the enviable position

40 • WoodenBoat 224

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11/21/11 11:43 AM

of being a cult hero in the home-builder arena. “His
whole thing,” said Smith, “has been to make them simple enough so that the professional and home builder
could go to Home Depot and buy everything [they
need] to build a boat.”
His first two books, The New Cold-Molded Boatbuilding and The Sharpie Book, have been used by countless
people to bring dreams to fruition. One such devotee
recently wrote on the WoodenBoat online forum: “I could
look at Parker’s work all day long—in fact, I have.”
Yes, Parker is a respected designer-builder, but a
homebody he is not. He has logged tens of thousands
of cruising miles that range from California to the Panama Canal on the Pacific Ocean and from Nova Scotia to Grenada on the Atlantic. At first glance, cruising
seems a happy offset to Parker’s workaholic nature. Yet,
his brand of cruising is not for the faint of heart. “I
still sail a gaff-rigged schooner,” he said, referring to
his 45' IBIS, which he finished in 2009. “There’s not a
winch on that boat. There’s not even a windlass. I like
the physical exercise of sailing.”
Parker has sailed IBIS to the Bahamas each winter
since her launching. Over his career, he has celebrated
the completion of every large non-commission cruising boat (five including IBIS) in similar fashion. When
asked why he cruises, Parker reflected, “The Bahamas,
man, the color of the water alone makes it worthwhile
to go.”
Nowadays, he carries a laptop when cruising and
builds a drafting table into every personal boat. He
does allow himself more reading time (three to four

hours a day—about an hour more than in his landbased routine) as well as time to cook, play music, and
fish. Over his decades of cruising Parker has shared
quarters with more than 300 crew.
To understand “Reuel Parker the designer,” one must
first recognize him as a cruising sailor. “My focus has
been cruising boats,” Parker said of his design work, adding that centerboard schooners are his passion. “I’m a
cruising sailor. That’s what I know.”

R

euel Bartlett Parker was born in Denver, Colorado. In 1948, when he was two years old, his
family moved to Bangor, Maine, where his father
served as the minister at a Unitarian church. At four
years old, Parker found himself standing on a dock in
Maine, peering down at the deck of a coastal schooner.
“Something clicked,” he remembered. “I just thought
it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.”
That same year, Parker’s father died unexpectedly,
and his mother, a high school English teacher, moved
Reuel and his younger brother to the south shore of
Long Island, New York, where Reuel’s fascination with
boats blossomed.
“I became a water rat right from the start,” he said.
As a child, Parker was mechanically inclined and
headstrong. His innate understanding of machines led
him to take apart—and reassemble—watches, small
motors, and appliances. Early on, he began designing
and building models of boats and airplanes. At eight,
he built a boat with a handsaw, roofing nails, tar, and
a piece of plywood. It sank. Parker befriended the

IBIS, Parker’s prototype Sharpie 45, was launched in February 2010. The boat, measuring 45’ overall and displacing 15,000 lbs,
draws just 2’6” with the centerboard raised.

January/February 2012 • 41

ReuelParker_FINAL_ADS.indd 41

11/21/11 3:39 PM

GANDY DANCER, based on Chamberlain skiffs of the
early 20th century, was the prototype of Parker’s Dory Skiff
12 design. This shorter, beamier version of the original
Chamberlain boat “worked out to be the best tender
I ever owned,” said Parker. She conveyed with LEOPARD
when Parker sold the big schooner, and was later
destroyed when run over by a fishing boat.

father-like janitor at his apartment complex who owned
a runabout, and the two would go off for summertime
forays into Great South Bay. The school street-crossing
guard was another mentor. He taught Parker simple
boatbuilding and engine repair. At 13, Parker built an
8' hydroplane by wrapping plywood around mahogany
frames. He powered it with a doctored 16-hp outboard.
Not only did it not sink, it went very fast. The design
came straight from Parker’s head, based on a modicum
of observation.
By the time Parker was in high school, his mother was
remarried to an Italian chemical engineer who steered
his stepson toward science. As though on cue, Parker
tested exceedingly well in spatial relations at school,
and a career in engineering seemed all the more likely.
Music was another passion. When he wasn’t visiting
boatyards, Parker was broadcasting a classical radio station across his apartment complex. As a teenager, he
was already teaching music and playing in a band.
Parker attended two state colleges, where he majored
in physics, before he attained entrance into Columbia.
While at college, his interests included fine arts, literature, and philosophy. “I wanted to study everything,”
he recalled.
Though he loved music, a career based in the sciences had the blessing of his parents. He began to
imagine himself either an aeronautical or automotive
engineer. And then came Vietnam, desertion, and an
unconventional life in California. Finally there was
the realization of a dream that would steer him back
toward an earlier penchant.

W

hen not involved with his contracting business
in San Francisco, Parker spent every available minute building FISHERS HORNPIPE .
He read nearly a hundred books: on marine architecture, sailing, cruising, and boatbuilding. In practice, he
learned from trial and error.
Some days he had a crew of 20 helping him, at other
times he proceeded alone. FISHERS HORNPIPE was a
54' LOA ferrocement cutter designed by James Patrick
Cotton, a naval architect and co-worker of Parker’s.
FISHERS’ interior design and sail plan were all Reuel
Parker. A couple of years into the building, Parker
moved FISHERS from Half Moon Bay on California’s
Pacific coast to the houseboat community of Sausalito
on San Francisco Bay. There, he lived aboard while
continuing the construction.
In 1979, Parker at last set sail. It had been five years
since he began work on FISHERS HORNPIPE, but now
he could live the second part of his dream: to get lost.
Over the following five years, FISHERS HORNPIPE

crossed three oceans, visited 20 countries, and covered
35,000 miles. Parker filled his passport. The voyage
taught him about open-ocean sailing, bonded him to
dozens of crew (several girlfriends), and sealed his fate
as a shipwright and designer. He carried a drill press,
Alaskan sawmill, shovels, rakes, seeds, and a shotgun.
He ground his own flour and grew sprouts. He went to
Communist countries and dictatorships. He witnessed
terrible poverty in places like Colón, Panama, where
people would commit murder for just $10. He learned
to speak French and Spanish, albeit badly. He worked
when he had to, living on $3,000 to $4,000 a year. One
paying project was the restoration of IMAGINE, a John
Alden Malabar Jr., which became the subject of his first
WoodenBoat article, “A Story of Priorities” (WB No. 65).
Then, in 1984, tired and in need of a change, Parker
returned to land and set up shop as a marine architect
in Islamorada, Florida. His first commission, SARAH,
would become the blueprint for his now-famous Exuma
52. He designed SARAH free of charge on condition
that she be built, and to ensure her completion, signed
on as the builder. She was cold-molded utilizing a new
technique that Parker had developed whereby marine
plywood planks were laminated over a tongue-andgroove base layer. Today, SARAH is a charter boat in
Key West.
A year later, Parker started building his first Exuma
44, utilizing the proceeds from the sale of FISHERS
HORNPIPE . TERESA DE ISLA MORADA was built outdoors in a little dirt boatyard where Parker lived in a
tent. By the time she was finished he was broke; broke

42 • WoodenBoat 224

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The shallow-draft schooner saraH was reuel Parker’s
first design commission. Built in 1984, she was coldmolded in strips of plywood laid over a base layer of
tongue-and-groove strips. Today, she sails from Key
West.

but not out. He started writing more frequently for
WoodenBoat and BoatBuilder magazines, and the exposure led to custom wooden boat design work and building projects. Add in restoration jobs, the writing of
books, and the sale of plans and design catalogs, and
you have a sense of Parker’s career as it has progressed
over the past three decades. Most of his new-builds are
constructed using cold-molded wood technology. But
not exclusively—he has also done traditional plankon-frame and lapstrake in addition to working with
fiberglass, steel, and aluminum.
“Really how I earn money is when I pick up a Skilsaw,”
Parker explained, noting that new boat construction is
a primary source of income.
“Reuel describes himself as a ruthless boatbuilder,”
said Lokocz. “He doesn’t hold back. He dives in and
gets the job done.”

I

n 1988, Parker spent his first summer in Maine since
childhood. He had just signed the contract to write
The New Cold-Molded Boatbuilding and wanted to be
close to his publisher, International Marine (IM), then
located in Rockport, Maine. For his first few Maine
summers, he camped out in a state park and rented a
room in town that he would use as an office.
Parker had road-tested his cold-molding method on
SARAH and TERESA , and he poured that knowledge
into his book. He cranked out the initial draft that
first summer. Published in 1990, The New Cold-Molded
Boatbuilding was reprinted by WoodenBoat Publications in 2005. Recently Parker has further
developed his cold-molded techniques for hull
and deck construction, and plans to write about
it in an updated version of his book.

To this day, Parker remains a tireless advocate
for cold-molded wood construction. “If you’re
only going to build one, one-off custom boat,
cold-molded wood is your straightest shot,” he
said.
For Parker, the list of virtues is compelling:
cold-molded wood produces very strong, durable,
light hulls that require minimal maintenance.
Additionally, building can be done inexpensively
with a minimum of toxicity. “It’s extremely versatile and very practical,” he concluded.
With the success of The New Cold-Molded Boatbuilding, his editor at IM suggested another book, on a topic
equally close to Parker’s heart: sharpies. Originating in
the 19th century for oyster fishing, sharpies are simple
inshore daysailers, shoal-draft with a centerboard, elegant, fast, and in their modern iteration, made of plywood. They fit Parker to a T. He wrote The Sharpie Book
even faster than The New Cold-Molded Boatbuilding. He
loved the research, and spent countless hours digging
into museum collections and the books and government papers of Howard I. Chapelle. “Chapelle was an
extremely important influence,” he noted. The Sharpie
Book was published in 1993.

O

ver his career, Parker has accumulated more
than 500 books and 30 historic pamphlets that
he uses as inspiration in his design work. The
titles are varied and span centuries. Parker raves about
the brilliance of Chapman’s Architectura Navalis, written in 1768 and from which he learned about whole
molding. (He adapted the technique to create what he
calls a “master curve”—a shape used to develop most of
the molds in his hulls.) Then there are the half dozen
authors who documented the 18th- and 19th-century
Chesapeake Bay area, M.V. Brewerton—who focused on
bugeyes—and Chapelle among them. Others among
Parker’s influences include: Isaac Webb, N.G. Herreshoff, Sparkman & Stephens, Ralph Munroe, Thomas

Teresa de Isla Morada was Parker Marine’s
second cold-molded construction. Built to the
exuma 44 design, she was Parker’s “trial horse. We
beat the hell out of her,” he recalls. “We ran her
aground, she got hit by lightning, she capsized in
the Mayor’s Cup race.” she also easily made 9 knots
with a pair of 10-hp outboard motors. she’s alive
and well today, sailing as sHearWaTer.

January/February 2012 • 43

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11/21/11 3:39 PM

The Commuter 36 BIG GIRL
is a modification of Parker’s
original, extreme shallowdraft Commuter 36 design.
This second-generation model
addresses concerns over
pounding in a seaway by adding
a moderate V to the bottom; this
increases the draft by about 1’.
The newer version displaces 500
lbs more than the original 5,500lb boat. Sea Island Boat Builders
of Charleston, South Carolina,
built BIG GIRL .

Clapham, and John Alden. “My inspirations have always
started in history,” he said. “I still have one foot firmly
in the late 18th century.”
Parker often travels to research design. He can be
found in Mystic Seaport, the Smithsonian, or perhaps
a more local venue in Florida or Maine. “I haunt the
museums,” he explained. “I hang out in bookstores and
libraries. I comb the beaches and the boatyards. I do
my research wherever I can.”
About 12 years ago, Parker found a rotting Sea Bright
Skiff behind someone’s house in Surf City, New Jersey.
He made sketches. The original skiffs were 15'–16' life
rescue boats commonly launched through breaking

surf. Over time the design grew in length and evolved
to include coastal fishing and oystering boats. Parker
now has seven Sea Bright designs geared toward daysailing and cruising, and ranging in size from 13' to 50'
LOA .
“I took the historical type and developed it to the
max,” he said.

W

hen Parker sat down to draft his masterwork,
LEOPARD, it took only a few weeks. The design
had been percolating for years. He built the
75' schooner over two winters for $125,000 in materials
($175,000 in labor). After several years of sailing her

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44 • WoodenBoat 224

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11/21/11 3:39 PM

between Maine and Florida—a trip he was known to
make solo—Parker was ready to set out for the South
Pacific. But on the eve of his departure, he was diagnosed with stage four squamous-cell carcinoma. It was
1998 and he was given a 30 percent chance of survival.
“I fought tooth and nail,” he said. “I had good doctors.
I had a lot of help.”
He qualified for a program that paid for radiation,
but he was still responsible for the doctors’ bills. He had
no insurance, and the medical expenses wiped out his
savings. He was forced to sell LEOPARD, but he beat the
cancer. “I consider myself very lucky,” he said.
With the illness behind him, Parker wasted no time
before diving into his next project. He used proceeds
from the LEOPARD sale to build the 65' LOA ketch
T’IEN HOU, a modernized lorcha; a 16th-century vessel
developed by the Portuguese community in China, it
combined Chinese junk rig technology with European
hull technology. Parker gave T’IEN HOU a three-masted
lorcha rig (akin to a Chinese junk), but after sailing her
to the Bahamas he scrapped the foremast and switched
to a gaff-ketch rig with twin headsails and a sprit-rigged
mizzen. It was around this time that Parker’s design
work took an unexpected turn.
Designing powerboats had never been part of Parker’s original plan. “I wanted to design boats for healthy
young people that wanted to cruise,” he said. But a
1997 commission led him to design the Commuter 36,
a small powerboat built to explore the Everglades. In

true Parker style, the Commuter was light, efficient,
and inexpensive to build, own, and operate. It quickly
became his most popular design. Before long, Parker
had designed a Commuter series ranging in size from
27' to 50', and like his sailboats before them, his
powerboats were soon being written up in magazines.
Today, Parker has added a design catalog dedicated to
powerboats.

F

ive years ago, with the encouragement of Tom
Lokocz, Parker purchased land in Appleton,
Maine, next door to his old friend. A longtime
snowbird, Parker now spends every summer there, from
May Day to Halloween. His clearing is in a mature hardwood forest. It holds a barn and cabin, while tucked
beneath the canopy are a portable sawmill, drying
sheds, and a small shed that holds his washing machine.
His office is located in a corner of the barn attic. Visitors find a desk cluttered with sticky notes, a drafting
table with plans for a timber-frame house that he hopes
to build here, and rugs covering a basswood floor—no
shoes allowed.
About 12 years ago, Parker purchased a scanner
and digitized hundreds of original paper drawings. He
now uses Photoshop CS to alter and expand existing
plans. His Commuter 27 was designed entirely on the
computer, utilizing the original scanned drawings of
the Commuter 36 as a starting point. Nevertheless, he
still returns to the drafting table with new designs, as

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11/21/11 3:40 PM

he finds it too difficult to create sheerlines and master
curves on the computer. “I’ve worked on the drawing
board for 50 years,” he said. “I still love it!”
At 65, Parker wants to emphasize designing and writing and move away from building. “My body is starting to talk to me,” he said. “I’m pretty healthy. But you
know, there’s a limit.” One project is an upcoming article for Professional BoatBuilder: “Achieving Stability in
Shoal-Draft Monohulls,” a technical collaboration with
Lokocz.
When discussing Parker’s designs, the conversation
inevitably circles around to a debate on the offshore
capabilities of shoal-draft hulls. “Reuel consciously
considers stability in all of his boats,” said Lokocz. To
gain stability in his shallow-draft hulls, Parker commonly uses chine and flare, as well as keel boxes, wing
keels, and centerboards to lower the center of gravity.
He approaches the offshore shoal-draft debate with a
question.
“What do you want to do with your boat?” he asks.
If, he continues, your goal is to sail to Antarctica,
then a deep keel is appropriate. If racing is your
thing, then a fin keel will do. If you’re cruising and are
interested in exploring bays, atolls, sounds, and rivers,
then go with a shoal draft with centerboard. Reflecting the diversity of end use, Parker’s design parameters
vary. His pilot schooners are full-keeled, appropriate
for open-ocean cruising; his sharpie designs, as a rule,
are not self-righting and so not suited to tramping the

world’s oceans. “Most of my cruising designs are capable offshore,” he said. “With qualifications...some are
not meant to go out and get in heavy weather.”

P

arker Marine Enterprises is headquartered in
Fort Pierce, Florida, where Parker has found a
cheap slip rental in a small commercial boatyard
with plenty of space to build boats. Despite the somewhat corporate-sounding name, he runs a small-scale
business, and when not living aboard a boat, he lives in
a contractor’s trailer on site.
He’s reluctant to give out his address. “Basically, I’m
a workaholic,” he explained. “I don’t like to talk much.
Talking is wasting time when you could be getting some
work done.”
To illustrate his point, he tells a story. Several years
back, a pair of boatbuilders stopped by unannounced
while Parker was building IBIS. They had copies of his
books, were flattering, and wanted to talk. Parker ran
them off. “I’m rude,” he explained, “I say, look, I got a
lot of work to do and I don’t have time to talk to you.”
The boatbuilders were persistent. On their third
visit, Parker threw up his arms. He would talk if they
returned at 5:30 with a six-pack of Bass ale. They did. To
the chagrin of Parker’s reclusive side, the pair became
two of his closest friends. One of them even helped him
build a blog dedicated to IBIS’s construction.
Parker’s current plan is to build his Appleton home
and either live there indefinitely (seasonally, of course)

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46 • WoodenBoat 224

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11/21/11 11:46 AM

BONITA is a 36’ sharpie based on Commodore
Ralph Munroe’s legendary sharpie EGRET. Built

by Bill Smith, she’s “a big cruising version of the
original,” Parker said. “Last I knew she was in
Key West.”

or sell the property and do something else. He’s leaning toward the second. While Maine has come to feel
like home, landlocked Appleton remains “way too far
from the water” for Parker’s liking. Yet, when it comes
to his next boat, Parker doesn’t waver. He has already
designed his sailing retirement home—a 45' motorsailer. “If I had my druthers, I’d be building it right
now,” he said.
A serious liveaboard, it will be solar-powered except
for the diesel engine that Parker estimates will burn
1 1/2 gallons per hour at 10 knots. When teased about
retiring to a boat that fits into his motorboat catalog,
Parker explained that he still wants a real sailboat,

just one that goes as fast with or without
the wind, and will protect him from the
elements while at the helm. He wants to be
comfortable; he expects to live aboard full
time.
“I’ve always maintained my freedom and
I’ve always devoted myself to my work, and I
love it. I love designing boats, building them,
photographing them, writing about them, and I do it
seven days a week.”
Until, that is, the Bahamas calls and he adds some
sailing to the mix.
Donnie Mullen is a writer and photographer who lives in Hope,
Maine, with his wife and daughter.
Over the next several issues of this magazine, Reuel Parker will
present a series of design briefs of his contemporary interpretations
of historical boats.
You can read more about Reuel’s early cruising life in his book,
The Voyages of Fisher’s Hornpipe, available at www.parkermarine.com.

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The Scrub Plane

What it is and what it does

BO

A
BL

PO

In

Te

by Jim Tolpin
Photographs by Craig Wester

T

he scrub plane is a small, narrow plane dedicated
to the work of “scrubbing” off wood quickly, producing shavings up to 1 ⁄ 16" thick. For “hogging
out” wood on relatively small-scale projects, I choose
the scrub plane over more aggressive wedge-type tools
such as hatchets and adzes. Instead of using a hand ripsaw, I also use the scrub plane to taper a board or to
quickly reduce its width when only a quarter of an inch
or so needs to be removed. And using a scrub plane
across the face of a board quickly removes waste to
bring it down to the right thickness.
I’ll often use a less-aggressive type of camberedblade scrubbing plane—a bench plane modified into
a “fore plane”—in lieu of the scrub. I use a fore plane,
which is described below, when I’m looking for more

control when approaching cutlines or if the scrub plane
is causing too much tearout.

The Scrub Plane
In the preindustrial age, the scrub plane was a small,
wood-bodied bench plane fitted with a strongly cambered blade. The plane body was essentially a fixture
for carrying a gouge across the wood. All-steel versions made during the 20th century are commonly
carried by vintage tool dealers, and new tools are also
available.
As you can see in the drawing, this unusual plane
has a thick blade whose cutting edge has been ground
to give it a dramatic camber with a radius of as little
as 3". The plane also does not have a chip-breaker or

Above, photo—A stable of scrub planes meets a variety of needs. From left to right are a vintage Stanley scrub, a new Veritas
scrub, a Lie-Nielsen No. 6 bench plane modified with a cambered blade, and a traditional wood-bodied plane with a cambered
blade. Above, drawing—Scrub planes have in common a cambered blade, a comparatively wide mouth to allow shavings to
pass, and the lack of a chip breaker. Purpose-made scrub planes like the Veritas model shown in the drawing are easier to set
up than jack planes, but the curved blade is harder to hone.

48 • WoodenBoat 224

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11/23/11 1:02 PM

Sharpening and tuning cambered plane bladeS
1—After using
a grinder to
shape the
blade’s camber
and honing the
primary bevel,
use a sharpening
stone to put in
the microbevel.
This is the
starting position.

3—By the end
of the stroke,
the blade has
been rolled to its
opposite edge.
Repeat these
honing strokes,
moving diagonally
between opposite
corners for even
wear on the stone.

A

2—Here, the blade is
just past the middle
of the stroke. Note
that the blade is
rolled to about its
midpoint.

4—For those
who prefer using
a jig, a sidecapture type
with a narrow
wheel allows the
blade to be rolled
while holding
a constant
microbevel angle.

lthough scrub planes and fore planes don’t have to
be honed to the standards of bench planes, which
are used to make surfaces true and perfectly
smooth, they do have to be sharp.
I find that the easiest way to get a sharp edge on a
cambered blade is to grind the radius to a 25-degree
primary bevel that is either dead flat across its width or
slightly hollow-ground. If the bevel is at all rounded, a
small and accurate microbevel—which is key to honing
a quick and effective cutting edge—will be difficult to
make. Also, if the microbevel grows to more than 1 ⁄64"
wide, I strongly recommend regrinding the primary
bevel. Too large a microbevel not only requires more
time to hone because there is more metal to remove,
but also makes it more difficult to reference the primary
bevel when freehanding the microbevel.
Assuming you have ground an accurate primary
bevel, you can freehand a microbevel. First, set the

blade on the 1,000-grit sharpening stone at a far
corner in such a way that the primary bevel lies flat
against the stone. Now lift the blade slightly (about
5 degrees, which can be achieved by raising the back
of the blade about 3 ⁄ 8" ). Draw the blade toward you
with your elbows locked to your sides to help maintain the microbevel angle. Roll the blade as you
approach the opposite corner near you. Start at the
other corner and repeat, creating an “X” pattern on
the surface of the stone. As soon as you feel a burr
develop on the flat side of the blade, stop. Turn the
blade over, and rub off the burr on the stone. With
practice, you should be ready to go back to work in
under a minute. If you aren’t comfortable yet with
freehanding, an alternative is to lock the blade
into the type of jig that has a narrow guide wheel,
then follow the same procedure outlined above and
shown in the photos.
—JT

cap iron. A large, curved mouth opening ahead of the
blade allows large shavings to pass through. The body
of the scrub plane is narrow and short, keeping the tool
lightweight and the width of the shaving narrow, which
eases work that would otherwise be too much for most
mortals to bear for very long.

In such wood, the fibers are comparatively pliable and
easy to plane.
Begin by adjusting the depth of cut to be appropriate for the toughness of the wood species, with the aim
of finding a balance between ease of work and speed.
Start with the blade extending about 1 ⁄32" below the
plane body. If that goes easily, tap the back of the blade
with a light hammer to extend the cutting edge out a
little farther, checking to be sure the hold-down screw
hasn’t loosened, and see how that goes. If you need to

Using the Scrub Plane
You will find that this tool works best when used on airdried wood with at least 15 percent moisture content.

January/February 2012 • 49

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11/23/11 12:30 PM

Above—The blade of a scrub plane can have a dramatic radius,
3" in most cases. Note that the mouth is strongly curved as
well, allowing passage for shavings that may be up to 1 ⁄ 16" thick.
Right—To increase a scrub plane’s depth of cut, gently tap the
back edge of the blade with a lightweight brass mallet.

retract the blade a bit, back off the hold-down screw,
reset the blade, and retighten the screw. Be sure to
always lift the tool off the wood for the return stroke to
extend the working life of the cutting edge.

Scrubbing Faces
When hand-planing the face of a board—which was
the most common way of reducing thickness before
machine tools came into widespread use—or when
rough-shaping the face of a large joint such as a scarf
in a keel timber, it’s important to work directly across
the grain. Using a sharp blade, this technique greatly
reduces tearout while allowing you to take off thick
shavings. To avoid tearing out fibers, first run the plane
along the far edge to create a bevel extending down to
the cutline. As an additional caution, try to scrub the
face of a board to thickness before cutting it to its finished width, so that any tearout will be cut away when
the plank is cut to its final outside dimensions.
If you have to remove specific high spots in some
areas of a rough-sawn plank, take quick strokes directly
across the grain in these areas until they are flush
with the surrounding surface. Then go with full-width
strokes. On boards 8" or less wide, set the plane diagonal to the cut direction so that the length of the sole is
well supported, which will help to achieve a flat surface.
A quick way to reduce
plank thickness is to
use a curved-blade
scrub plane directly
across the grain. Here,
the plane is skewed to
reduce effort, minimize
tearout, and maximize
the sole’s contact
with the surface to
produce a relatively
uniform rough cut for
final finishing with
smoothing planes.

To reduce the
chance of tearout
when planing
with the grain,
especially along
an edge as shown,
start at the exit
end of the cut and
work back from it.
Another precaution
is to plane bevels
accurately to the
cut lines on each
face, then remove
the waste left in
between.

Scrubbing Edges
To avoid tearout when planing edges, start working on
the far end of the board where the plane exits the cut
and then work your way back. This strategy allows you
to quickly reverse the board if the first pass at the far
side indicates you’re working against the grain. Be cautious when working near obvious cross grain and knots,
because the large mouth opening ahead of the blade
will increase the chance of tearout.
You can use the scrub plane in lieu of a drawknife or
a bandsaw to quickly cut the curved and beveled edges
of a board close to its cut lines. First, mark each face to
indicate the extent of the cut. Next, plane a bevel down
on each side in turn, then remove the “mountain” in
the middle. Remember to start at the far end of the
board and work back and to change the direction of
your stroke if you get tearout. Be sure to stop planing
before reaching the line so that you can make the final
cuts smooth and true with your more accurate jack or
try plane.

The Fore Plane
Whether working on faces or edges of really dry or
tough wood, you may want to choose the less-aggressive
fore plane to make the work easier. Wood-bodied fore
planes were probably the most common type of plane

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Making a bench plane into a fore plane
To make a fore plane,
grind a camber into the
blade of a jack plane,
hone the cutting edge,
and then enlarge the
opening to parallel
the blade’s curvature,
which will allow thick
shavings to pass through
unimpeded.

Card stock templates
work best to lay out
blade camber. For a jack
plane blade, a 6” radius
works well. A 3” radius
for a narrow scrub plane
blade allows highly
aggressive cutting,
and an 8" radius is best
suited for the wide
blades of large bench
planes.

A hand file
works well
to shape
the mouth
opening,
which I mark
with a felt-tip
pen using the
blade camber
template.

hoosing a radius for a plane blade camber
depends on the width of the blade itself:
I use a 3" radius for a 1 1/2" blade, 6" for a 2" blade,
and 8" for a 2 5 ⁄ 16" blade. The higher the arc, the more
aggressive the cut will be. After making a card-stock
template matching the width of the blade and accurately rounded at one end to the appropriate radius,
place the template on the face of the blade and trace
the curvature onto the metal with a fine-tip felt pen.
Grind the radius and sharpen the blade (see sidebar,
page 49). After the blade is ready, fit it into the plane
and reinstall the cap iron. Set the cap iron as close as
possible to the blade edge, but make sure it is backed
off enough so that its outside corners don’t overhang
the curved edge at the sides of the blade. You may have
to grind back the corners if the configuration of the cap
iron slot and the adjustment lever make it impossible to
retract the blade enough to adjust for a shallow cut.

Check to be sure the plane’s handles are not split.
If they are, then glue them with epoxy. Also check the
hold-down screws to be sure they are secure and not
stripped, but don’t overtighten them.
Make sure the blade doesn’t rock on the face of the
frog, which you may have to file flat for a good fit. Move
the frog all the way back, but be sure that the back of
the blade is not resting on the sole—it must be fully
supported flat on the face of the frog.
The gap in front of the blade should be at least 1 ⁄8"
to accommodate the thick shavings a fore plane is
intended to produce. If necessary, file the front edge
of the throat opening to gain this amount of gap. The
opening can be curved, which saves filing time. Note,
though, that widening the mouth is irreversible—your
plane will never be useful as a bench plane but will
instead spend the rest of its life dedicated to roughingout work.
—JT

found in a traditional boatbuilder’s tool kit, since they
and the more robust scrub planes were the go-to tools
for preparing stock before it was finished to its final
dimension with a try plane.
Although its shallower blade camber doesn’t allow
the fore plane to cut as quickly as a scrub plane, it
is easier to control and therefore presents less risk of
overshooting cutlines. Its tighter mouth and shallower
cut also lessen the chance of causing tearout in crossgrain and around knots. The fore plane’s mass is also
helpful for taking strokes that are wider and longer
than those of the much shorter and narrower scrub,
but the downside is that it is heavier, which you’ll

notice when you have to lift it for the return stroke.
You probably already own a fore plane and don’t
know it. It is simply a No. 5 jack or No. 6 bench plane fitted with a cambered blade (see sidebar above). You can
also make a lightweight fore plane from a wood-bodied
bench plane. The wooden plane shown in the opening
photo of this article (see page 48) is one I made this
way, and now it is my tool of choice for nearly all but my
most aggressive roughing-out work.

C

Jim Tolpin lives in Port Townsend, Washington, and is currently
teaching hand-tool woodworking at the Port Townsend School of
Woodworking (see www.ptwoodschool.org).
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SErAFINA CArLUCCI

The Wee Pup
A small, able tender in the
wake of the Monhegan punt

W

infield Thompson needed a dinghy. A prolific
contributor to The Rudder magazine more
than a century ago, Thompson had purchased
a cruising catboat, and “bethought me a tender that
should be unlike most small tenders.... I had seen safe
tenders for small boats; but they were nearly as large as
the boats themselves.” He also recalled several tenders
derived from flat-bottomed skiffs, “having neither
form, weight, nor substance in the right place.” One in
particular had come as equipment with a boat he’d
chartered, and he dubbed it “COFFIN LID.” Enough said.
In his new tender, Thompson sought these traits: (1)
the ability to carry two adults safely in smooth water,
(2) the ability to be carried on the deck or in the cockpit of a singlehander, (3) good towing ability, and (4)
simple construction and moderate price. The resulting
boat, which Thompson designed himself and called
WEE PUP, was modeled after a Monhegan punt which
he’d measured on a visit to that Maine island.
The Monhegan punt is a short, high-sided, pickup
truck of a boat. With its pram bow and stern, ample

by Darin Carlucci

beam, high sides, and flat bottom, the boat could carry
a load, stand on its feet, be rowed well, and be carried
ashore or hauled aboard and stowed on even a small
cruiser. It looked a bit like a dory with its ends trimmed
off and the resulting openings capped with transoms.
I can imagine that Monhegan fishermen were very
attached to these boats not only for their load-carrying
ability, but also because they could be hauled up the
beach—a necessity at Monhegan, given the island’s
exposed harbor and lack of a suitable space to tie up a
floating dinghy.
Thompson developed a set of lines, based upon this
working boat, that he thought would serve nicely as a
yacht tender. At 7½' long and able to carry four people,
or 700 lbs, the Wee Pup design became very popular—
so popular that the great yacht designers B.B. Crowninshield and W. Starling Burgess had Wee Pups built for
themselves.
Despite the passage of more than a century since
Thompson conceived Wee Pup, the boat’s qualities are
still alluring to today’s coastwise cruiser. A quick study

Above—Winfield Thompson introduced the small, high-capacity dinghy Wee Pup in 1906. Recently, the Carpenter’s Boat Shop
in Pemaquid, Maine, built two versions of this boat: the glued-lapstrake-plywood one seen here, and the solid-wood model
seen on page 55.

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The RuddeR , JANuAry 1906

175 lbs

As part of his praise for the Wee Pup in a 1906 The Rudder
article, designer-writer Winfield Thompson (above)
published this series of photographs showing the boat being
progressively loaded with passengers.

of the lines, in fact, reveals that the shape has great
potential for construction in lightweight glued lapstrake plywood. But in order to experience this boat,
a new one had to be built, for I knew of no surviving
examples.
The drawing that Thompson submitted to The Rudder in 1906 lacked construction details, but it faithfully
recorded the shape of Thompson’s own boat. Indeed,
Norman Skene drew these published lines based
upon that boat’s measurements. Walter Wales, a yacht
designer and engineer from Chamberlain, Maine,
recently produced a thorough set of plans for either a
solid wood or a plywood version of Wee Pup. And at
the Carpenter’s Boat Shop in nearby Pemaquid, where
I work as a boatbuilding instructor, we subsequently
built one of each.

305 lbs

522 lbs

B

ased on the photographs published in the January 1906 edition of The Rudder, the Pup was likely
built dory style, meaning that the fore-and-aft
bottom planking went on first, followed by garboards
that overlapped the bottom’s edges. (Later skiffs at
Monhegan would have cross-planked bottoms, installed
after the sides were in place.) I can imagine a builder
being able to crank out a bunch of either of these boats,
even with the island’s limited resources. For the bottom
and sides, the Wee Pup has a total of just nine planks,
all of similar length. There are the two transoms to be
built, of course, but no substantial backbone pieces like
a stem or keel.
Once both transoms are made and set up on the
building jig at the correct rake, all that is needed are
three station molds in order to begin planking. The
solid wood boat would use sawn frames in lieu of these
temporary station molds. For both the solid wood and

692 lbs
the plywood boats, the beveling and cutting of gains
on the plank ends are the same. The plywood planking goes together quickly with thickened epoxy in the
plank’s laps. The combination of glued laps and plywood makes frames unnecessary, because plywood is
strong both athwartships and fore-and-aft; solid planks
require the additional support of frames running
across the grain. Though having ample rocker, the Pup
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is not so curved as to prevent
the bottom from being made
from a single sheet of 3 ⁄ 8" plywood.
After the Pup is off the
building jig and flipped rightside up, the boat is fitted with
thwarts and knees. A seat riser
adds stiffness and establishes
the heights of the thwarts.
After all the quarter knees are
installed, the rails can go on
(see WB No. 223), followed by
the oarlock pads. We put a small skeg on the bottom
in order to help the little boat track straight—both
when towed and when rowing; this detail is absent from
Skene’s drawings, and doesn’t appear in published photographs of the original Wee Pup. It being short, Wee
Pup is inclined to yaw from side to side without this
skeg. The finishing touch is the painter, which is spliced
through the bow transom—a simple and elegant touch
befitting the boat’s heritage.
Both the conventionally planked Wee Pup and her
glued-plywood sister cut handsome figures. The warmth
of the oiled-cedar planking on the lapstrake pram
works its magic with the sawn oak frames, copper rivets,
and floorboards. We finished this one with a sculling
notch, which allows for single-oared propulsion in tight
quarters, or in the event of a dropped oar. We didn’t
weigh this cute little boat before we sold it, but it’s a safe
bet that it’s a bit heavier than the plywood one.
The plywood Pup panders to my desire for efficiency
and cleanliness. With no floorboards or transverse
frames, the plywood Pup would be easier to bail—a
small yet practical detail. It weighs about 100 lbs, which
makes it easy to haul aboard or carry. As with all plywood hulls, though, the final product feels more rigid
than the cedar-planked boat. Cruisers seeking a compact tender would enjoy the plywood Pup’s ability to
hold out the water upon launching; solid wood boats
need time to swell up, especially after a length of time
ashore. I can see this boat hanging nicely from a small
set of stern davits. The addition of sacrificial rub strips
on the bottom would prevent chafing on the hull while
it is dragged up the beach.

A

s you can see from the photos, what this petite
pram lacks in length, she makes up in beam and
freeboard. So, there’s plenty of reserve buoyancy.
Like a traditional dory, this boat is just going to get
more stable with weight aboard. Though I was unable
to try it myself, I came up with many photos of old-time
fishermen filling the boats like this to capacity. Winfield Thompson, in his 1906 article about the Pup, created his own load-carrying test: A series of four photos

SerAfINA CArLuCCI

The glued lapstrake plywood
version of the Wee Pup has no
frames, allowing for an interior
that’s easy to bail and clean.

shows the boat carrying, first, just Thompson (175 lbs),
then a companion who brings the total to 305 lbs, then
another person (522 lbs), and finally a fourth, bringing
the total payload to a whopping 692 lbs. The looks on
the faces of those aboard are more of enjoyment than
concern.
Winfield Thompson was quite interested in the shipability of the Wee Pup. “The punt,” he wrote, “must be
short enough to stow across the cockpit of my boat.”
His catboat was 10' 6" wide, and the cockpit measured
about 8'. “To be on the safe side,” he continued, “I
would make the punt 7 feet six on top, and about 6 on
the bottom.” This created a boat with less-raked ends
than the original Monhegan boats, and it raised the
freeboard “a bit.” The boat can also easily fit on the
foredeck or behind the mast on many a cruising boat.
It should tow easily with the painter spliced through the
bow transom as it is, though the small hull might need
some weight aft to keep it tracking at high speeds, and
to keep the bow transom out of the water. A photo in
Thompson’s article shows the boat riding comfortably
astern of the catboat, at a good clip, with the bow transom riding high. Another image shows the boat resting
comfortably on the catboat’s starboard stern quarter—
a good place for it in a bow-tripping chop.
I was skeptical of the Pup’s rowing qualities before
I made my first outing in the boat. I’m familiar with
similar fiberglass designs, and I was certain that this
boat would be tender and squirrelly. I was also concerned about the length, with the rower taking up so
much of the boat from the ’midships thwart aft. But
my fears were unfounded: This truly is a big little boat.
The Pup didn’t feel as cramped or as tender as I had
expected. With its rockered bottom, the boat maneuvered easily through clustered moorings and up to
a dinghy dock. But, without a pointed bow, she will
never cut her way through the chop when fully laden.
On the other hand, her bow shape will offer more
buoyancy for her overall length when loaded down. If
you’re rowing alone, the bow and stern seats provide
a space for groceries or bags that keeps them out of
the bilge. The rower should use the forward rowing

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Wee Pup
Particulars
LOA

Beam
Depth amidships

7' 10"
3' 3"
151/2"

Wee Pup’s lines, shown here, were taken from the finished first
boat and drawn by Norman Skene for the January 1906 edition of
The Rudder. Walter Wales has recently created a set of building
plans for the boat (see ordering information below).

station when loaded down in the stern with passengers
or cargo.
The only change that I would be interested to see
would be fitting Wee Pup with a fore-and-aft ’midship
seat, for easier movement and more flexibility for those

SeRAfINA CARLuCCI

The Carpenter’s Boat Shop’s interpretation of the original
Wee Pup pram, with a brave and trusting crew. There’s room
for one more person.

with longer arms. It’s a proven concept, appearing in
dinghies by John and William Atkin, as well as in Harry
Bryan’s wheelbarrow boat (see WB No. 209).
The fishermen at Monhegan eventually adopted
their flat-bottomed skiff in lieu of the square-ended
Monhegan punt. That’s a fine little boat too. In fact,
it’s one of the stock offerings of the Carpenter’s Boat
Shop. With its flat bottom and ample rocker, it, too,
is an able rowboat that has proven very popular with
fishermen and non-fishermen alike. But the Wee Pup
is a head-turner. Thompson wrote of his first season
with the boat that “Nothing like it had ever been seen
in Boston waters, and people were as pleased with it as
a cat with two tails. I was as busy as an old maid with
twins, telling its good points and showing it off.”
Darin Carlucci, a boatbuilding instructor at the Carpenter’s Boat
Shop, lives in Pemaquid, Maine, with his wife, Serafina.
Order plans for Wee Pup from Walter Wales, P.O. Box 43, Chamber­
lain, ME 04541; [email protected]. Price for the set is $80.
Visit www.woodenboat.com to read Winfield Thompson’s 1906 The
Rudder magazine article about Wee Pup.
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BENjAmIN mENDlOWITz

Shantyboat Renaissance
A simple floating home
for a complex world
by Harry Bryan

N

ear the end of our three-year, world-roaming
cruise in PATIENCE, a 36' ketch launched
in 1988 (see WB No. 132), my family and I
conceived a shantyboat. I had come to the conclusion that, for my family, much of the joy of cruising
came from living in a small space where our needs
for shelter and comfort were kept to the essentials. 
The endless list of chores to be done around the house
did not exist.  Gone, too, was the “need” (or even the
possibility) of going to meetings, the mall, or the myriad other places we go when we get in the car and enter
the crazy, stressful world of roads and traffic. 
After the cruise was over, we thought we could
continue to experience much of its value by building
a cabin that floated on the simplest form of hull.  To

emphasize the intended simplicity of the structure and
its contents, we would call it a “shantyboat” instead of
a houseboat.  There would be no inboard engine, no
generator, and certainly no television. 
        During part of our voyage, we had cruised along
the Intracoastal Waterway on the Eastern Seaboard of
the United States and had passed countless lagoons,
creeks, and bays too shallow for most hulls. Thus, these
places offered uncrowded tranquility to anything drawing less than a foot of water—the perfect setting for a
barge-like hull. We pictured a crisp fall day, sparkling
and blue, with an exhilarating chill to the northwest
breeze. Our shantyboat, swinging to the anchor, would
provide a sunny lee for the cockpit deck chair while the
woodstove inside would keep the coffee hot. 

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The author’s shantyboat design (opposite, above, and right)
is, essentially, a floating cabin of approximately 130 sq ft
with clapboard siding, opening windows adorned by flower
boxes, a wood-burning stove, and a spaciousness befitting a
landside abode. The boat also nods to its nautical ancestry,
with a graceful sheer, opening portholes, and built-in
storage throughout.

We drew up a preliminary design and had no trouble finding others willing to enter into a time-share
agreement to help with the boat’s building cost and
upkeep. But time passed, and the usual demands of life
kept us from starting the project. 
Then, at the 2010 WoodenBoat Show in Mystic
Seaport, a conversation with an old friend, Benjamin
Guy, soon led to a commitment to build the design.
It was far from a spur-of-the-moment decision for our
friend, who had long been reading about 19th-century
houseboating. He felt it was now time for him to own a
simple, floating cabin. 

Finalizing the Design

BrYan GaGner (THIS PaGe)

The boat we were to build would embrace this particular owner’s desire to have everything as basic as possible. Yet, with only subtle changes, the design could
appeal to a broad range of tastes, so long as they lean
toward simplicity. Thus, while the prototype would have
a composting, carry-ashore bucket for a head, there was
to be space allowed for a commercial composting toilet,
and even space under the cabin sole for a holding tank
if one wanted a flush toilet. There would be no electricity on this first boat. The soft glow of kerosene lamps,
enhanced by an off-white paint scheme, would answer
for lighting. But the design would easily lend itself to
solar panels and a battery for modest electric needs. 
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HArry BryAn

Harry Bryan conceived this 20' LOA (8' 5" beam) shantyboat while on a three-year, bluewater cruise with his family, when he
discovered that much of the joy of that experience came in living in a small, simple space. After that cruise, he drew detailed
plans for such a boat, and later refined them to meet a client’s wishes for the boat in these drawings and in the accompanying
photographs.

This shantyboat’s hull is 20' long with a beam of 8' 5",
since most states require a special permit for trailer
loads over 8' 6" wide. While it would be tempting to add
more hull length for an enclosed head, more berths,
a front porch, etc, the goal of low cost, and simplicity
in maintenance and transportation, argues for the
shorter boat. It is also amazing how much room there is
in a shantyboat’s cabin compared to a sailboat or even a
powerboat of the same length. 
Inside the cabin, a settee along the starboard side
forward pulls out to create a double berth, while to
port are a hanging locker and shelves for clothing. A
cushioned seat covers the head, while a curtain (sliding
on a track) provides a modicum of privacy.  Aft of the
bookshelf that separates the settee from the galley is a
small Shipmate wood-and-coal stove. A countertop for
dishpan or sink with storage below completes the foodpreparation area.
The after section of the cabin has 6' 4" headroom,
while the forward headroom is 6'. When considering the
overall height of the shantyboat, we decided on a splitlevel roof for several reasons: it provides visual interest

to the boat’s profile, lowers the windage at anchor, and
increases ventilation and headroom in the aft section.
She’ll also be less likely to swing back and forth at the
mooring than a design with a high forward structure. 
A dinette to port features a table that can be lowered
to seat level and, with the cushion brought aft from the
head’s seat, the area can be turned into a reading nook
or short berth for a child. 
A sliding door with screened window separates the
cabin from the covered “back porch.”  Extending aft
beyond the transom is a short deck where supplies
can be landed from the tender. Standing on this deck
affords good visibility to each side as well as a view forward over the roof. It is from this vantage point that the
shantyboat would be piloted were she to have power—
perhaps from an outboard-powered skiff secured alongside, “on the hip,” in tugboat parlance. That same skiff
would also be available for adventuring and trips ashore
when the “mother ship” was at anchor. Alternatively, a
transom bracket could carry a 9.9-hp four-stroke, highthrust motor, which would be plenty of power for this
Continued on page 61
craft.

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Reflections on Owning
a Shantyboat
by Benjamin Guy

T

ogether with a loyal pilot fish, our shantyboat
meditatively noses about her mooring ball in a
shallow bight of the West Branch of the Westport
River in Massachusetts. Neither fish nor boat has much
ambition to travel anywhere else. The mooring lies in
2' of water at low tide off a long, wooded shoreline that
we and our neighbors have placed under conservation
easements so that an uninterrupted holly-and-oak forest will always descend to salt water, much as it might
have done in the 15th century.
By day, kingfishers patrol the shore, ospreys soar on
the updraft when the afternoon southwesterly meets
the trees, and a solitary oystercatcher rests on the rocks
at high tide before feeding on the flats as the river
flushes. At night, screech owls whinny among the oaks,
blue herons cough as if from a two-pack-a-day habit,
and the surf booms on the barrier beach to the south.
From our shantyboat we enjoy the retrospection of
our quarter-century of land conservation effort. In
this sense she is a humble reflection of the villas that
attended many great Western cities. While sometimes
characterized as mere escapes from pestilential overcrowding, the grand villas of the wealthy were also sited
to look back, both over the cities and one another, in
reflection and admiration. The shantyboat looks back
over our woodland in much the same way, though we
rejoice in our trees rather than an urban landscape.
The inspiration for both the conservation effort and,
later, the shantyboat itself, came from a chance meeting in the Bras D’Or Lakes of Cape Breton Island, Nova
Scotia, almost 40 years ago with the yacht DIRECTION
and her then-owner Charles Vilas. It was like seeing a
ghost. DIRECTION had been wrecked in a Greenland
fjord in 1929, and the event had been vividly described
by Rockwell Kent in his book N by E. What had been

BENjAMIN MENDLOWITz

The shantyboat is meant to stay put, though it can be poled
from place to place—or motored, with a bracket-mounted
motor or a small outboard skiff working as a yawlboat. The
Wheelbarrow Boat seen here (see WB No. 209 for how-tobuild instructions), also designed and built by Harry Bryan,
lands the Shantyboat’s residents on the beach with ease.

neglected in that account was the fact that the 33'
cutter had subsequently been raised, repaired, and
ultimately returned to the United States.
Vilas had bought DIRECTION in 1946 and yet,
despite her 6' draft and the addition of a false keel,
he had found her less than weatherly. So he adopted
a new strategy of use. He purchased land on both
shores of the Washabuck, a short tributary to the Bras
D’Or Lakes, and there, in the middle of the river, he
anchored DIRECTION for the summer and just stayed
there to admire the view and the bald eagles, then
nearing extinction. It seemed to me an admirable and
sensible thing to have done.
With only 2' of water at low tide, the Westport River
could not accommodate a DIRECTION, but it could
float a houseboat.
The concept was a hard sell. Most of our friends
envisioned the houseboats from the aesthetically challenged 1970s, which while giving thousands access to
America’s vast Midwestern reservoirs, resembled floating Havahart traps for enormous raccoons, but baited
with beer rather than sardines. When I explained that
we were not building a glass and aluminum Red Neck
Yacht Club houseboat, but a real wooden shantyboat,
first impressions were replaced by visions of Huck
Finn’s father retreating for a three-day binge aground
on a muddy bank below Cairo, Illinois.
But, our shantyboat is different, both from these
examples and from the houseboats of 100 years ago
when the type was more common on the East Coast. It
is simply better-looking. Straight runs, that could have
produced a boxy appearance, give way to subtle, almost
imperceptible, curves. The leaded-glass sliding windows and doors and the nasturtium-filled flower boxes
lend it an almost storybook character.

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The table, to port, can be lowered onto cleats,
creating a bunk flat that converts the dining space
into a cozy reading nook or child’s berth.

To our surprise, friends who have deep misgivings about even the most benign marine
adventures seem perfectly comfortable onboard.
They can tell, simply by looking, that the boat is
perfectly safe: It will not tip; they will not have
to get wet; they will not be made to vomit; and
no enraged captain will address them in archaic
Dutch to slack the mizzen topping lift.
The complete absence of mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic systems—marvelous as they are—is
a comfort to the more experienced. While there is a
certain satisfaction to be found in repairing failures at
sea, the increasing complexity of many yachts almost
guarantees one or more breakdowns per voyage. Nor is
our sense of unease limited to the boating world. The
idea that we are surrounded by fragile systems that only
a few people on Earth really understand is everywhere,
in all our lives, in all our days. To escape it, however
briefly, is a blessing.
The shantyboat is easily understood and comfortable for anyone, including my spouse, who has studiously avoided anything to do with boats for most of her
life. Now she finds herself on the boat for supper most
evenings, or engaged there with some ladies for a game
of Scrabble on a hot afternoon.
And so, throughout this long, happy summer,
we have daily slipped away from the modern world.

Clutching our supper pail, we have driven the five minutes down the cart path, walked quietly through the
woods and across the gravel beach, stepped aboard
the little Wheelbarrow Boat tender, and rowed the
short distance from shore to shantyboat. It is a physical process, but it is also a mental one; at each stage we
find ourselves becoming more detached from modern
reality so that—as my wife puts it—by the time of our
arrival, we may only be a few yards from shore, but we
are a million miles from all the things we worry about.
We avoided naming the shantyboat before using her,
and at the WoodenBoat Show in June solicited suggestions. Most were easily dismissed, but one, BUTTERCUP,
has stuck, reflecting the boat’s welcoming aspect and
cheerful yellow cabin interior. I couldn’t have named
her better myself.
Benjamin Guy lives on the Westport River in Massachusetts, sometimes ashore, sometimes afloat.

BRyAN GAGNER (ThIS PAGE)

Here we are looking forward from the dining area to the sitting and sleeping space, where headroom is reduced from 6’4” to 6’.

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Continued from page 58

     While dreams of how to use this boat center
on her life afloat, she could also provide a
retreat or spare bedroom when hauled out
off-season. 

BRyan GaGneR (ThIS PaGe)

Building the First Shantyboat
It is always exciting to build the first boat to a
new design, and while the design itself may be
finalized on paper, there are often many decisions still to be made: What materials should
be used? What level of finish? What paint colors? What fabrics for the interior? The simpler
the boat, the fewer the questions, but even here
there are still some choices to be considered—
and not just those relating to sanitation devices
and whether or not they should be added.
The construction of our shantyboat could The windows have true divided lights with lead cames. This sliding
have been simpler if we had omitted the rocker door opens onto the shantyboat’s “front porch.”
in the bottom and the curve in both the profile and plan views of the sheer. The house, too,
might have been a box with right-angle corners. But we the garboard, which is edge-glued to the plank above,
chose to include subtle curves, both for increased effi- so that all seams below the waterline are glued,
ciency when moving through the water and to coax a ensuring a tight hull.
smile from those who watch her swinging to her moorThe house framing is spruce with the studs bolted to
ing. Furthermore, by introducing the subtle sheer in the sheer clamp as well as to a riser running below and
the eave of the housetop as well as the hull itself, we parallel to the clamp. What appear to be clapboards
were rewarded in an unexpected way: The low point should perhaps more correctly be called lapstrake
of the curve directs the runoff from the evening dew siding, as they are not tapered in section as a clapdirectly into the window boxes so that the maintenance board would be. The laps are fastened together and
left exposed inside to form the interior surface of the
of the nasturtiums has been reduced to a minimum.
There is no plywood in this first shantyboat, yet house. In order to present a pleasing appearance, the
building her with that material would certainly be an siding is lined off like the planks of a hull. This gives
option. We chose solid wood partly because we have a a smooth transition from the curve of the sheer to the
good supply of it and partly because we believe that it more subtle curve of the roof.
The decks and housetops are of splined cedar, covimparts a subtly appealing texture and feel—subtleties
that can all too easily be lost with engineered materials. ered with canvas laid in outdoor carpet cement and
The hull was built upside down over 7 ⁄8" × 2" oak saturated in epoxy.
frames placed at each station. The bottom is epoxyFinally, there was the choice of windows. Clearly,
laminated from two layers of 5 ⁄8" cedar laid athwartships these could have been conventional single-paned,
at 60 degrees to each other. Sides are single-thickness 7 ⁄8" sashed, double-glazed—just as in a house onshore. We
cedar, carvel planked, and caulked with cotton—except decided on divided lights, as I feel they contribute to
the overall look of the boat, and we chose to
set them in lead cames (or muntins) because
The settee to starboard can be pulled out to convert to a double bed.
these are less obstructive to the view than
heavier wood dividers would be. Furthermore,
we found leaded windows significantly easier
to build in a shop having no specialized sashmaking equipment.
Construction of this first shantyboat was
begun in October 2010 and completed in May
2011. She was first launched in the Westport
River, Massachusetts, in June, a week before
making her public debut at the 2011 WoodenBoat Show at Mystic Seaport. Final cost,
including a Wheelbarrow Boat tender, was
$75,000.
Contributing editor Harry Bryan lives and works off the
grid in Letete, New Brunswick.
For more information: Bryan Boatbuilding, 329 Mascarene
Rd., Letete, NB, E5C 2P6, Canada; 506–755–2486.
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T

~Interpreting the Houseboat~

hroughout the 20th century, and now into the 21st, people have sought ways in which to escape
the hustle and bustle of their everyday lives. For some, the answer has been a cabin in the woods,
for others, an ice shack on a frozen lake. For still others, there have been motor coaches, simple
cottages, yurts, even tents. And then there have been houseboats. As with most structures, houseboats
have been, and continue to be, cut in many hues, from the simple to the extravagant, from the large
to the small.
—Jenny Bennett

B

John A. noble’s FloAting studio

NOBLE MArITIME COLLECTION (BOTH)

orn in 1913, the son of the American painter John ‘Wichita Bill’ Noble,
John A. Noble became one of the most noted maritime artists of his era.
Between 1928 and 1945, he worked as a seaman on schooners and in marine
salvage. In 1928 he saw the Port Johnston coal docks on Staten Island for
the first time, and later said that the sight had affected him for life, describing it as “the largest graveyard of wooden sailing vessels in the world.” It
was there, in 1941, that he began building his floating studio from salvaged
pieces of the abandoned vessels
that surrounded him. From 1946,
Noble worked as a full-time artist
producing hundreds of paintings,
lithographs, and drawings from this
studio. He died in 1983.
Noble’s floating studio was featured in
National Geographic magazine in 1954,
and today can be seen at the Noble Maritime Collection, part of the Snug Harbor
Cultural Center, on Staten Island; www.
noblemaritime.org.

SAM DEvLIN

sAm devlin’s millie hill design

M

illie Hill was designed by Sam Devlin as the answer
to this problem: “Have you always wanted a waterfront getaway, but couldn’t afford the luxury?” On his
website, Sam goes on to say, “Equipped with a wood
cook stove and galley, you can catch or bring in the
ocean’s bounty...have the guys down for a weekend of
duck hunting or poker, and a pot of chili on the stove.”
The Millie Hill design, built of stitch-and-glue plywood, is 20' LOA by 8' 2" beam and draws just 12". She
sleeps four with her two settees converting into double
berths. There is a head with shower and wet hanging

locker. There is also a dry locker near the forward deck
area. The galley has full standing headroom, while in
the settee area there’s sitting headroom. Because her
beam is under 8' 6", Millie Hill can be trailered without
permit in most states.
In a later version, launched in 2008 and shown here,
Sam increased the draft and created a dedicated space
for one bed. This later version has an aft deck and is
more mobile afloat than her predecessor, traveling at
an estimated 5 knots with a 10-hp high-thrust outboard
motor.
For details, visit www.devlinboat.com.

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I

riCharD herriNgtoN’s meliNDa maY

RICHARD HERRINGTON

nspired by a houseboat featured in a Bruce Willis movie, Richard Herrington began dreaming of his own houseboat, and set about designing
and building a ¾"-to-the-foot scale model.
“I made many changes to the design as time went by [but I’m now looking]
forward to starting construction of the full-size houseboat. Living on this
boat six months out of every year, traveling to some place different each
spring and summer, is going to be a unique experience. The first trip I expect
to make is to Alaska. The following year...the New England coast. After that,
maybe Oregon or Washington State. Each winter, before the first snowfall, I
will return to spend the winter in Texas, at my cabin in the country.”
At full size, MELINDA MAY, as the boat will be called, will be 27' LOA by 8'
beam. She will carry two 40-lb propane tanks to fuel a cookstove inside and
a fish cooker on the aft deck, where there will also be an ice chest. With a
25-hp outboard motor, MELINDA MAY should be able to travel at about 7 to
10 knots.

illiam Atkin designed many houseboats in his
day. Some are large and sophisticated, like the 50'
steel, tunnel-sterned, motor houseboat HUCKLEBERRY
FINN, while others are small and simple like Retreat.
Designed in the 1940s, Retreat was described by
Atkin as a “miniature floating castle.” She was to be
of light construction, so as to “ease the burden if and
when the boat has to be moved overland by truck or
trailer.” Atkin even suggested fixing “a pair of automobile wheels each side at the middle point of the overall length, making a trailer that at the same time would
be a houseboat.”
Retreat is 18' LOA with a beam of 7' and a draft of
approximately 5". Headroom is 6' in the main cabin,
4' 10" in the sleeping cabin. The original boat was
designed to a have a coal-burning stove, sink, and icebox
on one side of the main cabin, while opposite these were
an upholstered seat, dropleaf table, shelves, and lockers.
The sleeping cabin was fitted with a single berth, chest of
drawers, lockers (including a hanging locker), and head.
In the 1990s Henry Spruks of Florida wrote of his
own experiences with his Retreat: “ ...she was built in

G

ATKINBOATpLANS.COM

W

William atkiN’s retreat

1985 by David Scarborough of Rock Hall Boats: cedarplanked, fiberglassed to the waterline, canvas-covered
plywood deck, plywood house, powered by a 9.9-hp outboard. I had her built as a weekend retreat, but before
completion, I had a stroke. When I recovered enough to
live alone, I moved to the St. Johns River in Florida and
have lived aboard since 1987. (Beats living in a nursing
home.)”
For more on Retreat and other houseboats by William and John
Atkin, visit www.atkinboatplans.com.

Chris Carr’s DarWiN

eorge Buehler designed the 25' houseboat RIVER WALKER for
use on a wide but shallow river in Cincinnati. He described the
design as a “cheap plywood motorhome of the water. It has a pilothouse with good visibility and a 3' wood-spoke wheel like a good
riverboat must have.” She had plenty of headroom and could be
cheaply built of sheet plywood over fir or yellow pine frames.
It was on this design that Chris Carr based his own boat, DARWIN,
although he increased the length to 28' and reduced the beam to 10' 6".
Her hull is plywood sheathed with 6-oz fiberglass, over southern yellow
pine frames. She was, says Carr, “built almost entirely of materials from
the local lumberyards, except the trim, windows, doors, flooring, and
swim platform, which are Brazilian walnut salvaged from a friend’s
deck.” She is powered by a 25-hp outboard, giving a top speed of about
4 knots. Chris plans to live onboard from May through October.
DARWIN will be used on the Kalamazoo River and Lake Michigan.

CHRIS CARR

For more information, visit www.georgebuehler.com.

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Building the 12' PeaPod
Part 3

Text, photographs, and drawings
by Arch Davis
1

In the previous issue, Arch Davis showed us how to plank
the hull and fit the breasthooks in this pretty, doubleended daysailer-rowboat. On the following pages, he
—Eds.
completes the project.
Seat BeamS—The seat beams measure ¾" × 2 7⁄8",

2

3

and their locations are shown in Figure 1. They’ll be
fitted so that each of their top edges is flush with the
tops of the seat risers. To achieve this fit, start by cutting a beam square to the length of its top, and resting it in position on the seat risers. Scribe underneath
the beam, and use your adjustable bevel (as you see me
doing in Photos 1 and 2) to mark the compound angles
at the ends of the beam. Cut the ends to their finished
bevels, and lay out the 5 ⁄8" × 1" notches to fit around the
seat risers.
Make plywood saddles to support the ends of each
beam, as shown in Photo 3. There is no need for any fastenings, but you can hold the saddles with staples while
the glue cures. If you have decided on a sailing version
with a centerboard trunk, support the beams for the
center thwart with similar saddles on the outboard faces
of the trunk. Fit the two fore-and-aft beams that support
the side seats, notching their ends into the athwartships
beams and gluing them in place (Photo 4).

SheerStrake moldingS—Fit the sheerstrake
moldings next. (I described how to make them in Part
1.) Tack one to the bottom edge of the sheerstrake,
with a 4D nail driven amidships, making sure that the
molding overlaps the stems at both ends. Bend one end
in to the bow, and mark and cut it to fit against the
side of the stem, in much the same way as you marked
and cut the sheer clamps to fit against the stem. This
time, however, the piece is so small that your adjustable
bevel won’t work, so you can mark the angles freehand,
instead. You may be surprised at how good a fit you can
get by doing it this way.
Cut both ends of both moldings this way, then
remove them, and fasten them permanently in place
with glue and 18-gauge ¾" brass brads, keeping the
bottoms of the moldings flush with the lower edges
of the sheerstrakes. A piece of wood held against the

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FiguRe 1

4

sheerstrakes’ edge, with the molding pressed down on
it, correctly locates the molding.
You need a helper for this job, as the sides of the
boat are too springy to nail into. The second person
holds a dolly against the seat riser on the inside. Any
hard, solid weight will do for a dolly. I use an old stub
axle, but you could use, say, the back of an axe head or
a heavy hammer. Your helper does not need to push the
dolly hard against the seat riser; the dolly must only be
in contact, so its inertia allows the brad to penetrate the
wood. Set the brads below the surface of the moldings
with a nail punch (Photo 5), and fill over their heads
with thickened epoxy.

RubRails and badges— Secure a rubrail to
the hull with a C-clamp placed amidships, and bend it

5

in toward the bow, adding a couple of clamps as you go.
Marking and cutting the ends to fit against the sides of
the stem follows much the same procedure as with the
sheer clamps and the lower moldings, but you’d better use your adjustable bevel this time. The ends of the
rubrails (aka outwales) will project a little beyond the
stem, so you will have to trim these back later. Fasten
the ends of the rubrails with two No. 8 × 1½" screws
driven through them and on into the sheer clamps and
breasthooks. Dry-fit both rubrails, scribe their locations on the boat by marking along their lower edges,
then remove them and set them aside.
The badges—the sheer details at the bow and
stern—can be made now. Cut four pieces of 4mm plywood, two at 6" × 20" for the bow, and two at 5" × 18" for
the stern. With your bevel gauge, measure the angle
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6

FigUrE 2

7

8

between the sheerstrake molding and the rake of the
stem (Photo 6). Cut one of the pieces to this angle,
measure the angle between the sheerstrake and the
side of the stem (Photo 7), and plane a matching bevel
along the previously cut edge (Photo 8). When that fit is
good, mark the top edge of the badge to fit against the
bottom edge of the rubrail (Photo 9), planing a bevel
on this edge to match the 20-degree bevel on the
rubrail. Mark and cut the after end of the badge to the
profiles shown in Figure 2. Make all four badges, and
set them aside.
Glue the rubrails in place. If you have plenty of
clamps, you can use them to hold the rubrails while the
glue sets (Photo 10); otherwise you can use No. 8 × 1¼"
screws.
Finally, glue the badges to the sheerstrakes. You can
drive three or four brass brads through the ends of the
badges and into the stems; clamps with suitable pads
will hold their other ends while the glue sets (Photos
11 and 12).

Floorboards —Remove the molds at station Nos.

4 and 8 to make way for the floorboards. Shown in Figure 3, they are simply glued-in pieces of 4mm plywood
that reinforce the garboards where you will stand in
the boat. Make them 22" long, cut to the shapes shown,
with 1" clearance between their edges and the keel and
stringer. Trace their locations on the garboards, centering them between the thwart and forward and after
seats.

9

10

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11
Now you are ready to glue in the floorboards. The
question is how to hold them down while the glue sets.
The planking is too thin for screws to work, at least without drilling unnecessary holes. You could use weights,
but this isn’t as easy as it sounds, or you could employ a
system of props and wedges braced off the seat beams,
which is tricky and cumbersome. A simpler method is
to use contact cement.
Mark out a strip down the center of each floorboard, 2" wide and stopping 2" short of each end.
Mark matching strips on the garboards. Spread contact
cement along each marked strip, both on the floorboards and the garboards. On the rest of both surfaces,
spread epoxy, thickened sufficiently to make a sloppy
glue that will spread readily in the joint under light
pressure. Now, the trick with contact cement is to be
sure that it is properly dry before putting the two surfaces together. If it isn’t, the pieces won’t stick. Give it
plenty of time (a good 20 minutes, at least)—the epoxy
won’t have started to gel yet. When it’s ready, set the

12

13
floorboard’s inboard edge on the line you marked on
the garboard, and carefully lower the rest of the piece
into place (Photo 13). You have only one chance to get
it right, because when it touches, the contact cement

FigURE 3
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14

16

15

17

will instantly grab and you won’t be able to move the
piece. It’s not a difficult job, but care is required. When
you have a floorboard in place, press it down firmly all
along its center. Some of the epoxy should squeeze out
around the edges; clean it up, and you’re done with
that floorboard and can follow the same steps in the
remaining pieces.
With the seat beams and rubrails now bracing the
hull, you can now remove the rest of the station molds.

DaggerboarD Trunk—Figure 1 shows the

construction of the daggerboard trunk. Begin building the trunk by cutting its sides from two pieces of
4mm plywood, 13" wide by 14" high. Scribe their bottom edges to fit the curve of the keel. Then, with one
of the trunk sides in place, lay a straightedge across the
two thwart beams aft of the trunk, and scribe along it
to mark the top edges of the trunk sides and cut the
sides to their finished height. Glue and screw the daggerboard trunk logs (bottom) and daggerboard trunk
supports (top) along the trunk’s horizontal edges,
remembering to make one side for port and one for
starboard. The trunk sides are separated by 15 ⁄ 16" × ¾"
internal framing along the forward and after edges.
Glue and screw these to one of the sides, orienting
them so that the gap between the sides will be 15 ⁄ 16" to
allow clearance for the ¾"-thick daggerboard, and seal
the interior surfaces thoroughly with at least two coats
of epoxy resin. You won’t be able to reach these areas

18

for maintenance later on, so do a good job now! Assemble the two sides with screws and glue, using a framing
square to make sure that they are correctly aligned top
and bottom (Photo 14).
With the boat level in its cradle, find the centerline
of the keel, and use a level to project this upward onto
the forward thwart beam (Photo 15). Set the daggerboard trunk supports on the seat beams with the trunk
centered on the centerline mark, mark their locations
on the beams (Photo 16), and notch the beams (Photo
17). Set the trunk in the hull again and confirm that
the top edges of the supports are flush with the tops
of the beams, and that the bottom of the trunk fits
against the keel. Make any adjustments that are necessary to get a good joint between trunk and keel. If the
bottom of the trunk is not in contact with the keel, you
can deepen the notches in the beams, and glue shims
to the tops of the trunk supports to bring them up to
the level of the beams. If the bottom of the trunk fits
well against the keel, but the supports are above the
beams, simply pare down the supports, rather than
planing the bottom of the trunk.
Make sure the trunk is centered on the keel, and
drill pilot holes for three No. 8 × 1¼" screws through
the bedlogs and into the keel (don’t run your countersink too deep!), and hold the trunk there temporarily with a couple of screws on each side. Mark the
four corners of the inside of the trunk onto the keel, as
described in Part 2 for the centerboard trunk. Remove

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19

20
figUrE 4

the trunk, lay out the shape of the slot for the daggerboard, making it 1 ⁄ 16" wider all around than the
foil shape of the daggerboard, and cut the slot with
a jigsaw. Make the daggerboard as shown in Figure 6,
with a handle and ¾" × ¾" stops at the top, and plane
the lower part, where it will project from the hull, to
the same (but smaller) foil section as the slot. Lift the
hull onto a pair of sawhorses, and try the board in the
trunk, to make sure that it fits.
Now refit the trunk, this time with glue in all joints,
and with all of the screws. Use plenty of glue for this job.

OarlOck chOcks—The oarlock chocks mea-

sure 5" long, by 3" deep, by 1¼" thick. Cut a rabbet in
the top of each chock to fit it around the sheer clamp.
To locate the chocks, put marks on the sheer clamps
1' 5½" aft of station No. 6, and 1' 8" forward of station
No. 6. Center the chocks between these marks. Glue
them in place, fastening them as well with No. 8 × 1½"
screws into the sheer clamps, and clamping them to the
sheerstrakes as necessary (Photo 18).

EpOxy sEaling—Turn the hull upside down

again, and lay a 4"-wide strip of Kevlar tape in epoxy
resin as a rubbing strip along the centerline. If you prefer, you can fit an external keel which should measure
¾" wide by ¾" or 1" deep, and it’s best made from hardwood. Plane a ¾" flat for this along the centerline of the
hull, and attach the keel with glue and No. 8 × ¾" screws
between about station Nos. 2 and 10. It will have to stop
at each end of the centerboard or daggerboard slot, of
course. Taper the ends.
Seal the whole of the exterior of the hull with at least
two coats of epoxy resin (Photo 19). You can also paint
the exterior now, if you like.

ThwarT and afTEr sEaT—To save weight,

I made the center thwart and seats from white cedar,
but any light softwood is fine; hardwoods will only add
weight.
Make the thwart first. It is 11" wide and overlaps the
thwart beams ½" forward and aft, and fits between the
sheerstrakes. One way to mark its ends is to use a pattern of the same width and two or three inches shorter
than the thwart. Lay it in the thwart’s position on the
thwart beams, and use a tick stick to lay out the shapes
of the ends of the thwart, as shown in Figure 4A. Now
place the pattern on the thwart stock and transfer the
tick stick marks to the stock as in Figure 4B. This gives
both the length and the shape of the ends of the thwart.
Pick up the angle between the thwart beams and the
sheerstrake with your adjustable bevel, set your jigsaw or
bandsaw to this angle, and cut the ends of the thwart. It
should fit tightly against the sheerstrakes when in contact with the beams (Photo 20). If necessary, you can
make any slight adjustments with your plane.
Mark the location of the after edge of the thwart on
the seat risers and sheerstrakes, and take it out and set
it aside for the moment.
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23

21

22

24

The side seat planks and the outboard planks of the
forward seat also need to fit against the sheerstrakes,
but this time you can mark the shapes directly onto the
planks. For the first side seat, start with an 11"-wide
board. A 1×12 from the lumberyard will actually be
about 11¼" wide and this is all to the good, as a little
extra width gives you something to play with. If you
think your board isn’t quite wide enough, you can glue
an extra piece to its outboard edge (this glued-on piece
doesn’t need to run full length; it just has to be long
enough to compensate for what’s missing). Lay the board
on the seat beams, so that its after end touches the
sheerstrake at the point where it will end, and with the
inboard edge parallel to the side seat beam. It’s a good
idea to clamp it so it doesn’t move as you mark it.
Measure the greatest distance between the outboard
edge of the board and the sheerstrake. Mark a tick stick
at this distance, and use it to make a series of marks
along the board, as shown in Photo 21, using a square
to keep the tick stick perpendicular to the edge of the
board. Scribe along the after face of the thwart beam
on the underside of the board. Measure the angle
between the top of the board and the sheerstrake with
your adjustable bevel. Take the board out, join the marks,
set your saw to the measured angle, and cut the edge to
fit against the sheerstrake. Move the line on the underside of the board ½" farther aft, and cut to the line. Try
fitting the board and the thwart in place. The board
should fit against the sheerstrake with its forward end
butting neatly against the after edge of the thwart.
Make any adjustments with your plane to achieve this.

The inboard edge of the board should also be parallel to the side-seat beam, overlapping it by ½". If your
board started out a little over-width, you will be able to
trim the inboard edge to suit, if necessary.
Make the seat for the other side, and fasten the
thwart and the two seats in position with No. 8 × 1¼"
screws into the beams and seat risers (five screws evenly
spaced along each edge is enough).
The adjacent planks for the after seat should be 3¾"
wide. Make them a little over-length to allow for the
shape of their forward ends, and screw them into place,
using 1 ⁄8"-thick spacer blocks to keep them a uniform
distance from the side seats. Make sure the distance
between them is at least 1½" at their after ends, to allow
for the aft seat’s center plank.
Getting the shape of the center plank is easy. Just
lay a board in place, scribe along the adjacent planks
underneath, and cut, allowing for the 1 ⁄8" gap each side.
Screw this center plank in place, again using spacer
blocks. Now mark the after ends of all the planks to
the curve shown in Figure 3 and lay out their forward
ends as well. Round over the corners to a 1 ⁄8" radius,
and try all the pieces in place. They should look like
Photo 22, although you will notice that I have yet to
cut the after ends of the side seats here. It’s not really
apparent in the photograph, but you will notice when
you do it that although the side seat planks have a slight
curvature that follows the sheer of the seat riser, the
other three pieces don’t, so that the top surfaces are not
quite flush. There’s no need to worry about this; with
the gaps between the planks, and the edges rounded
over, it’s not at all noticeable.

Forward Seat—Making the forward seats follows

much the same procedure, but if you’re to have a sailing
rig, first make the mast partner to fit between the seat
risers at the position shown in Figure 5. Locate it foreand-aft so that its center is 13 ⁄16" aft of the center of the
maststep to give the mast its correct rake. Now is a good
time to drill the maststep hole in the stem as detailed in
Figure 1. Set the mast partner aside for now.
The layout of the forward seat planks is shown in
Figure 3. The outboard planks should be 3½" apart at
the forward seat beam, and 1' 10¼" apart at the after
seat beam. Mark the beams at these locations, then lay
a 5½"-wide board on them with its inboard edge the

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FigURE 5

same distance from the marks at both ends. Use a tick
stick to lay out the outboard edge as you did for the
side seats aft. As before, measure the angle between the
planks and the sheerstrakes, and cut along the line to
this angle. Install the planks with No. 8 × 1¼" screws
into the seat beams, leaving the ends over-length for
now.
The next pair of planks meet on the centerline as
shown in Figure 3. Lay a 5¼"-wide board next to one of
the outboard planks, with spacers to establish an even
1
⁄ 8" gap. Lay a straightedge over the plank from the center of the after beam to the center of the stem. Scribe a
line on the top of the plank, and cut to the line. Fit the
plank with screws, and mark the position of the center
of the mast on the edge of the plank by holding a level
plumb on the maststep, and making allowance for the
mast rake of ¾" in 1'. Cut the matching plank for the other
side, and make sure that the two planks fit correctly
with an even 1 ⁄ 8" gap between
them at the centerline and along
their outboard edges. Secure them
with No. 8 × 1¼" screws into the
beams. Fit the mast partner with
No. 8 × 1¼" screws through the
seat planks.
The narrow forward ends
of the last two planks are supported by the floating half beam
shown on Figure 5. Install this
next, make the two planks, and
secure them with screws. Photo
23 shows the forward seat at this
stage.
Now you can cut the hole for
the mast in the seat planks and
the mast partner with a holesaw. Drive the holesaw’s pilot
25
bit through the gap between
the planks at the position you

marked earlier for the center of the mast, and cut with
the saw through the seat planks and into the mast
partner. When the pilot bit comes through the bottom
of the mast partner, stop, remove the partner, turn it
upside down, and finish the hole from the bottom.
Lay out the shapes of both ends of the forward seat
planks, then take them out. (Photo 24 shows some of
the planks removed, revealing the mast partner and the
floating half beam.) Cut their ends, round over their
corners, and set them aside for now.

Foam Flotation—The flotation under the seats

is made from 2"-thick Styrofoam supported by ¾" × ¾"
cleats along the bottom edges of the seat beams as
shown in the cross-sections in Figure 5. Make the cleats,
and screw them to the beams with No. 8 × 1¼" screws.
Cut the Styrofoam to fit (it cuts easily with a handsaw), and try it in place. You can paint the top surfaces
with latex paint to match the
color of the seats. The block
under the forward seat will need
a wide groove to accommodate
the mast partner and a slot for
the floating half beam. You can
cut the latter with a jigsaw, and
make the former by cutting a
series of kerfs across the block
with a circular saw, then knocking out the waste between them.
Finish the bottom of the groove
with a belt sander. You’ll also
need to cut a hole for the mast,
of course. Round over the corners on all the flotation blocks.
Photo 25 shows the foam flotation in place, with strategically
painted stripes to keep blue
foam from showing through the
gaps in the seats.
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26

Epoxy SEaling, paint and VarniSh—

Remove the foam flotation and seal the whole of the
interior of the hull, including the seat beams, mast
partner, centerboard or daggerboard trunk—all the
wood surfaces—with two coats of epoxy resin. You can
seal the seat planks at the same time while they are out
of the boat. Give the epoxy time to cure completely,
sand it, and apply as many coats of paint or varnish to
the interior as you think fit. It’s a good idea to do this
now, before the seats are in, while you have easy access.
If you haven’t already done so, paint the boat’s exterior
as well.

27

Reinstall the flotation, thwarts, and seat planks, this
time gluing bungs over the screws. I didn’t glue the
thwart or seat planks in place because someday they
may need to be removed for maintenance, the foam flotation may need to be replaced, or the hull may need
refinishing underneath them.

thwart KnEES—The next task—and almost
the last one before launching—is rather good fun. It’s
making the thwart knees, which you can easily steam to
shape. (You could laminate them, but steaming is easier.) Ash steams very easily, and oak almost as well. Cut

The 12' Peapod carries a simple lug rig whose spars are built from common spruce framing lumber; their construction is
detailed on page 74. For rowing, a simple cap should be fit over the daggerboard slot to keep water from sloshing into the
boat; the cap is a simple piece of wood the size of the top of the trunk, with a perpendicular piece about 3/4" thick fastened to
its underside, to fit about 6" into the slot. 

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a piece 5 ⁄ 8" × 2" × 12" and throw it into a bucket of water
for a couple of days (if you’ve been reading ahead, you
will already have done this). Make a steambox like the
one in Photo 26. It has a hole about 2" in diameter in
the bottom to admit the steam. Set it on a saucepan
with a few inches of water in the bottom, and put it on
a suitable source of heat, with the knee stock inside.
Bring the water to a good boil, and let it steam for a
couple of hours. The wood needs to get good and hot,
and saturated with the steam. Make a mold to the shape
of the knee, and clamp it in your bench vise.
Now you have to work quickly for the next bit. Wear
gloves, as the wood’s going to be hot! Take it out of the
steambox, clamp one end to the mold, and bend it. Then
put a clamp on the other end (Photo 27). You will be surprised at how easily it bends. If you get it right, the wood
is almost like putty. Set the whole thing aside again for a
couple of days to let it dry. When you take the wood off
the mold, there should be little or no springback.
Cut the stock down the center to make two knees,
cut them to length, round over their corners, sand
and screw them to the thwart and sheer clamp. Bung
all the screw holes.

Varnishing the seats— If you haven’t
already done so, seal the top surfaces of the thwart
and seats with epoxy resin, then varnish them. If you
have a daggerboard trunk, make a cap to fit over it
so that water doesn’t splash up and wet your behind
when you are rowing. Fit a cleat for a painter on the
after side of the stem, and a cleat on the forward
seat, just behind the mast, for a boom downhaul, if
necessary.
One more thing, and you can take her for a row: Fit
an oarlock socket in each oarlock chock. Drill a hole of
the correct diameter and depth to accommodate both
the socket and the oarlock, then continue the hole with
a ¼" bit right through the chock for drainage. Install
the sockets with No. 8 × 1¼" screws.
Figure 6 shows the sail plan, along with mast and
spars. For instructions on making the mast and spars,
see the following article.
Arch Davis designs and builds boats in Belfast, Maine. You can
order plans for his 12' Peapod online at www.archdavisdesigns.com,
or by mail at Arch Davis Design, 37 Doak Rd., Belfast, ME 04915;
207–930–9873.

Daggerboard

FigUre 6

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A MAst for the 12' PeAPod

Simple spars for a small boat

The building of this simple mast begins with a squaresectioned spruce blank. Four passes through the table saw
create an untapered, eight-face piece. The eight faces are
planed by hand to the mast’s designed taper.

by Arch Davis

T

he traditional wood of choice for masts and spars
is Sitka spruce, which is light and strong, but
expensive. Alternatives are Douglas-fir and eastern spruce. Douglas-Fir makes a very attractive mast,
but it’s comparatively heavy. For small boats, I use eastern spruce in the form of run-of-the-mill, kiln-dried
framing lumber—which is lighter than fir. Most eastern spruce is useless for sparmaking, being full of knots
and other defects, but with some searching, I can usually find an acceptably straight and clear 2×8 or 2×10 at
my local lumberyard.
These rough spruce boards are unimpressive when I
bring them into my shop, but the wood has an attractive,
lustrous pale-yellow color when planed and finished.
To make the mast for the 12' Peapod on the previous
pages, I start by ripping two pieces to 2 ¾"×1½", which
is ½" wider than the diameter of the mast to allow for
the fact that the pieces are never perfectly straight. I
glue them together, concave faces in, to get as straight a
piece as possible measuring 3" by 2¾" in cross-section.
The extra size allows for further straightening while I
rip the piece again to make a blank whose cross section
is 2¼"× 2¼". At one end, I find the center and from it
draw a 2 ¼" diameter circle, to which I draw tangents at
45º to the faces of the piece. At the other (smaller) end
I draw a 1 7 ⁄ 8" diameter circle with similar tangents.
Next I set the arbor on my table saw to 45 degrees,
with the fence to the lefthand side of the blade as shown
in the photo, with a wooden extension fastened to it. I

clamp feather boards to the extension and table and
rip four times to reduce the spar to an octagonal cross
section.
Since the mast tapers to 1 7 ⁄ 8" diameter at the top, I
take it to my workbench, clamp it in the vise, and plane
the eight faces to taper to the smaller circle, then I
plane each of the eight resulting corners to arrive at a
16-sided cross section. This leaves 16 corners; I draw a
reference line around the mast (it’s easy to get lost at
this point), and take two or three full-length shavings
off each corner to arrive at a 32-sided cross section.
From this point, I use sandpaper. I clamp the mast
between two workbenches and work it down to round
with a strip of 60-grit sandpaper (cloth-backed, floor
sanding paper works best) to which I have attached
handles to pull it back and forth. This gives an even,
round section—perhaps not as precise as you would
get with a lathe, but pretty close. I finish by sanding
lengthwise along the spar with 80-grit and then 120grit sandpaper.
To complete the mast, I cut a mortise at the top for
the halyard, attach a halyard cleat, insert a 1¼" dowel
in the heel to fit the mast step, and apply five coats of
varnish.
Making the boom and yard follows much the same
procedure, except that they can be made from one
piece each of 1½" in diameter stock. The yard tapers
to 1¼" diameter at the ends; the boom is finished with
jaws to fit around the mast.
To set up the Peapod’s simple lug rig, seize the tack
and clew of the sail to the boom, lace the head to the
yard, attach the halyard and sheet, hoist the sail, and
check that it sets nicely. Hang the rudder, and you’re
good to go. Good sailing!

The eight-sided tapered blank is planed to 16 sides, then 32,
and then aggressively hand-sanded to achieve a round spar.

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DESIGNS

Gartside
14.9-Meter
The ICW
48
Motorsailer
A Dick Newick
monohull
Able
and comfortable

Particulars
LOA
LWL

Beam
Draft
Displ
Sail area

14.90 m (48' 11" )
12.38 m (40' 7" )
4.46 m (14' 8" )
1.90 m (6' 3" )
23,500 Kg (51,800 lbs)
118.2 m2 (1,272 sq ft)

Commentary
Commentaryby
by
Robert
RobertW.
W.Stephens
Stephens
Design by
Paul Gartside

W

hy have motorsailers acquired such a bad name?
During
my
formative
years, “real” yachtsmen looked
down their noses at motorsailers,
considering them neither fish nor
fowl, ill-equipped to do anything
very well. We blustered about how
they didn’t have enough sail area to
drag their huge powerboat propellers through the water, or enough
engine power to push their ungainly rigging through the air. They
rattled, smoked and smelled underway, and their bulky and boxy superstructures blocked visibility, created
unacceptable windage, and—most

important—offended our finely
tuned yachtsmen’s eye for beauty.
As I look back on our attitudes, I
think our strongly averred aversion
was a subconscious mechanism to
keep us from questioning the basic
tenets of our carefully constructed
world of yachting beliefs. Boating
was supposed to be uncomfortable—how could we be proving how
rugged we were, if we weren’t either
shivering in a wet, uncomfortable
cockpit as we slammed our way to
windward, or bashing our kidneys
out in a deep-V powerboat at something approaching highway speeds,
the scream of a pair of high-speed

diesels emanating through the floorboards? In retrospect, the concept
of a snug, sensible, seaworthy craft
that can take us anywhere at reasonable speeds in any conditions, without fuss or angst, simply didn’t fit in
the world we’d built for ourselves.
How foolish we were!
Even back then, despite our beliefs, there were some superb boats
of this type. Nowadays, with improvements in sails, rigging, and
especially in engines, motorsailers have even more to recommend
them—and now we’re smart enough
to recognize their virtues.
As he has done with everything
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DESIGNS

This motorsailer’s hull lines indicate moderately heavy displacement for her length, which should contribute to steady and easy
motion. The canoe stern will help the boat move efficiently at reasonable speeds, and it will look fine from all perspectives.

from open rowboats to gaff-rigged
pilot cutters, Paul Gartside has
shown his ability to distill the best
from the typical motorsailer of a
couple of generations ago, and infuse the resulting brew with his own
unique and sensible style, incorporating meaningful updates in construction and equipment without
losing the flavor of tradition. Here’s
a fine example of his work in this
most comfortable genre—a great example of the virtues in moderation.
With this design, Gartside has
wriggled free of the cumbersome
embrace of the English measurement system—a move I’ve been
resisting in my own practice, more
from an emotional fear of giving
up the comfort of years of familiarity than from a lack of appreciation
of the metric system’s advantages.
However, let’s try to bite the bullet
and avoid conversions—at some
point, we may need to admit that the
rest of the world might just be on to
something. At 14.9 meters in overall length, with a displacement of
23,500 kg, this boat is long enough
and big enough to take us anywhere

we desire, and her moderately heavy
displacement for her length will assure a steady, easy motion while we
get there. Her shapely hull uses the
proven form of the canoe stern, a
shape linked to easy, efficient movement under power at speeds well below theoretical hull speed. Think of
sardine carriers, Liberty ships, and,
well, canoes—all known for slipping
along nearly effortlessly, even when
heavily loaded. For this boat, that
speed will be in the neighborhood
of, say, 61⁄2 knots. With her 100-kW
diesel, we can push her faster in
smooth water, but the resulting fuel
burn will be far out of proportion to
the speed increase. The sizable engine allows us to run at lower rpm
in smooth conditions, with some
oomph in the bank for when the going gets rough. If we’re smart, and
wealthy, enough, we’ll fit a feathering propeller so the drag when
under sail will be much reduced
without sacrificing efficiency under
power.
The boat’s jaunty profile is salty
enough to satisfy the most dyedin-the-wool traditionalist, with a

deeply swept sheer that keeps freeboard nice and low amidships, for
ease of boarding and good looks,
while freeboard at bow and stern is
ample to keep the decks dry in a
seaway. The security offered by her
high bulwarks is complemented
by her large freeing ports to alleviate the worry of trapping a significant weight of water on deck.
Gartside has employed modern
construction techniques to avoid
the maintenance issues associated with traditionally constructed
bulwarks—the frame ends terminate belowdecks, the bulwarks are
backed up by plywood doublers,
and fiberglass sheathing protects
against water intrusion. A substantial sponson, or rubrail, and
a thicker “wale” applied over the
cold-molded hull protect against
the inevitable crunches that a real
cruiser will encounter.
Gartside has selected a ketch
rig—common enough for boats of
this type, where the less-than-stellar
windward performance can be
helped out by an engine turning at
low revolutions, and where multiple

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DESIGNS

Extreme comfort for a crew of two: the airy pilothouse carries its sole at the same height as the cockpit, which creates a huge
“indoor/outdoor” living space. Up forward, the accommodations appear cozy, but certainly not cramped.

sail combinations allow fine-tuning
for best performance while motorsailing. What’s less common is the
loftiness of the rig. The aluminum
spars tower over the low hull, and
the sail plan shows a surprisingly
high aspect ratio. Despite the height
of the masts, the sail area is still relatively modest when compared to the
boat’s displacement—she will welcome a boost by the motor in light
airs, but when it breezes up, she will
come into her own under sail.
A high importance has been
placed upon living spaces at deck
level—both outside and under cover—at the expense of belowdeck accommodations. In an era when most
boats of this size will feature three
double staterooms with ensuite
heads, this boat has clearly been
designed with other priorities. One
wonders what the conversations between designer and client were like
while working out the arrangement.
A large, wide, and well-protected aft

cockpit provides lots of stretchingout space for sailing or sunning. In
most conditions this will add greatly
to the crew’s enjoyment—but in really rough situations, I’d want to be
sure I had planned for seriously big
cockpit scupper drains; this cockpit
can hold a lot of water.
The capacious pilothouse is the
heart of the boat. The sole is at the
same height as the cockpit sole, so
the space will feel like an extension
of the outdoor space, and big windows all around will make the raised
saloon a great place to watch the
world go by, whether in fine weather
or foul. A roomy helm station to starboard is balanced by a huge chart
table to port—a navigator’s dream.
Below, the compromise forced by
the roominess of the on-deck spaces
becomes apparent. A spacious galley to port and head to starboard
give way to an ample forward cabin
with two wide single bunks suggesting that for this client the comfort

of good passagemaking berths outweighs the allure of a romantic
master suite. A diminutive but cozy
“fo’c’s’le” seating area calls forth
memories of fishing schooners, oil
lamps, and sea stories.
While some will undoubtedly
question the concept of a large craft
with a layout clearly intended only
for the comfort of a crew of two, the
traditional salty charm of this motorsailer, combined with Paul Gartside’s
dependably sensible combination of
tradition and modern construction,
promise a cruiser that will truly pamper her crew of two. Should I be fortunate enough to see her slide into
my harbor, rest assured I won’t be
looking down my nose.
Bob Stephens is a principal of Stephens
Waring Yacht Design, in Belfast, Maine.
Plans from Paul Gartside Ltd., Boat Builder
and Designer, P.O. Box 1575, Shelburne,
NS, B0T 1W0, Canada; 902–875–2112;
www.gartsideboats.com.

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IN FOCUS

Portsoy is a lovely little place with a 300-year-old harbor that dries out at low tide. For that reason, the festival takes place
when high tide is during the mid-day hours—but there is much to do and see on shore during the two-day festival. Besides
boatbuilding, restoration, and maritime craftsmanship of all sorts, there is an emphasis on Scottish music, dancing,
traditional crafts, food, and drink. Traditional and interesting boats of all sizes—not just Scottish boats—are welcome and
people come from around Britain plus Scandinavia, Holland, France, and even the United States.

The Scottish Traditional Boat Festival
Photographs and captions by Kathy Mansfield

W

hen Kathy Mansfield took a junior year abroad
from Connecticut College, she attended Cambridge University in England. Wanting to
share her experiences with family and friends, she
began shooting photographs, and hasn’t stopped since.
Kathy, in fact, remained in England to start an
academic publishing career, and also published a few
gardening images. “It was important,” she recalls, “to
visit a garden before the wind got up and complicated
the photo shoot.”
“I’d always loved sailing small boats,” Kathy
continues. She was inspired by an older relative,
George Whiteley, who had photographed and written
about boats, He visited Kathy in England, and his

stories reminded her of her childhood years on Cape
Cod. Shortly after that visit, a relative invited Kathy
and her husband to sail on the west coast of Scotland,
and talked of his plans to establish the Unst Boat
Haven museum in Shetland. “That was it,” Kathy
recalls. “I decided to use wind rather than trying to
avoid it, and my camera turned to wooden boats. I
now photograph and write for various magazines in
the U.S., England, and Europe.” Kathy also publishes
the calendar Classic Sail (www.tidemarkpress.com).
On the following pages, Kathy focuses on the boats
attending the 2011 Traditional Scottish Boat Festival
at Portsoy on the Moray Firth in northeast Scotland.
This year’s festival runs June 23–24.
—Eds

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KNUT is a replica Norwegian Sunnfjordsekskeiping. The original was built in 1860 and used for fishing until 1910
and stored in a boathouse since 1920. Norwegian Haakon Dyrstad began to use it in about 1990, but was advised
to build a replica to save the original boat; he named the replica for the old boat’s first owner. Haakon has sailed
long distances from Norway in the new boat, including an early voyage to York, England. En-route to the festival,
the Wick lifeboatmen on the herring drifter ISabElla ForTUNa sailed over to KNUT and delivered a bottle of
whisky in the traditional manner, throwing a line with the bottle tied in halfway along, keeping the other end of
the line until the bottle was removed, and hauling the line back. Seagoing etiquette has not died out in Scotland.

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IN FOCUS

These St. Ayles skiffs, designed by Iain Oughtred for the Scottish Coastal
Rowing Project, are an exciting new addition to the Scottish Traditional
Boat Festival. The plywood for these hulls is computer-cut by Jordan Boats
in Scotland, and community groups build the kits and row the boats, with
as many women as men coming forward to train and row competitively in
races around the Scottish coast. It seems to have struck a chord: The boat is a
reasonably priced, and well-organized for amateur construction, and rowing
is less-complicated than sailing, more fun than working out in a gym, and
sociable.

Coracles are an ancient working boat made of a framework of split willow
tied together with willow bark and covered with tarred hide. They are
lightweight and easy to make from local materials. This one was built by
David Raffel and his grandson Euan Raffel from Ripon in Yorkshire, who
demonstrate the traditional building of these craft in northern England
and in Scotland. Behind the coracle is the Scottish Fifie BLACK GOLD (see
opposite page).

A crewman enjoys the view from the
Scottish Fisheries Museum’s 1902 lug
rigged REAPER. This 70’ sailing herring
drifter, a so-called Fifie, (see opposite
page, and WB No. 212) was built in
Fraserburgh on the east coast of Scotland
and rigged traditionally with a dippinglug foresail and a standing-lug mizzen.
She moved to Lerwick, Shetland, in 1908,
and was not powered until 1916. During
WWII, she was requisitioned for service
in southeastern England. In 1959 the
Shetland County Council acquired her
as a “flit boat” for carrying cargoes and
gravel for roads and pier building among
the islands. In 1979, The Scottish Fisheries
Museum bought and restored her,
adding a museum display in the fish hold.
She now is maintained and crewed by
volunteers who take her along the coast
of Scotland and farther afield, welcoming
aboard many people.

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IN FOCUS

The 33’ Ness Sgoth AN SulAire (left) was built by John Murdo Mcleod on Harris in the Western isles of Scotland.
His grandfather was the last commercial boatbuilder in the area, and before the building techniques were lost,
he wanted a full-size replica of a Ness boat, an open herring-fishing boat used in the area. He was joined by
assistant Angus Smith and their work in 1993 and 1994 was made into a documentary film for the BBC, Tree to Sea.
AN SulAire, here in company with KNuT (page 79) en-route to Portsoy, sails the coast of Scotland and welcomes
aboard interested people to see and sail her.

This small Fifie, about 20’ long, was built
by her Portsoy-based owner, Alasdair
Scott. BlACK GOlD is built traditionally
of larch, and rests here against the wall
of the 300-year-old stone harbor of
Portsoy. She is rigged with a dipping
lug, built with fish wells below; Alasdair
can be seen line-fishing if the wind is
not strong enough for racing during the
Scottish Traditional Boat Festival. The
Fifie was one of the most enduring of
the Scottish fishing boats. With their
double-ended hulls and plumb stems
and sternposts, they were powerful
under their traditional dipping-lug rigs
and able to hold well to windward in
strong winds.

For more information on the festival, visit
www.scottishtraditionalboatfestival.co.uk.

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Uffa Fox
Madman or Genius?
Ge
Part FOUr

A special connection
by Nic Compton

UFFA FOX ARCHIVE

T

he Second World War had been good to Uffa Fox.
Despite enjoying massive success with his International 14s before the war, he had overstretched
himself financially by buying a large boatyard in Cowes
in the late 1930s and was nearly at the breaking point
when hostilities were announced. However, his invention of the airborne lifeboat (with a helping hand from
the Ministry of Defense) not only became his proudest
achievement but also paid him handsomely—enough
to sort out his immediate financial problems and buy a
fancy house at Puckaster, on the other side of the Isle
of Wight.
The project also raised his profile outside the yachting fraternity. Ridiculed by some but admired by many
more, the airborne lifeboats symbolized many of the
virtues the British prided themselves in: ingenuity, fortitude, and triumph in the face of adversity. In terms of
national pride, each boat represented a mini-Dunkirk
all its own. More important, the lifeboats were credited
with saving 600 lives during the latter years of the war,
a fact that earned Uffa many new friends.
One friendship in particular, forged in the summer of 1949, would transform his life. It was during
Cowes Week on the Isle of Wight, and Prince Philip was
attending a function at the Island Sailing Club (ISC).
According to Uffa’s nephew Tony Dixon, the Prince
asked his hosts if there was anyone interesting for him
to talk to at the event. “We’ve got just the chap for you,”
was the reply, as the Prince was steered across the room
to where Uffa was holding court.
It was in many ways a meeting of opposites. Despite
his towering reputation as a designer of small craft
and an incisive yachting commentator, Uffa, by now
in his early 50s, had retained his south coast brogue
and blunt, uncompromising manner. Prince Philip, by
contrast, was not yet 30 and, having married Queen
Elizabeth two years before, was just getting used to the
pomp and circumstance that being a member of the
royal family entails—including trying not to speak his
own mind. Yet the pair hit it off immediately.
“Uffa treated him the same way he would treat a

Uffa Fox had developed several breakthrough designs
before and during World War II, and his postwar years
were no less fertile.

dustman, because he treated everyone the same. He’d
say, ‘look nipper,’ and Prince Philip loved that,” says
Dixon. “Prince Philip had been in the navy, and he
liked straight talking.”
Uffa soon became a regular fixture crewing on board
the Prince’s various boats, including the Dragon-class
sloop BLUEBELL , a wedding gift to the royal couple
from the ISC . As the friendship grew, he was invited to
dinner on the Royal Yacht BRITANNIA and, later, Buckingham Palace, and in due course taught the royal children, notably Prince Charles, to sail. It was a friendship
that would endure the rest of Uffa’s life.
“It seems to have become a common belief that
all people can be put into some arbitrary category or
other,” Prince Philip later wrote (Uffa Fox: A Personal
Biography, by June Dixon, 1978). “Uffa defied this rubbish with relish. His life was one long campaign for the
freedom of the human spirit and against the foolish,
the stupid and the self-important, the whole conducted
with a cheerful breeziness that disarmed all but the
hardest case. All the qualities of his nature were over
life-size but neither malice nor dishonesty were among

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PRESS ASSOCIATION

In the summer of 1949, at Cowes Week, Uffa became friends with Prince Philip, seen here at the helm of his Dragon-class
sloop. The friendship extended—at least partly—to other members of the Royal family, including Prince Charles, whom Uffa
taught to sail.

them. In conventional terms Uffa was eccentric, but it
has always struck me that even his more bizarre ideas
had a way of exposing how irrational some of our more
cherished conventions can be.”

T

Uffa in the
bathtub at
Medina house,
recreating the
moment he
invented the
Flying 15. Many
of his best ideas
were said to have
emerged while
soaking.

CROWN/UFFA FOX ARCHIVE

he end of the war brought new opportunities
for those able to adapt and make the most of
some dramatic advances in technology. Uffa
embraced these changes by joining forces with Fairey
Marine to produce a line of successful designs based on
the hot-molding techniques developed for the production of wartime aircraft (see Part 3, WB No. 223). But,

while the Firefly was revolutionary in being the firstever mass-produced dinghy, its design was hardly original, having been conceived in 1936 as the Cambridge
University One-Design. Future boats in the Fairey line
were also mostly developments of the classic planing
hull—including the fastest dinghy of its day, the 18'
Jolly Boat, capable of over 13 knots. What was lacking,
in design terms, was a “big idea” of the scale of Uffa’s
first planing dinghy, or the spectacular originality of
the airborne lifeboats.
A breakthrough concept was, however, forming in
Uffa’s brain. It emerged, according to legend, where
many of Uffa’s ideas emerged: in the bath. According to
his 1959 book Sailing Boats, Uffa often spent up to two
hours soaking. “In the bath,” he explained, “one weighs
next to nothing, the warmth sends the blood surging
round the body and its soothing effect stimulates calm
and quiet thinking.” The thinking that this particular
bath stimulated was the Flying Fifteen, which, from her
distinctive keel to her rudder and deck arrangement,
came to him “swiftly as a flash of lightning.”
In fact, the origins of the design stretch back a good
deal farther than that. After the war, the RYA had invited
designs for a two-man keelboat to race in the 1948
Olympics. Uffa had designed a 25' light-displacement
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UFFA FOx ARCHIVE

The Flying 15 COWESLIP under construction. The “15” was one of a range of 10 designs, in 5’ increments, that blended speed
with easy handling and low cost.

hull with a detachable keel—a feature inspired by the
Star class—and had built a prototype to undergo trials.
In the event, PENSIVE TEMPTRESS didn’t conform to
the RYA brief, and the National Swallow, designed by
Tom Thorneycroft, was adopted instead. The exercise
was not a waste of time, however, as not only did Uffa’s
design win a number of races locally, but it proved the
concept of a planing keelboat was possible—if somewhat wet. Scaled down to 20' LOA on a 15' waterline, it
became the basis of the Flying Fifteen.
Uffa himself credited the origins of the design to his
friend Jimmy Damant, commodore of the ISC and one
of his first International 14 clients, who apparently said
to him: “Design a boat like this 14-footer, but at least
18' long, that will not capsize. Then you will have a sensible, safe boat, that is fun to sail as well, for the rough
and tumble of tidal waters like the Solent.”
Whatever its origins, the idea of a keel boat that
could plane must have seemed quite contradictory, if
not impossible, at that time, but it turned what would
have already been an exciting boat into a revolutionary one. Sailors could now enjoy the thrill of thundering off the wind at 12 knots without worrying about
being pitched into the water at any moment. As Uffa
wrote about the prototype Flying Fifteen—named MY
DAINTY DUCk after his then-girlfriend—“her speed,
easy handling and low building and upkeep cost convinced me that here was a new world for yachtsmen.”
(Arguably Ray Hunt got there first with his International 110, which had a bulb keel, but that was a littleknown class outside the U.S.)
So excited was he by his latest brainwave that he
set about designing a whole “Flying Family,” increasing

the waterline length in 5' increments to produce 15',
20', 25', 30', 35', 40', 45', 50'—all of which were built
except the 40' and 45' versions. He later added 10' and
12' versions to the range.
One of the most extraordinary members of the “family” was the Flying 30 HUFF OF ARkLOW, launched in
1951. With her cutaway aft deck, she looks strange to
the contemporary eye and must have seemed positively
outlandish when she was first launched. HUFF was one
of the first yachts to have a fin keel and skeg rudder—15
years before the concept was applied by Dick Carter to
his Fastnet-winning RABBIT and Sparkman & Stephens
to their two-time AMERICA’s Cup winner INTREPID.
Like her smaller sisters, HUFF was expected to plane.
Indeed, Uffa wrote of the Flying 35 FLYINg FOx: “She
has the ability to plane, but since she is a cruiser this
only happens occasionally and is rather terrifying,
though quite comfortable.”
Ever the canny publicist, at the start of his friendship
with Prince Philip, Uffa persuaded Cowes council that
a Flying Fifteen would make a fitting wedding gift from
the town, and No. 192, COWESLIP, was duly presented
to the royal couple. The boat accompanied the Prince
when he was posted to Malta for two years in 1949, and
later went around the world on the deck of the Royal
Yacht BRITANNIA . After his return to the U.k., Prince
Philip became an active competitor in the Cowes fleet,
winning the class at Cowes Week in 1951, and providing
endless photographic opportunities for Uffa’s creation.
It was the kind of PR that no amount of money can buy,
and the Flying Fifteen fleet quickly grew, both in the
U.k. and abroad.
Uffa’s attempt to apply the “flying” concept to the

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DAILY SKETCH

UFFA at the helm
of FRESH BREEZE,
which he designed
for a client who
died mid-build. Uffa
owned the boat for a
short period of time.
The helm seat, seen
here, is gimbaled
and equipped with a
saddle.

established racing classes was rather less successful.
The Six-Meter NORODA , built for the commodore of
the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, F.G. “Tiny” Mitchell,
had a “shark-like” keel and kicked-back rudder that
looked suspiciously like a scaled-up version of the Flying Fifteen formula—albeit fitted to a conventional
semi-displacement hull. Far from revolutionizing the
class, however, the yacht was said to broach horribly
and to be virtually uncontrollable in a strong wind.
Despite this setback, Uffa still received occasional
commissions for larger boats. One happy customer

was Viscount Runciman, who had bought Uffa’s 1938
design STARDUST and renamed her MARY LUNN after
a Hilaire Belloc character who had “a whacking lot of
fun.” Evidently pleased with his acquisition, when the
time came for an upgrade he approached Uffa for a
new design. The 49' SANDAVORE was the result, which
was subsequently sailed extensively around Europe.
SANDAVORE was not only a useful commission moneywise, during yet another difficult financial moment,
but it also enabled Uffa to achieve another long-held
ambition. Despite having designed countless boats
and being one of the most influential boat designers
of his generation, he had never gained proper professional qualifications. When he discovered that Lord
Runciman was president of the Royal Institute of Naval
Architecture, he seized his moment and asked him to
exercise his influence. Three months later, Uffa was
elected a member of RINA—an honor that must have
delighted him more than any number of commissions.
One of Uffa’s favorite designs was the 35' FRESH
BREEZE , a long-keeled cruising yacht he designed for a
customer in Somerset. When the client died before
the project was completed, he bought the yacht from the
man’s widow and had it finished off for himself.
Although a fairly conventional design, the fitout included
some typically innovative Uffa-like features, including
an upright piano that could be turned over and turned
into a table (an idea he’d spotted on the S&S LANDFALL when he sailed aboard during the 1932 Transatlantic Race). The steering wheel was fitted with a
saddle, complete with stirrups, which swung on gimbals
to keep the helmsperson upright. Uffa’s love affair with

UFFA FOX ARCHIVE

Uffa’s drawings for the Flying 15 included this car-top carrying apparatus. The boat seen here is COWESLIP, which Uffa
persuaded the Cowes City Council to present as a wedding gift to Elizabeth and Philip.

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roGer M. sMiTh/UFFA FoX ArChiVe

Uffa and Prince Charles sailing a Flying 15. According to a BBC interview with Uffa, the Prince was very good sailing to
windward, but lacked concentration off the wind.

Fresh Breeze was short-lived, however, as within a
year his worsening financial situation forced him to put
her on the market.

A

s ever, Uffa’s outward air of success belied a series
of financial crises and a tumultuous personal life.
his relationship with his second wife, Cherry,
had broken down and ended in a messy divorce, with
Uffa refusing to pay alimony until forced to do so by the
courts. he soon partied his way through the money
he’d earned from the airborne lifeboats and had to sell
his fancy house at Puckaster—initially keeping a cottage there, before selling that, too. he sold his boatbuilding business at the Medina yard, staying on as
technical adviser until he fell out with the new owners.
Although he still owned the Uffa Fox company name,
his work from now on would be focused on design
rather than construction.
With the assets released from these various sales, he
bought a derelict 400-year-old warehouse on the Cowes
waterfront, which he proceeded to convert into a grand
townhouse suited to someone who might be expected
to entertain royalty. Furniture included pieces by Chippendale and sheraton, along with a steinway piano
once owned by Lord Byron, and a dining table that
could seat 24 revelers. The small quay outside was fitted with a boat crane and became home to CoWesLiP
when the boat was not being used by Prince Philip.
once again, Uffa had managed to turn a crisis to
his advantage, but as usual it was not without a little
help from his friends. his loyal supporter, Commodore
Jimmy Damant, helped fund the massive works needed
on Uffa’s new home, and at one point had so much

invested in the house that Uffa jokingly referred to it
as “the commodore’s house.” The name stuck, and the
property has been known as the Commodore’s house
ever since.
inevitably, his connection with the royal family
threw Uffa into the limelight, as he was photographed
with various members of the family at successive Cowes
Weeks and on the royal yacht. The royal stamp of
approval combined with an amusing way with words and
a notable lack of inhibition gradually turned him into
something of a celebrity. Not that everyone approved of
his antics, as an article in the August 15, 1955 issue of
Time magazine makes clear:
“Conspicuously present at Cowes last week was the
renaissance’s principal architect: salty, roistering Uffa
Fox, 57, one of the world’s top yacht designers, boon
companion and helmsman to the Duke of edinburgh.
he and Prince Philip fared no better than second, successively sailing in Uffa’s 20-ton sloop Fresh Breeze,
the Duke’s Fox-designed CoWesLiP, and his slim
Dragon-class sloop BLUeBoTTLe. But they had a fine
time anyway. At his home, a converted waterfront warehouse, Uffa presided over the nightly after-dinner festivities that lasted until dawn. At a dinner for the imperial
Poona Yacht Club, he donned a pith helmet and led his
cronies in spoon-hammering sea chanties [sic]. said
one Cowes pubkeeper: ‘There’s pirates ’round Cowes at
regatta time, and Uffa’s the worst of the lot.’ Lusty Uffa
Fox certainly has a touch of Kidd and Blackbeard about
him—at least in the eyes of landlubbers, whom he has
shocked all his life.”
But Uffa had plenty of friends who delighted in his
exuberance and seemed more than willing to smooth

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DAILY GRAPHIC

his way. His friendship with Sir Max Aitken, owner of
the Express group of newspapers, no doubt ensured he
was included on the Daily Express’s panel of experts at
the first London Boat Show in 1954, as well as setting
him up nicely to write regular articles about sailing for
the newspaper.
Despite this revival of his literary career, Uffa still
found it impossible to write a follow-up to the successful series of books he had written in the 1930s and on
which his reputation was partly based. Truth be told,
his then-wife Alma, a schoolteacher by profession, had
co-authored the books, and Uffa hadn’t written a new
book since they separated in 1938. It wasn’t until 1959
that he completed his long-awaited follow-up, and this
time it was with a different publisher. A conventionally
sized hardback with limited space for lines drawings
and photographs, Sailing Boats contained the usual
mix of design reviews (including several of Uffa’s own
designs) combined with some technical analysis and
a good smattering of Uffa anecdotes. It was followed
by According to Uffa in 1960, which was essentially an
instruction manual for sailing, and two autobiographies, Joys of Life (1966) and More Joys of Living (1972).
Although Sailing Boats sold better than expected,
warranting four editions in as many years, the “small
book” series was considerably less impressive than Uffa’s
previous oeuvre. In the “big book” series, Uffa’s knowledge combined with Alma’s sensitivity had produced
a literary alchemy resulting in five exceptional books.
Without her moderating influence, Uffa’s opinions

tended toward arrogance and his wise words sounded
clichéd and trite. The price of the books today says it
all: whereas the big books are regarded as collector’s
items and typically fetch around $95 or more, the later
small books usually sell for about $10.
By now in his 60s, Uffa showed no sign of slowing
down and, despite his hectic social life, he still found
time to produce new designs. As ever, the more unusual
or challenging the project, the more it interested him.
When Bell Woodworking devised a type of plywood
that could be bent both ways—thereby getting around
the problem of creating compound curves out of ply—
Uffa was enlisted to create “the best 14' dinghy in the
world.” The result was the Pegasus, which was initially
sold in kit form, allowing amateurs to build a professional-looking boat without the chines associated with
most plywood kits. Although only 250 boats were built,
the Pegasus was acknowledged as one of the best dinghies of its time—until it was eclipsed by ubiquitous
fiberglass boats. The Bell Cat followed, also built using
the Bell Round Bilge Method—although even when it
was first launched, it looked strangely old-fashioned
next to other contemporary catamarans such as the
Shearwater.
But Uffa’s best-selling design was yet to come and,
when it did materialize, it went almost unnoticed in the
U.K. George O’Day was an insurance salesman from
Massachusetts who raced dinghies out of Marblehead.
He would go on to win an Olympic Gold medal for the
United States (in 1960) and serve as assistant helmsman
in two America’s Cup campaigns (1962 and 1967). In
his spare time, he started a business importing the
Fairey line of dinghies designed by Uffa, including the
Firefly (whose U.S. championship he won in 1953), the
Jolly Boat (ditto, 1957) and the International 14 (ditto,
1958).
When O’Day’s company branched out into boatbuilding in 1958, he asked Uffa to design a 17' family boat
for the American market. Uffa drew a classic planing
hull, with buoyancy tanks fore and aft, to which O’Day
added a small cuddy (which Uffa disapproved of) and
an outboard bracket. Billed as “the boat that launched
10,000 nights,” the Daysailer caught the public appetite
for an affordable dinghy that could be kept on a trailer,
thereby saving on mooring fees, and which the whole
family could pile into and, at a pinch, sleep on board.
For several years after its launch it was America’s bestselling small sailboat and, with more than 13,000 hulls
sold, it still ranks as the best-selling Uffa design.
The 14' Javelin followed, with the emphasis firmly
on stability and comfort, without unduly affecting the
boat’s performance. This was achieved with wider-thanaverage beam (5' 8" maximum and 4' 6" at the waterline), plenty of buoyancy tanks filled with Styrofoam
to achieve positive flotation, and a self-draining cockpit. More than 5,000 Javelins were built in the United
States, before production moved to Japan.
The Flying 15 COWESLIP hangs from the crane of HMS GLORY.
The boat is likely en-route to or from Malta, but the record is
unclear which.
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And so it was that Uffa entered his 61st year on an
all-time high. Far from being a spent force, he was at
the leading edge of dinghy design and had connections
with influential people in the highest office in the land.
Whereas his parents and one grandparent had served
royalty, he was supping at their table as a respected and
well-loved family friend (although perhaps not with
the Queen, who is said to have despised him). Once
regarded as the laughingstock of Cowes, he was now
among its most celebrated citizens earning himself the
tribute: “If it was Queen Victoria who put Cowes on the
map, it was Uffa Fox who kept it there.”

W

hat could possibly come next? Record a best-selling album and become a famous pop star? Well,
not quite, but in 1959 Uffa was asked to record
an album of sea shanties for EMI records. Uffa Sings was
recorded at the famous Abbey Road studios, with none
other than Ron Goodwin as conductor and George Martin as producer. It included songs such as “A Life on the
Ocean Wave,” “Bay of Biscay,” “Spanish Ladies,” and other
suitably salty tunes. Although the album was panned by
Gramophone magazine—which accused Uffa of pitching “most uncertainly” and having a “severely functional
approach to singing”—it was a must-buy for any selfrespecting Uffa-cionado (to coin a phrase), and “Spanish
Ladies” became a popular choice on radio request shows.
The album was recently remastered and re-released to
raise funds for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute.

Uffa’s unlikely musical career continued when he was
asked to compère a nationwide series of concerts by the
British Concert Orchestra, conducted by his friend Victor Fleming, under the title Music for the Sea. As well as
including famous orchestral pieces such as “The Flying
Dutchman” and “The Cowes Suite”, the evening’s entertainment was spiced up by a shanty or two from Uffa.
Thanks mainly to his association with the royal family, he was by now a household name in the U.K. and
appeared regularly on TV and radio shows, including the TV panel game What’s My Line? A measure of
his standing was his being featured in a 1963 edition
of This Is Your Life, a now-defunct TV show in which
famous personalities were reunited with friends and
colleagues from their past. Among those brought on to
celebrate Uffa’s life were the first RAF crew to be saved
by one of Uffa’s airborne lifeboats during the Second
World War (members of the so-called Goldfish Club),
who paid tribute to the many lives that Uffa’s creation
had saved.
There was official recognition too, first in the form
of a Diploma of Royal Designer of Industry, presented
by the Royal Society of Arts in 1955, and then a CBE
presented by the Queen in 1959. The Royal Designer of
Industry award was presented by his old friend Prince
Philip, who commented: “There is a tendency today to
believe that every new invention must be scientific or
rational. I can confirm that there is nothing scientific
or rational about Mr. Fox.”

UFFA FOX ARCHIVE

Uffa’s final design was the 35’ stepped hydroplane EL ZORRO, which made speeds of 30 knots and planed with 20 people
aboard.

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UFFA FOX ARCHIVE

Uffa Fox at the oars of BRITANNIA . This
22-footer was based on the hull form of the
flying lifeboat and was the first to be rowed
across the Atlantic singlehanded.

Uffa had by this time met the new love of his life:
a French lady by the name of Yvonne Bernard. The
couple met at the La Baule Regatta in 1953, although
their romance didn’t really take off until Uffa visited
Paris in 1956. It was an unlikely match, if only because
Yvonne could speak no English, and Uffa could speak
no French. When it came to tying the knot, the story
goes that Uffa had to ask his friend Sir Max Aitken to
propose on his behalf. The pair were married in Cowes,
the week after Cowes Week, and for several years split
their time between their respective countries, spending
the winters in Paris and summers in Cowes. Uffa could
even boast of opening a Paris “office”—essentially a
penthouse on top of a seven-story parking garage in
Montmartre owned by Yvonne, where he took refuge to
write his books.
Well into his 60s, Uffa was still designing boats and
still claiming records, albeit vicariously. In 1969, the 22'
rowing boat BRITANNIA , based on his airborne lifeboat, became the first to be rowed singlehanded across
the Atlantic. Another commission was the 43' hydroplane BLACK MARIA , which Sir Max Aitken entered in
the 1963 Cowes-to-Torquay powerboat race, finishing a
respectable 10th out of 45 competitors. One of the last
boats he drew was the 25' launch ANKLE DEEP, which
he designed at the age of 72 and on which he blasted
around the Solent during the last two years of his life,

no doubt lambasting anyone who didn’t
have their sails set correctly. He won his
last race, the Royal Thames Yacht Club’s
Holt Cup at Cowes Week, on COWESLIP,
at the age of 70.
His very last design, which he completed shortly before he died, was a 35'
stepped hydroplane, which he drew for
an Australian client. EL ZORRO, as the
boat was called, was a smaller version of
BLACK MARIA , with proportionally more
beam (thanks to discreet nudging by
his nephew and draftsman Tony Dixon).
Her owner was evidently thrilled with
this new creation, reporting that she had
clocked up 30 knots on the measured
mile, and that she could get on the plane
quite easily even with 20 people on board!
By this time, Uffa and Yvonne had
separated and were living apart, so when
he had a heart attack in 1970 it was left
to his friends to care for him. These
included Prince Philip—who insisted on
having him craned onto Britannia’s deck
on a ship’s launch to save him having to
climb the boarding ladder—and Norman
and Josephine Terry, who nursed him for
the last few months of his life. He died on
October 27, 1972. His memorial service at St. Martin-inthe-Fields on Trafalgar Square was attended by many of
the leading figures of the day, including Prince Philip,
Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Sir Max Aitken, and
Prime Minister Edward Heath (himself a keen sailor).
“He died because he burned the candle at both
ends—and in the middle,” says Tony Dixon, who
worked with him from the 1950s onward. And certainly
Uffa Fox was not one to do anything in moderation. His
flat-out approach to life enabled him to push boundaries and imagine the unimaginable, as well as make
him an unforgettable personality. It also made him
many enemies, and there’s little doubt that by today’s
standards he would be considered a bully and a misogynist. But that is not to diminish the scale of his achievements. Few people, if any, have been at the forefront of
boat design for so long or managed to reinvent themselves so successfully and make themselves relevant for
successive generations of sailors. Even now, many Foxdesigned dinghies are raced as keenly, if not more so,
than when they were first conceived. A flawed genius he
may have been, but a genius he was nonetheless.
Nic Compton is a freelance writer and photographer based in Brighton, England. He has written about boats and the sea for 20 years,
and has published nine books, including a biography of the designer
Iain Oughtred. He is co-owner of a 25' strip-planked Cheverton Caravel built in Cowes in 1961.
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by Richard Jagels

I

n 1824, David Douglas, the 25-yearold son of a Scottish stonemason,
was sent to the Pacific Northwest of
North America by London’s Royal Horticultural Society on a plant-collecting
expedition. By 1827, he had introduced
a number of Pacific Northwest pines,
spruces, and firs into British cultivation. Douglas’s efforts would dramatically transform the arboreal landscape
of the British Isles, and eventually large
portions of continental Europe.
A few years later, in 1834, Douglas,
while exploring Hawaii, climbed to
the summit of Mauna Loa, a peak first
reached by a fellow Scottish naturalist,
Archibald Menzies, in 1794 while he was
voyaging aboard HMS DISCOVERY on
an expedition led by Capt. George Vancouver. Soon after Douglas ascended
Mauna Loa, he died under mysterious
circumstances while climbing another
peak, Mauna Kea.
These two Scotsmen are linked by
more than their common mountaineering feats. Each contributed his name
to the same tree species. The popular
name of the tree valued for its wood is
Douglas-fir, and the scientific name is
Pseudotsuga menziesii. Somewhat surprisingly, in the British Isles and elsewhere
this tree is generally known as Oregon
pine rather than by the name honoring
a Scotsman.
The ambiguous taxonomic affinity
of this tree is mirrored in its several
common names—Douglas-fir, red fir,
Douglas spruce, Oregon pine—as well
as its scientific name. At various times,
it has been linked to the conifer genera
Picea (spruce), Tsuga (hemlock), Abies
(fir), or Pinus (pine). Eventually, taxonomists decided that it needed a separate genus, hence Pseudotsuga (false
hemlock).
Although now planted widely in temperate regions around the world, the
fossil record indicates that the native
range of Douglas-fir was always confined
to western North America. Despite this
species’ limited longitudinal range, it
extends in latitude from northern
British Columbia to the mountains
of central Mexico (55 to 19 degrees
north)—although populations are

Strength Properties of Douglas-fir and Western Larch








Static Bending

common
Moisture Specific
Species name content gravity





Modulus of
Rupture
(kPa)

Modulus of
Work to
elasticity Maximum Load
(MPa)
(kJ/M3)

Douglas fir

Coast

Green
12%

0.45
0.48

53,000
85,000

10,800
13,400

52
68




Interior
West

Green
12%

0.46
0.50

53,000
87,000

10,400
12,600

50
73




Interior
North

Green
12%

0.45
0.48

51,000
90,000

9,700
12,300

56
72




Interior
South

Green
12%

0.43
0.46

47,000
82,000

8,000
10,300

55
62




Western
Larch

Green
12%

0.48
0.52

53,000
90,000

10,100
12,900

71
87

quite widely separated in the southern
part of the range.
Because of this huge latitudinal
range, we might expect that wood properties of trees of this type could vary
considerably. Added to this is another
source of variation, the separation of
this species into two varieties: coastal
or green (P. menziesii), and Rocky Mountain or blue (P. menziesii var. glauca).
The coastal variety has a more
restricted latitudinal range (about
2,200 km, or 1,300 miles) while the
Rocky Mountain variety—usually called
“interior” Douglas-fir by lumbermen—
has a large latitudinal range (around
4,500 km, or 2,800 miles).
In the Wood Handbook we find that
four categories of Douglas-fir are listed:
Coast, Interior West, Interior North,
and Interior South. Each of these has
different wood properties, as seen in
the table. A footnote to the table states:
“Coast Douglas-fir is defined as Douglasfir growing in Oregon and Washington
State west of the Cascade Mountains
summit. Interior West includes California and all counties in Oregon and
Washington east of, but adjacent to, the
Cascade summit; Interior North, the
remainder of Oregon and Washington
plus Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming;
and Interior South, Utah, Colorado,
Arizona, and New Mexico.” The Mexican populations are not mentioned.
Confused? Take a deep breath, it’s
not that bad. Examination of the Wood
Handbook table reveals that except for
Interior South, the wood properties
are not very different from one region
or variety to another. If strength is of
prime importance, I would avoid wood
from Interior South, if possible.
More important than region of

Wood HAndbook

The Fir with
Wood Like
Larch

origin is how the forest was managed.
In WB No. 222, I provided a set of criteria for choosing strong southern pine.
The same criteria apply to Douglas-fir.
Arthur Koehler, author of The Properties
and Uses of Wood (McGraw-Hill, 1924),
first proposed these guiding principles,
and they have stood the test of time. To
quote from Koehler: “No. 1 structural
Douglas fir shall have on the average not
less than six rings per inch, and at least
one-third summerwood [latewood], or
if the rings are wider, the [latewood]
must constitute at least one-half of the
ring.”
Some plantation-grown Douglas-fir,
regardless of region, would not meet
these criteria, and would, therefore,
not be acceptable for critical parts like
masts or spars or frames. Large modern sawmills, eschewing the tedious
method of counting rings, substitute an
automated process of “machine-stress
grading” where dimensional lumber is
passed under a load and its modulus
of elasticity is dynamically measured.
Of course, the other grading rules that
relate to knots, slope of grain, checks,
splits, etc. still need to be applied.
If you are choosing lumber at a yard
and selecting from a pile of Douglas-fir,
you can improve your chances of getting the strongest wood by examining
the ends of the stock and applying the
rings-per-inch and percent-of-latewood
criteria. This would also apply to selecting the best wood from a shipment since
mill graders or machines can occasionally let below-grade wood slip by.
Because Douglas-fir has been widely
planted in Europe, New Zealand, Chile,
and Argentina, merchantable timber is
available from some of these trees. Like
all exotic plantings, Douglas-fir that has

90 • WoodenBoat 224

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been grown outside its natural range
will likely produce wood with different
properties. In some places, like New
Zealand, it can grow very rapidly and
produce much weaker wood. Careful
examination and testing should be
undertaken before using this timber as
a substitute for native-grown Douglas-fir.
Confined to the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges of southern California
is another species of Pseudotsuga (P.
macrocarpa). Big-cone Douglas-fir, also
known locally as big-cone spruce, false
hemlock, or desert fir, is rarely used for
lumber, since it is considered to have
higher value for landscape planting
and watershed protection. Like its
northern cousin, big-cone Douglas-fir
has been planted in the British Isles,
and the first plantings of this variety
came in about 1910. In Northern Ireland, some trees have attained heights
of 60', but it is unlikely that wood from
this species would reach any but very
local markets.
A trend among lumber manufacturers in recent decades is to combine
and market two or more species under
one trade name. In the eastern United

Stamps show the provenance and species of Douglas-fir and western larch.

States, three species of spruce (red,
white, and black) are combined with
balsam fir and marketed as sprucefir dimensional lumber. In the west,
Douglas- fir and western larch (Larix
occidentalis) are often marketed together
since they have similar strength and
decay-resistance properties. I have
included western larch in the table for
comparison. Where this wood is used,
the same growth ring and percent latewood criteria apply as for Douglas-fir or
southern pines.
Recognizing that Interior South
Douglas-fir is inferior in strength properties, this wood is marketed separately.
The marketing stamps for the various
marketing combinations are illustrated
above. Careful scrutiny of the lumber
mark will avoid later disappointment.

An S or L added to the mark can change
the product you get.
In many applications, Douglas-fir or
western larch can be used interchangeably. For constructions, such as large
ship masts, that require exceptionally
long, clear timber, coastal Douglas-fir
is the preferred wood because, in general, the interior Douglas-fir and western larch do not attain the high growth
rates, dimensions, or age of coastal
Douglas-fir. Greater rainfall and fog
along the coast induce this differential.
Dr. Richard Jagels is an emeritus professor
of forest biology at the University of Maine,
Orono. Please send correspondence to Dr.
Jagels by mail to the care of WoodenBoat,
or via e-mail to Assistant Editor Robin
Jettinghoff, [email protected].

Laminated Sitka Spruce Oars
straight or spoon blade
for further information

www.barkleysoundoar.com
tel. 250–752–5115
toll free 877–752–5156
3073 Van Horne Road
Qualicum Beach, BC
Canada V9K 1X3

January/February 2012 • 91

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LAUNCHINGS
Edited by Robin Jettinghoff

PETER CRIM

hese pages are dedicated to sharing news of recently
launched new boats and “relaunched” (that is,
restored or substantially rebuilt) craft. Please send
color photographs of your projects to: Launchings,
WoodenBoat, P.O. Box 78, Brooklin, ME 04616, or
e-mail us at [email protected].
Include the following information: (1) length on deck;
(2) beam; (3) type, class, or rig; (4) boat’s name; (5)
names and contact information (include e-mail or
phone) of designer, builder, photographer, and owner;
(6) port or place of intended use; (7) date of launching
(should be within the past year); (8) brief description of
construction or restoration.

AKI SuOK AS

T

Above—INARI III is a 53' wooden electric-drive catamaran owned by
Lake & Snow Inari, who offer daily sightseeing tours on Lake Inari
in Finland. Designed by Aki Suokas of Windcraft, and built by Fantan Catamaran, INARI is planked with 40mm aspen strips over birch
frames and sealed with epoxy. Two 25kW AC motors will propel 120
passengers for two hours. INARI also has a sauna. More information
can be found at www.fantan.fi.
Left—Ten women at the Wind &
Oar Boat School (www.wind-andoar-boatschool.org) in Portland,
Oregon, recently launched the St.
Ayles skiff ROSIE. This 22' × 5' 6"
Iain Oughtred design was built
from a kit, which included ROSIE’s
molds, frames, and planks. Other
wood used in the boat—alder, oak,
Douglas-fir, and maple—came from
Oregon. Kits are available from
Hewes & Co., www.hewesco.com.

Above—D.N. Hylan & Associates of Brooklin, Maine, recently
launched DELIVERANCE, a 43' × 11' fantail power cruiser,
designed by Doug Hylan. She is carvel-planked in Douglasfir over oak frames, with an angelique backbone. Displacing 12 tons, she is intended for simple but elegant cruising
along the East Coast and in the Caribbean. Plans and
completed boats are available from D.N. Hylan & Associates,
www.dhylanboats.com.

GRAHAM FOy

D. N. HyLAN & ASSOCIATES

Below—Sam Kuhn spent his summer break from college last year building SEAWEED, a 12' 1" Janette catboat designed by John Welsford. Sam
finished her early last summer and launched her in July. SEAWEED’s
hull is meranti plywood, with trim made from fir. His blog www.lets
hopeitfloats.posterous.com documents his progress. Plans are available
from John Welsford, www.jwboatdesigns.co.nz.

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LORETTA GREEN

Below—TULIP is a Nat Herreshoff–designed Fish-Class gaff-rigged
sloop, measuring 21' on deck, and carrying 265 sq ft of sail. Artisan Boatworks, of Rockport, Maine, (www.artisanboatworks.com)
built her of edge-glued cedar planking over oak frames, with a
laminated mahogany backbone. She displaces 2,850 lbs and was
fitted with a small diesel engine. Plans for the Fish are in the
Hart Nautical Collections at MIT.

ALEC BRAINERD

Above—Mike Green built MARIE, 17' × 53", by adapting her from
John Gardner’s Whitehall plans in Gardner’s book, Building Classic Small Craft. She is strip-planked cedar sealed with epoxy and
’glass. Green also included a daggerboard trunk. He launched
her on Shadow Lake near Seattle, in September, after 11 months
of building. The builder says she is a sweet boat to row.

LINDA MEDCRAFT

Below—After asking Steve Killing (www.stevekilling.com) to design
this 24' × 7' classic runabout hull for him, Bill DeCossy added a
cuddy and galley making MEMOIRE suitable for short cruises. Bill
notes that Tony Dias was also very helpful. MEMOIRE’s hull is laid
up of 1⁄8" mahogany veneers cold-molded over mahogany frames
and battens. She won first place at the 2011 WoodenBoat Show in
the Owner-Built Powerboats Category.

Right—Modifying his own 1990 design,
Joe Thompson built this 80-lb Salt Pond
Slipper rowing boat. He strip-planked her
with western red cedar and Atlantic white
cedar, and trimmed her with mahogany,
black walnut, red and white oak, yellow
cedar, and teak. Joe also designed the
rowing unit for this 18' × 3' beauty.
Completed boats are available from
www.saltpondrowing.com.

JOE THOMPSON

RUSSELL SANTORA

Above—Using Richard Kolin’s book, Building Heidi, Rich Medcraft
built MERLIN in his garage over two years. MERLIN, 12' 2", is a lapstrake hull, white cedar planked with white oak frames, stem, and
transom. She has a sliding gunter rig with a sprit boom. Building
Heidi is available at The WoodenBoat Store (www.woodenboatstore.
com) and other marine bookstores.

January/February 2012 • 93

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DAvID STONE

LAUNCHINGS

Left—Alex Stone enjoys this
20' 6" Oxford Shell, SOPHIA
M. STONE, from Chesapeake
Light Craft on the Charles River
in Boston. Alex’s father, David
Stone, built the shell in his
backyard, using stitch-and-glue
methods with no fastenings. The
hull weighs just 39 lbs. David cut
up two basketball hoops to create SOPHIA’s cartop rack. Plans
and kits are available
from www.clcboats.com.

DAvID HARRy

JOHN C. HARRIS

Below—Sophia Harry, seated here, helped her father David Harry
to build ROSE, an 11' wherry designed by Robert H. Baker (www.
by-the-sea.com/bakerboatworks), who took the lines off a wherry
built in Oregon in 1925. Sophia and David used sugar pine, western red cedar, redwood, black oak, and Douglas-fir in the strip
planking. They row ROSE on Lake Alamanor in California.

Above—A notable entrant in our recent Design Challenge (see
WB No. 223), MADNESS is a 30' 8" proa designed and built by
John C. Harris. The mast is dead center because the outrigger is
always kept to windward, meaning the bow and stern are interchangeable. John used 6mm okoume plywood on this stitch-andglue hull. Plans are available at www.clcboats.com.

BILL BuCHHOLz

Above—Following the plans of Gil Smith’s 1895 Pauline design, Bill
Stanard of Stanard Boat Works recently launched CLEMENTINE
(21' 6" × 7' 2" ) in Key Largo, Florida. She is strip-built of recycled
Alaska yellow cedar covered in ’glass and epoxy; her ply decks are
sheathed in Dynel. Her spars came from a 1950s Winthrop Warner
catboat. See more pictures at www.stanardboatworks.com. Plans are
available from Mystic Seaport.

DAvE HAWKINS

Below—Bill Buchholz of Apache Boatworks in Camden, Maine,
just launched this Atkin-designed Pollard 19 runabout. He
planked her with edge-glued sipo mahogany, covered with 4-oz
’glass and epoxy. Straying from Atkin’s edict to build as drawn,
Buchholz added a stern deck and center console to this 19' 6" ×
7' 8" hull, and eliminated the cabin. Plans are available from
www.atkinboatplans.com.

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ALAN HOUGHTON

...AND RELAUNCHINGS

Above— SHUKEE, a 1959, 20' × 5' Andrews Greyhound Slipper launch, has been recently restored. When owner Giles
Bedford brought her to Stanley & Thomas of Windsor, England, for repair, she was a “damp pile of lumber,” according
to Mark Stanley. The team of Stanley & Thomas replaced
her bottom planks and decking, repaired her frames, and
restored her Morris Vedette gasoline engine. SHUKEE won
two trophies at the 2011 Thames Traditional Boat Rally.

WILLIAM BODE

GILES BEDFORD

Above—In 2008, the New Zealand Traditional Boatbuilding School
took over the restoration of CORONA, a 1936 Charles Collings–
designed Mullet-class gaff cutter. Trustees Robert Brooke and Ian
McRobie led volunteers through hundreds of hours of work on CORONA’s reconstruction. The school is grateful to the volunteers and
donors who helped lead to CORONA’s relaunching in March 2011.

Above—BON ACCORD is a William Garden
30' -long Cruiser Tug built by Krist Martinsen of Turtleback Boatworks in 1986, and recently restored at Port
Townsend Shipwright’s Co-op. Her hull is fir diagonal planking over
sawn frames. Owner Ken Roelen modified an Iain Oughtred Acorn
design for use as tender, BON ACORN, by installing flotation and
airtight lockers, and two rowing stations, one forward-facing rower and
one traditional—as he calls it, a very sociable way to row.

RICHARD O’CONNOR

Hints for taking good photos of your boat:

Above—Richard O’Conner found a derelict rowboat (9' 6"
LOA, 3' 8" beam) and undertook a two-year restoration.

With help from his wife and Lew Merkle, he replaced 80
percent of the boat’s structure. He clench-nailed 1⁄4" white
cedar planking onto white cedar ribs, much like a canoe.
The transom is mahogany. Richard christened the boat
BONNIE and launched her last summer.

1. Please shoot to the highest resolution and largest size
possible. Send no more than five unretouched images on a
CD, and include rough prints of all images. We also accept
transparencies and high-quality prints.
2. Clean the boat. Stow fenders and extraneous gear below.
Properly ship or stow oars, and give the sails a good harbor
furl if you’re at anchor.
3.  Schedule the photo session for early, or late, in the day to
take advantage of low-angle sunlight. Avoid shooting at high
noon and on overcast days.
4. Be certain that the horizon appears level in your viewfinder.
5.  Keep the background simple and/or scenic. On a flat page,
objects in the middle distance can appear to become part of
your boat. Take care that it doesn’t sprout trees, flagpoles,
smokestacks, or additional masts and crew members.
6. Take many photos, and send us several. Include some action
shots and some of the boat at rest. For a few of the pictures,
turn the camera on its side to create a vertical format.

We enjoy learning of your work—it affirms the vitality of the wooden
boat community. Unfortunately, a lack of space prevents our publishing
all the material submitted. If you wish to have your photos returned,
please include appropriate postage.

January/February 2012 • 95

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The

WoodenBoat

STORE

Power and Sailboat Models Ready to Display

Naskeag Road, 84 Great Cove Drive, Brooklin, Maine 04616 USA

Ready-built Herreshoff 12½
Very nice reproduction, simple to rig.
LOA: 16˝ #620-049 $159.00

Mini Runabouts

Ready-built Chris Craft 1940s Barrelback
391 of this style were produced from 1939-1942. The Custom
Runabout featured folding V-windshields and the wood was
varnished over the Chris Craft red mahogany stained sides.
LOA: 22½˝ #620-075 $239.00

Beautifully built, they’re
approximately 12¾˝ long
(ideal display size) and come
just like this right out of the
box. Choose from Chris
Craft Utility, a Garwood,
and a Barrelback.
$85.00 each

Utility #620-084

Garwood #620-085

Ready-built
Chris Craft Utility
16-footer, one of the most
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LOA: 21˝ #620-067
$219.00

Barrelback #620-086

Ready-built Bluenose
Ready-built 1934
Chris Craft Triple
Cockpit

27-footer, could reach speeds
of 45mph in the early 1930s.
LOA: 27˝ #620-076 $289.00

Built in 1921 in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
as a fishing schooner, this boat was much
beloved, not only for her prized catches,
but also for her racing prowess.
LOA: 34˝ Beam: 5¼˝ Height: 30˝
#620-052 $259.00

Ready-built Chris
Craft 1929
Commuter

38-footer, designed to
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was the first Chris Craft
to have berths, and
sleep four. LOA: 29½˝
#620-078 $399.00

Order On-Line, Day or Night: www.woodenboatstore.com
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11/22/11 4:30 PM

Footys to Build from Plans and Kits

Flavio Faloci’s
Presto Footy

Brando

Gaff-rigged Catboat:
Brando Footy Plans

Footy Model Parts

If you’re a “scratch” builder, working
from plans for either the Brando or
Presto Footy models, or from your own
handsome design, we have some model
parts to help with the building process:
Keel Bulb (shown) #621-001 $4.75
Sail Cloth, 24˝x30˝ #621-002 $4.95
Sail Tape 2˝x20˝ #621-003 $1.00
Spars: 1/4˝x1/4˝x24˝ #621-004 $1.95
Spars: 3/8˝x3/8˝x24˝ #621-005 $3.75

Presto

SHIPPING is Charged When You Order

The “Footy” class is a model racing class, for
boats which fit within a 12˝ x 6˝ box (see full
specs on our Site). We think you’ll find this
design completely irresistable. Created by
naval architect Flavio Faloci of Genova, Italy,
Brando includes 12 pages of plans, dozens of
building photos, and complies with Footy
class rules for RC (Radio Control) use.
#490-008 $30.00

Presto is a gaff-sloop with
a solid wood hull made
of balsa for easy carving/
shaping, strength and light
weight. Plus she’s set-up
for radio control. You have
several options-build fr om
scratch with the plans only,
get the book for step-by-step
instructions (and reducedscale plans) or get the kit,
which includes all parts,
pieces (except radio control)
sail cloth, rigging, keel bulb,
as well as full-sized plans, and
the how-to book. The model
does comply with Footy
Class rules even though she’s
longer than a foot. Presto fits
in the 12˝ x 6˝ box on the
diagonal- Flavio is competitive.
Hull Length: 12-1/2˝
Overall: 20˝ Beam: 4˝
Height: approx. 35˝
Kit: #620-092 $90.00
Plans only: #490-009 $25.00
Book only: #325-151 $19.95

Regatta Racers

Four beautifully finished
J-boats (models are about
12˝ long) are attached to
two arms, and race after
each other with just the
slightest hint of a breeze.
Assembly is simple: slide
the model onto the arm
and pin with “cabin”.
Step masts with pre-sewn
sails. Attach bolt/spacers
to the cap. Smile. Pick-up
a 4˝x4˝ post and one of
those post-holder spikey
things at your local lumberyard or hardware store.
#620-083 $200.00

Keel Bulb

12oz., 4” long, 7/8” (max) diameter

Regatta Racer Detail

Call Toll-Free 1.800.273.7447 Mon-Fri 8-6, Sat 9-5 Eastern Time
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Kind of a pre-curser to the successful Small Boats. It features three
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REVIEW

PRODUCTS • BOOKS • VIDEOS • STUFF

Shantyboat

A River Way of Life
Shantyboat: A River Way of Life, by Harlan Hubbard.
The University Press of Kentucky (1977), 663 South
Limestone Street Lexington, KY 40508–4008. 352 pp.,
$22.00. Available from the WoodenBoat Store, www.
woodenboatstore.com.

Reviewed by Harry Bryan

I

n the fall of 1944, Harlan and Anna Hubbard
built a shantyboat (see page 58) on the shore of
the Ohio River. This became their home for the
next seven years as they drifted down the Ohio, then
down the Mississippi into the bayous of Louisiana. The
winter months of those years were spent drifting, while
summers were spent making gardens and growing the
food to sustain them over the next year’s voyage.
Their boat was built well, but of salvaged materials.
The year 1944 was, according to Hubbard, “a time of
shortages, and all available lumber was being allotted
to construction more essential than ours could claim
to be.” This statement is the closest hint we get of the
turbulence the world was experiencing in that year.
Not once in the chronicling of their adventure does
Hubbard mention buying a newspaper or discussing
the war with the friends made along the river. By
refusing to even mention the strife that had engulfed
much of the world, Hubbard makes a strong statement
for the deliberate, self-sufficient lifestyle that he and
Anna have chosen. In this he is much like Henry
David Thoreau during the Civil War and Hubbard’s
contemporary, Scott Nearing, during World War I.
Unlike the preaching style of Thoreau’s and Nearing’s
writing, however, Hubbard merely describes the dayto-day flow of his life, allowing us to draw our own
conclusion as to its value.

Born in 1900, Harlan Hubbard moved close to the
Ohio River when he was 19. From that time on he
dreamed of a drifting voyage, something that held
a greater attraction for him than seeking success as
defined by others. In 1943 he met and married Anna
whom he soon introduced to the river. Her enthusiasm
for his dreams, according to Hubbard’s biographer,
Wendell Berry, “gave a legitimacy to the plan that it had
not had before. She gave a necessary permission.” In
Hubbard’s words, “I had no theories to prove. I merely
wanted to try living by my own hands, independent as
far as possible from a system of division of labor in which
the participant loses most of the pleasure of making and
growing things for himself. I wanted to bring in my own
fuel and smell its sweet smell as it burned on the hearth I
had made. I wanted to grow my own food, catch it in the
river, or forage after it. In short, I wanted to do as much
as I could for myself, because I had already realized from
partial experience the inexpressible joy of doing so.”
Together the Hubbards worked on the boat while
living in a makeshift hut on the riverbank, sliding

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materials down the railroad embankment, trying to get
the hull completed before the river’s spring rise. They
then moved aboard and “from the first, in contrast to the
roughness and asperity of our environment, we found
our shantyboat such a cheerful and snug place, and our
enjoyment of living there so keen, that we felt we were
celebrating a continued holiday, one about which the
rest of the world did not know.”
Living and voyaging on a major river system, especially
in a heavy boat with no power beyond that supplied by
oar and sweep, is very different from a cruise along the
coast. Even tied to the bank before the trip started, they
had to contend with a 60' rise in the river level during
the spring flood. As the water rose, they shifted lines
higher in the tree branches or cut a path to haul the boat
in to the next row of trees. Finally, the trees disappeared
underwater and the boat was moored to the tracks of
the flooded railroad. As the water level receded, they
had to be even more careful to spar the boat off so that
it would not ground out during the descent.
The first time I read this book, I was left with idyllic
scenes of a slow, quiet pirouette as the boat drifted with
the swirling current. While those times did exist, my
recent reading left me in awe of the skills needed to
drift safely. Here is an excerpt from the lower reaches
of the Ohio: “Less than five miles downstream was Dam
52, the lock being across on the Illinois side. Five miles
is a long way, but the river was a good three quarters of a
mile wide, and under unfavorable conditions we might
not have been able to cross to the other side before
reaching the dam. Then one of our bad dreams—being
carried over a dam—would come to pass.”
The Mississippi, unlike the Ohio, had a fast current

The Mast
Mate Ladder
Reviewed by Alex Nislick

W

hen I recently needed a reliable system for
climbing my mast to work aloft, I initially
considered the tried-and-true bosun’s chair.
But I decided against it, for two reasons: (1) I sail solo
on my L.F. Herreshoff–designed H-28 ketch, and (2)
I do not have a halyard winch on either my main or
mizzenmast. A bosun’s chair requires a reliable person
at the mast cranking a winch—and then lowering
the worker back to the deck. The Mast Mate, which
has been around for the past 26 years, allows for easy
singlehanded operations aloft.
The Mast Mate is, essentially, a ladder built of
webbing. It has alternating steps, and is hoisted aloft
on the main halyard, with toggles or slides fed into
or onto the sail’s groove or track, to keep the ladder
attached to the mast. When the worker arrives on

that set up whirlpools that could trap the boat, requiring
a line rowed ashore or the assistance of a passing
motorboat. After a particularly exhausting day, night
came on before both Harlan and Anna, rowing with all
their strength, were able to break free of the current,
tie a line to a tree branch, and swing into a creek for
a well-deserved rest. “It was a windy night, and shreds
of white clouds sailed fast across the sky all pale in the
moonlight. We lay awake listening to the moaning of the
trees, the chirping of the frogs and the lashing current
out in the river. It had been a good day after all. This
is what we were on the river for—to feel the power of
it, to see it in action, to be near to it with as little as
possible between us and it, to know it as an elemental
force stripped of names and associations. The hard
work and aggravation, the unwieldy boat, stubborn as a
mule, water like glue, all this was good, too. What true
understanding of the river could one acquire by a fast
trip in ease and comfort? And now, after such a day as
this, it was good to be at rest sheltered where wind and
current could not reach us.”
Some books, such as Thoreau’s Walden, or Nearing’s
Living The Good Life, have become a permanent part
of my home library. Every so often I reread them, my
life’s intervening experience lending new insight to
the author’s words. Shantyboat is such a book, and as I
return my dog-eared copy to the bookcase, I know that
someday I will read it yet again and it will once more
offer a fresh perspective for my own life.
Harry Bryan is a contributing editor for WoodenBoat. His
article on the design and construction of a shantyboat appears
on page 58.

station, he or she wraps a belt around both body and
mast, allowing for hands-free work, like an electrical
lineman. Gary Wheeler, the maker of the Mast Mate,
sells this strap—a necessity for working safely. I added
to my system a mountain climber’s harness, which fits
around my waist and thighs, and has loops for adding
pouches for carrying tools. This harness, and a Wichard
Safety Tether, constitute my safety system.
The Mast Mate does not include sail slides or toggles,
as it would be too much for Mr. Wheeler to stock the
variety found on various boats. He recommends getting
your particular type from a local sailmaker; Sailrite, the
purveyor of sailmaking kits and supplies, also sells a
variety of slides and toggles. Mr. Wheeler does provide
attachment clips to install the slides onto the ladder,
and they are very easy to use. But he also suggests that
if you do not want your ladder swinging from side to
side, you should forgo these clips and sew on the slides
the way a sailmaker would sew them onto your mainsail;
sewing them keeps the ladder closer and tighter to the
mast. After three trips up my masts—twice up the main
and one up the mizzen—I’ve decided to sew on my
slides.
Using the Mast Mate was a learning experience. My
first trip up the mainmast was difficult, as I did not know

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but it doesn’t fit my solo scenario. In my experience,
the Mast Mate has only two negatives: First, you must
remove the sail from the mast before installing the
ladder, which adds some labor to any project aloft.
And second, the Mast Mate limits your outboard reach,
making it difficult to work on spreader tips—which are
easily accessed from a bosun’s chair.
The Mast Mate rolls up easily and stores in the bag
it arrives in. It is shipped with its steps folded up, and
each step has to be manually folded down into its
proper shape. It helps to roll the Mast Mate for storage
in the opposite direction to that in which it arrives;
then, when it’s unrolled, the steps fall into their proper
shapes.
Mr. Wheeler’s customer service deserves mention
here: He was very forthcoming in answering all my
questions and worries about his product. The Mast
Mate is a well-thought-out and sturdy product, and it
will serve me well for years.

what I was getting myself into. My legs were not sore
(my daily gym workouts helped here), but my hands and
wrists hurt from holding on tight while climbing. I later
solved this problem by wearing my sailing gloves—and
not holding on so tightly.
I’m happy with the Mast Mate, given my circumstances.
A bosun’s chair would be an easier and cheaper option,

neW oR noteWoRthy

De-Oil-It
De-Oil-It is a chemical compound
formulated to “break down all
types of petroleum waste and
return it back to the ecosystem.”
It does this by “disarming toxic
molecules in oil, making them no
longer bio available.” Oily waste
treated with De-Oil-It can, says
the product’s literature, be safely pumped overboard—
though whether this is legal or not isn’t clear. What is
clear is that this is a very effective cleaner of oily bilges,
fuel spills, and teak. While we didn’t have the ability to
suss out what was happening on the molecular level, we
tried a bottle of De-Oil-It on a greasy bilge. It didn’t take
long to give that bilge a nice polish, and the resulting
bilgewater did not have the oily, grimy feel one might
expect after such an operation. There was simply no
residue left in the bilge after applying this stuff and lightly
scrubbing. In a further test, De-Oil-It turned a sludgy, oily
pot of water into a relatively clear one—clear, that is, but
with little blobs of purportedly harmless “dirt” floating
in it. De-Oil-It is also touted as an effective teak cleaner.
We tried it in that application, too, and it worked well.

Alex Nislick is a retired woodworker and upholsterer, who spent 15
years attending sailing classes at WoodenBoat School. In 2008 he purchased SUMMER SONG, his Herreshoff H-28 ketch, which he sails out
of Maine’s Kittery Point Yacht Yard up and down the New England
coast. He hopes to sell his house this year and live aboard in the near
future.
The price of the Mast Mate ladder ranges from $255 for a 27' model,
to $410 for a 50' model. For more information, and to order, contact
Mast Mate, 21 Ocean St., Rockland, ME 04841; 207–596–0495;
www.mastmate.com.

The product is sold in various concentrations for various
purposes, including as a boat wash, an oil and fuel-spill
cleaner, and even a driveway cleaner. www.deoilit.com

Un-hesive
Un-hesive is a water-based spray
designed to break the bond of
polyurethane adhesive—including
(indeed, especially)—3M’s legendary
5200, which is widely known as
a permanent adhesive sealant; it
sticks well, forever, the warning
often goes. Apocryphal accounts say
heat will break its bond, but that’s
never easy in practice. We tried some Un-hesive on test
patches, spraying it around the perimeter of a few beads
of 5200 cured on a cherry surface. After the prescribed
20 minutes of soaking, the bond had broken, and the
5200 peeled easily away. It remains to be seen how the
stuff would work on wide faying surfaces—for example,
a winch base; presumably, repeated applications would
do the job. This appears to be a promising product
for cleaning cured 5200 out of, say, a garboard seam.
Another product, Debond, has been on the market for
years for the same application; its chemistry appears to
be rather different, as it’s flammable, whereas Un-hesive
is not. www.un-hesive.com
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Woodenboat RevieW

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www.woodenboatrescue.org
An organization dedicated to the wishing for,
researching of, locating, saving, placing,
learning about and dreaming of
wooden boats.

All boats are free.

*Practical Small Boat Designs, by John Atkin.
Published by WoodenBoat Books, P.O. Box 78,
Brooklin, ME 04616, www.woodenboatstore.com.
176 pp., softcover, $21.95. ISBN: 978–1–934982–
05–1. Out of print for several years, this new reprint
includes a foreword by Mike O’Brien, boat design editor
for WoodenBoat and publisher of Boat Design
Quarterly. This collection of John and Billy Atkin’s
most successful designs includes a handful of dinghies
under 10', several flat-bottomed skiffs, the handsome
Ninigret, a 22' V-bottomed bassboat, and the sleek
Pollard 19, one of which can be seen in Launchings,
page 94. You’ll find a wide variety of sailboats, too,
including the tiny Handy Andy (an 8’ round-bottomed
dinghy), the 14' daysailer Willy Winship, the 19'
V-bottomed knockabout Liza Jane, and the 22' 5"
schooner FLOreNce OAkLANd.

*America’s Privateer, by J. Dennis Robinson. Published
by Lynx Educational Foundation, 509 29th St., Newport
Beach, CA 92663, www.privateerlynx.com. 168 pp.,
hardcover, $34.95. ISBN: 978–0–7868–8644–7. Plenty

Offering Wooden Boat Restoration Classes

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of images are included in this detailed historic account of the
original LYNX, a privateer during the War of 1812, combined
with the tale of the new LYNX, launched in 2001, and her
educational mission.
Thoreau’s Maine Woods, photography by Dan Tobyne.
Published by Down East Books, P.O. Box 79, Camden,
ME 04843, www.downeast.com. 128 pp., hardcover,
$35. ISBN: 978–0–89272–814–5. Henry David Thoreau
made three trips to Maine in the mid-19th century and wrote
about them in his book, The Maine Woods; Dan Tobyne’s
photographs accompany Thoreau’s words in this beautiful book
that will make you want to wander in the woods.

boat bits.
online.
shoP.woodenboAt.org

Port townsend, wA
360-385-3628
x101

Voyages: To the New World and Beyond, by Gordon Miller.
Published by University of Washington Press, P.O. Box
50096, Seattle, WA 98145-5096. 200 pp., hardcover,
$55. ISBN: 978–0–295–99115–3. Nearly 100 of the author’s
paintings illustrate this history of exploration in sailing ships
from ancient times to the last century; the appendix includes
plans of several historical vessels.
West Coast Wrecks & Other Maritime Tales, by Rick James.
Raincoast Chronicles, volume 21. Published by Harbour
Publishing, P.O. Box 219, Madeira Park, BC, V0N
2H0, Canada. 128 pp., paperback, $24.95. ISBN: 978–
1–55017–545–9. Recounts the stories of several significant
shipwrecks along the coast of British Columbia; contain maps
and many historic photographs.
The Mountain of Gold: The Continuing Adventures of
Gentleman Captain Matthew Quinton, by J.D. Davies.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 215 Park Ave.
South, New York, NY 10003. 360 pp., hardcover, $25.
ISBN: 978–0–547–58102–6. This sequel to Gentleman
Captain is a historic novel of tall sailing ships, pirates,
and gold; based in part of accounts of actual 17th-century
explorations of Africa.
The Riddle of the RAVEN, by Jan de Groot. Published by
Sono Nis Press, a division of Morriss Publishing, P.O. Box
160, Winlaw, BC, V0G 2J0, Canada. 200 pp., paperback,
$15.95. ISBN: 978–1–55039–183–1. The author purchased
a 140' gaff-rigged schooner to use as part of a sailing school,
and is beset by a number of unusual occurrences attributed to
the ghost of the first owner.
I Loved This Work…I Have Been Delightfully Busy, by John
T. Crowell. Published by Penobscot Books, a division
of Penobscot Bay Press, P.O. Box 36, Stonington,
ME 04681. 164 pp., paperback, $49.95. ISBN 978–0–
941238–07–6. An autobiography of a mariner who spent
over 50 years at sea including several trips to the Arctic and
Antarctic; includes a DVD of Jack Crowell and movie footage
of the GERTRUDE L. THEBAUD aground in Baffin Bay on a
1937 exploration voyage.
*Available from The
woodenboatstore.com.

WoodenBoat

Store,

www.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

DAve MORTON

These are just a few of the
models on display at last
year's ship model show
presented by the USS
CONSTITUTION Model
Shipwright's Guild and held
at the USS CONSTITUTION
Museum in the Boston Navy
Yard, Boston, Massachusetts. Models are on display
this year from February 4 to
March 24.

Compiled by Robin Jettinghoff
EuRopE & BEYonD
January
21–22 Wooden Boat Rally
Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Thousands of visitors enjoyed the
nearly 100 boats on display at last
year’s event. Event information,
Adam Park, +61–419–307–557,
[email protected] or Bruce
Jessup, +61–418–135–662, bej9@
bigpond.net.au, 2012 WoodenBoat Rally,
P.O. Box 1505, Launceston, Tasmania,
Australia; www.woodenboatrally.com.

February
East
January
14–15 CYa Change of Watch
Mystic, Connecticut
An annual national meeting for the
Classic Yacht Association, held this
year at historic Mystic Seaport.
Event information, Ted Crosby, 860–575–
5539. Classic Yacht Association, 2701
Corabel Ln., No. 28, Sacramento, CA
95821; 916–869–9141;
www.classicyacht.org.



February
February 4–March 24
ship Model show
Boston, Massachusetts
Held at the USS CONSTITUTION
Museum at Boston Navy Yard.
Event information, USS Constitution
Museum, 617–426–1812, or visit
www.ussconstitutionmuseum.org.
USS CONSTITUTION Model Shipwright’s Guild, P.O. Box 291812,
Boston, MA 02129.
10–12 Cape Cod Boat Builders show
Hyannis, Massachusetts
Boats, displays, and boatbuilding
demonstrations exhibit the skills of
Cape Cod boatbuilders. Cape Cod
Marine Trades Association, P.O. Box 445,
Harwich Port, MA 02646; 508–563–
7136; www.boatcapecod.org.

soutH
February


5 small Reach Regatta application
Deadline
Lamone, Maine
Applications for boats interested in
participating in the 2012 Small Reach
Regatta will be accepted until March
5. The SRR will be July 18–22 at
Lamoine State Park. Event information
and application forms are available at
www.smallreachregatta.org. Tom Jackson,
P.O. Box 96, Brooklin, ME 04616.

CEntRal
February


25 Chicago Maritime Festival
Chicago, Illinois
Lectures, seminars, demonstrations,
exhibits and workshops to celebrate

25 Washington’s Birthday Regatta
Coconut Grove, Florida
On Biscayne Bay just off shore of The
Barnacle State Park. Open to vessels
of traditional design regardless of
construction. Race starts at noon.
Contact the park for registration
information. The Barnacle Historic State
Park, 3485 Main Highway, Coconut
Grove, FL 33133; 305–442–6866;
www.floridastateparks.org/thebarnacle.

WEst
February

March


the city’s maritime community.
Chicago Maritime Society, P.O. Box
56394, Chicago, IL 60656; 773–576–
7245; www.chicagomaritimefestival.org.
25 Heartland Classics Restoration
Workshop
Langley, Oklahoma
At Howard Classic Boats. Speakers
will cover a wide variety of subjects,
from annual maintenance to
complete restoration. Event
information, Dan Diehl, dan@diehlaero.
com, 918–230–4508. Heartland Classics
Chapter, Antique & Classic Boat Society,
P.O. Box 339, Langley, OK 74350;
www.heartland-classics.org.





18 Center for Wooden Boats auction
Seattle, Washington
The center’s 36th annual fundraising
auction, Steer by the Stars, starts at 5 p.m.
at the Seattle Design Center. Event
information, 206–382–2699. The Center
for Wooden Boats, 1010 Valley St., Seattle,
WA 98109; www.cwb.org.
25 shipwright’s Regatta
Port Townsend, Washington
Held at the Northwest Maritime
Center. Races for both racing and
cruising classes of sailboats. Event
information, Piper Dunlap, piperdunlap@
gmail.com. Sponsored by Wooden Boat
Foundation & Northwest Maritime
Center, 431 Water St., Port Townsend,
WA 98368; 360–385–3628;
www.nwmaritime.org.

10–13 Kettering Wooden Boat Rally
Kettering, Tasmania, Australia
Sailboat racing, parade of
motorboats, rowing events. Trophies
will be presented, but no cash awards
or sheep stations. Presented by
the Kettering Yacht Club and the
Wooden Boat Guild of Tasmania.
Event information, contact Jim Tayton,
+61–6–674–051 or Roscoe Barnett,
+61–62–271–720. Kettering Yacht Club,
P.O. Box 280, Kettering, Tasmania 7155,
Australia; www.kyc.yachting.org.au.
11 Couta Boat Festival
Sorrento, Australia
This event for wooden boats, with
raft up, local food, wine, music,
and racing in the afternoon, is free
and open to the public. Held at
the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat
Club. Event information, Philip Hall,
[email protected]; sponsored by
Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club, P.O.
Box 138, 3154 Point Nepean Rd.,
Sorrento, VIC 3943, Australia; +61–03–
5984–8200; www.sscbc.com.au.
24–26 Boatfit
Bremen, Germany
Over 150 exhibitors, along with
dozens of workshops on maintenance
and care of boats. Event information,
Messe Bremen, WFB Wirtschaftsforderung
Bremen, Findorffstrasse 101, 28215
Bremen, Germany; 49–0–421–3505–265;
www.boatfit.de.

March
3–4 antique and Classic Boat show
Lake Rotoiti, New Zealand
Held at St. Arnaud township, Lake
Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes National Park,
South Island. Event information, Pete
Rainey, P.O. Box 568, Nelson, New
Zealand, 0064–3–545–6591,
www.nzclassicboats.com.
10–11 Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong
Victoria, Australia
Grand Parade of Boats, Cavalcade
of Sail, the Corio Bay Couta Boat
Passage Race and more. Sponsored
by Whyte, Just and Moore Lawyers.
Event information, Bob Appleton, +61–03–
5229–3705, or [email protected].
Sponsored by the Royal Geelong Yacht Club,
25 Eastern Beach, P.O. Box 156, Geelong,
Victoria 3220, Australia; www.rgyc.com.au.

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11/22/11 10:12 AM

BOATBROKERS
David Jones Yacht Brokerage

Classic Wooden Boats
P.O. Box 898, Rockport, ME 04856
207-236-7048 Fax 207-230-0177 Email: [email protected]

www.davidjonesclassics.com

MAYAN—John G. Alden 1947 Schooner, 58'11"
(Design #356B). Elegant and distinctive yacht kept to the
highest standards. Current survey available. $850,000 (CA).

C U S TO M BU I L D I N G

“GOSHAWK”

DESIGN

R E S TO R AT I O N

B RO K E R AG E

“SONNY”

“GINGER”

Built by Brooklin Boat Yard. Located:
Brooklin. ME Asking: $1,695,000

Built by Brooklin Boat Yard. Located:
Brooklin, ME Asking $600,000

Built by Brooklin Boat Yard. Located:
Brooklin, ME Asking $499,000

Complete restoration by BBY in 2010.
Located: Brooklin, ME Asking $495,000

“CLASSY LADY”

“GERANIUM”

“SEAHAWK”

“CAMDEN KNOCKABOUT”

Built by Brooklin Boat Yard.
Located: MDI, ME Asking $275,000

Located: Brooklin, ME.
Asking $120,000

2005, Spirit of Tradition Sloop, 76' 2000, Center Cockpit Sloop, 70'

1971, Crocker / White Ketch, 36'
Built by Brooklin Boat Yard.
Located: MA Asking $150,000

DESIGN

207-359-2594
[email protected]

2007, Ultimate Daysailer, 50'

2006, Modern Classic Daysailer, 34' 1965, Concordia Yawl, 41'

NEW CONSTRUCTION, SERVICE & RESTORATION
207-359-2236
[email protected]

“MERIDIAN”
1964, Huckins Out Islander, 56'

2009, Modern Classic Daysailer, 28'
Major price reduction.
Located: WI Asking $69,900

BROKERAGE

207-359-2193
[email protected]

P.O. Box 143, Center Harbor • Brooklin, ME 04616 USA • www.brooklinboatyard.com
January/February 2012 • 105

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11/21/11 2:36 PM

BOATBROKERS

Metinic
Yacht
Brokers

1968 Egg Harbor 37'

124 Horseshoe Cove Rd., Harborside, Maine 04642 • 207–326–4411
—Located at Seal Cove Boatyard—

$15,000 David McKenney,
401-295-0340;
[email protected]

1955 S&S Gulfstream 30'
by Derecktor $20,000
Paul Muenzinger,
914–698–0295;
[email protected]

own “Java” the original casey- built concordia 39 yawl, built in
1938. this legendary ray hunt designed yawl was extensively
rebuilt in 2003, resulting in essentially like new hull and deck,
carefully preserving the original interior and such parts of the
hull that were sound. original rig is completely refurbished. how
often is it that you can own such a piece of maritime history and
yet be confident that maintenance costs are predictable and
manageable? Unmatched value at $165,000.

1947 Joel Johnson Cutter 30’
$42,000
Hal Slater, 203-481-2773;
[email protected]

1975 George Stadel 40'
Schooner $135,000

David McKenney, 401-295-0340;
[email protected]

14 locations from New York to Maine
www.breweryacht.com H 860–399–6213

BOATS FOR SALE

CELESTE
28' Gannon & Benjamin CB
Sloop, 2003
Daysailer/Weekender
$57,500

NEw: 14' catboat - spring delivery
USED: 19' Mackinaw sailboat • 17' kayak
18' cat ketch Robin • 14' Whitehall rowboat
19'6" Caledonia Yawl • 12'duckboat canoe
17' Thompson utility • 16' bassboat
19' Mackinaw sailboat

www.greatwoodboats.com
GREAT LAKES BOATBUILDING CO.

BADGER
33' Buzzards Bay 25, 2003
As New.
$145,000

7066 103 Ave., South Haven, MI 49090 269–637–6805

RIVAL
36' Ohlson Yawl
Beautifully kept, fast cruising
yawl.
Great value at $58,000

Ged Delaney – Broker, Ext. 125
1 (508) 563-7136

One Shipyard Lane / PO Box 408
Cataumet (Cape Cod), MA 02534
www.KingmanYachtCenter.com

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BOATBUILDERS
CUSTOM YACHTS FOR THE WORLD SINCE 1979

COVEY ISLAND BOATWORKS
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada
(902) 640-3064
www.coveyisland.com
Chance: 40’ Westernman

Columbia: Rig now under construction

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Rumery’s Boat Yard
Biddeford, Maine 04005
(207)282-0408
www.rumerys.com

Elegant & fast – no wake
Your choice of deck and cabin layout

Rumery’s 38

BOATBUILDERS

A full service boatyard
Heated storage, custom construction
Repairs & restoration of wooden &
composite boats to 60 feet

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gannon & BenjaMin
Custom designs, traditional construction, repair,
restoration, custom bronze hardware

new Projects:

}

BOATBUILDERS

• 11' sailing yacht tender
Nat Benjamin design
• 18' daysailer sloop
• 20' canoe stern sloop
• 38' Atkin ketch, new mainmast step, frames & floor timbers
• 25' Vertue sloop, restoration

www.gannonandbenjamin.com

e-mail: [email protected]
P.O. Box 1095 • 30A Beach Rd. • Vineyard Haven, MA 02568
(508) 693–4658 • Fax (508) 693–1818

~ Beta Marine engine dealer ~

1200 Years of

Excellence
AD 830
Designed for battle

AD 1000
Discovered America

AD 2009
Built for World Cruising

LS 55, a 55’ piece of art. By Skipavik, building ships for the North Atlantic since 1928.

www.langskip.com
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Over
40 years
building boats

Custom
building
and design

brionrieffboatbuilder.com
Wood spars H Restorations H Traditional Construction
Cold-molded Construction H Custom Interiors
INtUItIoN

BOATBUILDERS

Herreshoff Classic Newport 29, 2008

New construction & repairs on wooden boats only.
Masts and spars a specialty.

Superb craftsmanship by skilled professionals, at reasonable rates,
in one of the few quality West Coast wooden boat yards.
Fully insured, references.

Current Projects

Brooklin, Maine H 207-359-4455

IoLANtHe

TradiTional BoaT Works, inc.

• Mast and boom for K50 AKAMAI
• 10' tender for PACIFICA
• California 32 (#2) ALTAMAR
available as project
• Repairs to Lightning

Douglas Jones
3665 Hancock Street
San Diego, CA 92110
Phone or fax: 619–542–1229
[email protected]
www.traditionalboatworks.net

THERAPY: new floors, frames and planking

Modern Classic Daysailer, 2006

Alden Schooner, Launched 2007

MAINe eXPeRIeNCe

Restoration
and Preservation of
Antique and Classic
Wooden Boats
207.882.5038

CUTTS & CASE
SHIPYARD

edgecombboatworks.net

a full-service boatyard

DESIGNERS & BUILDERS
OF
FINE WOODEN YACHTS

SINCE

Berkshire
Wooden
Boat

1927

P.O. BOX 9
TOWN CREEK
OXFORD, MD 21654
410-226-5416

1904 Crowninshield design ANONA

455 Housatonic Street Dalton, MA. 01226
email: [email protected]

Specializing in
pre-war motor launches,
early one-design sailboats
and hardware reproduction

413-684-1650
www.berkshirewoodenboat.net

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Celebrating 65 Years

Celebrating 65 Years
Storage available
for the upcoming winter
32' Noank Schooner Restoration

Beetle Cat® Boat Shop
Traditional wooden boat building and restoration
from skiffs to 50' power and sailboats.

Sole Builder of the Beetle Cat Boat

Celebrating 65 Years
New 12' Onset Island Skiff

We offer
New Boats • Used Boats
• Storage • Parts
• repairs • Maintenance

Beetle, Inc.

Register your Crocker Design at

www.CrockersBoatYard.com
Manchester, Massachusetts

•

BOATBUILDERS

Offering a full range of services since 1946.
Storage available for this winter.

888-332-6004

Beetle Cat — Celebrating 91 Years

3 Thatcher Lane
Wareham, MA 02571
Tel 508.295.8585
fax 508.295.8949
www.beetlecat.com

Please Visit Our Website to
Register Your Crocker
www.crockersboatyard.com
Manchester, Massachusetts • 888–332–6004

January/February 2012 • 111

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The West Point Skiff ®

Traditional pine strips and oak construction using SiBr throughout
16, 18 and 20 foot models available

RECENTLY COMPLETED

Nichols Boat Builder LLC – Richard Nichols, Builder
300 West Point Road, Phippsburg, Maine 04562
www.westpointskiff.com (207) 389-2468

hil Mitchell —
P
Wooden boat
restoration and

BOATBUILDERS

repair. All makes
cruisers, runabouts,
and sail. Major hull
work, small repairs,
refinishing.
­— Call 865-603-1418 —
Knoxville, Tennessee

www.restorationsbyphil.com

Let Us Build One For You

Our Secret Cove 24 is an elegant 1920s-style cruiser with
hidden 25hp outboard—an easily-trailered classic with
amazing accommodations. See our website for details:

www.islandboatshop.com

Nordland, WA 98358 – email [email protected]

PE N D L E T ON
YACHT•YARD

1954 Rockland Boat-built handsome Maine lobster yacht. Totally rebuilt by PYY in 2003,
now for sale. All systems and electronics high-end and new, freshly painted. $85,000.

Rebuilders of Classic Yachts

525 Pendleton Point Rd. • Islesboro, ME 04848 • 207-734-6728
www.pendletonyachtyard.com • www.quicksilvermaine.com

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APBY 20' CAT, 2009

pulsiferhampton.com

APBY 14', 2011

APBY DAYSAILER, 2008

www.areyspondboatyard.com

Seal Cove Boatyard, Inc.
BOX 99 / HARBORSIDE, MAINE 04642
TEL: 207-326-4422 / FAX 207-326-4411

BOATBUILDERS

Maine’s Premier Wooden Boat

SPENCER LINCOLN 38', 2010

You Will Find Us
Personable, Knowledgeable
and Skilled in a Broad
Range of Services

Same
Folks...It’s the
That’s Right,
Railway
She’s Off the

For Sale

Boat.

CuStom marine
WoodWork
DESPERATE LARK - Herreshoff, 1903.
In Our Care for Over 40 Years

Wooden boatS
lineS
HardWare
marine Joinery
CuStom millWork

E-mail: [email protected] • www.sealcoveboatyard.com

Call about CommiSSioning
ioning
your next boat.

For Sale

(207) 299-5777

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KITS
KITS & PLANS
PLANS
CHESAPEAKE LIGHT CRAFT

2.

1.

3.

5.

4.

6.

build your own wooden boat! award-winning kits for kayaks, rowing boats, and smallcraft. choose from 90 models.

1805 gEORgE aVE | annapOlis, MaRyland | 21401 | 410.267.0137 |

clcbOats.cOM

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KITS & PLANS
January/February 2012 • 115

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26 iain
oughtred
designs
available

st. ayles rowing skiff kits

Okoume plywood planking with traditional
precut scarfs and hull molds CNC machined by

Blue
Hill,
Maine
For pricing & ordering: [email protected] • 1-207-460-1178
www.cnc-marine-hewesco.com For kit details: www.jordanboats.co.uk

KITS & PLANS

NUTSHELL PRAM
Thousands Built • Joel White Designed • 7’7” or 9’6” • Build from Plans or Kits

The WoodenBoat Store • PO Box 78 • Brooklin, ME 04616 • 1.800.273.7447

Order On-line: www.woodenboatstore.com
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The

11/21/11 4:59 PM

Free “Consumer Guide To Building Your Dream Boat”

Imagine the pride of riding on the water in a
boat like those pictured in WoodenBoat. As you
tow her to the lake, envious onlookers give you
“thumbs up” on the highway. You load her on
the water and your heart swells with pride as she
floats like a dream. Gliding along the water,
other boaters stop and ask “what year is it?” Or,
“where did you get that beautiful boat?” Your
smile is so big your cheeks hurt and you reply,
“she’s brand new, I built her myself.” This is the

feeling expressed by thousands of Glen-L builders and we’d like you to experience it too. Leave
a voicemail at 877-913-2117 for your FREE
copy of our “Consumer’s Guide To Building
Your Dream Boat” - www.Glen-L.com
“The finished boat and response I get when
showing her, are more rewarding than I could
have ever imagined.”
Rick Dufresne - Portland, OR

KITS & PLANS

www.woodenboatstore.com

Thirty-five pages of plans
included in this book!

Gifford Jackson’s 12’6” rugged daysailer has a
plethora of exceptionally detailed and interesting
drawings, including a two-part trailer for easy
launching. Measured metrically, she’s a v-bottomed
dagger-boarder, glued-lapstrake plywood hull,
with sawn frames.

WoodenBoat

BOOKS

Naskeag Rd, PO Box 78
Brooklin, Maine 04616

88 pages, hardcover
#325-135 $19.95
add $5.00 shipping in the US.

Call 1.800.273.7447
January/February 2012 • 117

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CLASSIFIED
To place a Classified Ad, visit our website www.woodenboat.com
or call our Classified Ad Manager at (207) 359–7714.
Deadline for the March/April issue: January 5, 2012
LOW ELL BOaTS — COMPLETE
wooden boat restoration services and
marine surveying. garY LOWELL,
greensboro, NC, 336 –274 – 0892.
www.lowell.to/boats.
MI a MI, FOrT L aUDEr Da L E,
Florida Keys—30+ years experience
building, repairing, and restoring
boats. Quality workmanship, with
composite construction expertise.
references. Call 305 – 634 – 4263,
305–498–1049. rmiller35@bellsouth.
net, www.millermarinesystems.com.
D&H FINISH CarPENTrY aND
Wooden Boats. Traditional styles
cold-molded for efficient ownership.
MI, 810–287–0745.

Multi-day sailing
adventures for 6-40 of
your closest friends.
Charter rates available.

S.N. SMITH & SON, BOaTWrIgHT/
timber framer. annual maintenance,
restoration, and building to 45'. Our
goal is to make wooden boat ownership predictable and enjoyable. P.O.
Box 724, Eastham, Ma 02642, 978–
290–3957, www.snsmithandson.com.
JOHN M. KarBOTT BOaTBUILDINg.
Custom wooden boat building and
repair. Lobsterboat styles a speciality.
WoodenBoat School instructor. Member Massachusetts Marine Trades
association. 789 rocky Hill rd, Plymouth, Ma 02360. Phone/fax 508–
224 –3709, w w w.by-the-sea.com/
karbottboatbuilding.

Sail Away with Great
Food, Friends & Family

raTTY’S CELEBraTED QUOTaTION
with original illustrations featured
on our shirts and bags. Toll-free
877– 637–7464. www.Messingabout.
com.

1-800-807-WIND
www.sailmainecoast.com
THE DOrY SHOP—CUSTOM-BUILT
small boats and Lunenburg dories
since 1917. Oars and paddles too.
Call 902– 640 –3005 or visit w w w.
doryshop.com.
SaTTEr’S rESTOraTION—Traditional wooden canoes and boats
restored. Quality woodwork, brightwork, repairs. Branchville, NJ, 973–
948–5242, www.sattersrestoration.
com.

NaVTECH MarINE SUrVEYOrS’
course. Sur veying recreational/
commercial vessels. U.S. Surveyors
association, Master Marine Surveyor
program. FL, 800–245–4425.

DaMIaN McLaUgHLIN Corporation—Custom cold-molded boats
and yachts to 40'. 41 years of experience. www.DMCBoats.com.
TraDITIONaL BOaT—WOODEN
boat repair, restoration, construction.
Please visit our web site at www.maine
traditionalboat.com. John Flanzer,
Unity, ME, 207–568–7546.
HaDDEN BOaT CO.—WOODEN
boat construction and repair to any
size; sail and power. 11 Tibbetts Lane, SaLT POND rOWINg—Specializing
georgetown, ME 04548, 207–371– in glued ply wood lapstrake and stripplank construction. rowboats, light
2662.
dories, and recreational shells. Designs
rEPaIr, rESTOraTION, STOragE, by John Brooks, Joel W hite, Joe
and SUrVEYS. Low overhead and Thompson. also rowing supplies:
low rates, 35 years exper ience. oars, leathers, oarlocks, gunwale
MICHaEL Warr BOaTWOrKS, guard, etc. www.saltpondrowing.com.
Sedgwick, ME, 207–359–6539.
Stonington, ME, 207–367–2360.

School
one- and Two-week courses in
Boatbuilding, Seamanship, and
Related crafts
SaIL MaINE aBOarD MaINE’S
oldest windjammer, “Lewis r. French.”
Enjoy great sailing, lobsters, new
friends, and fresh air (no smoking).
Sailing from Camden, 3-, 4 -, and
6 -day cruises with only 22 guests,
May–October. Capt. garth Wells,
P.O. Box 992 W, Camden, ME 04843.
800–469–4635. www.schoonerfrench.
com.

June–September

—Offsite winter courses also offered—
For a complete catalog:
WoodenBoat School, P.o. Box 78,
Brooklin, ME 04616, Tel: 207–359–4651

or view the online catalog at

www.woodenboat.com

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CLASSIFIEDS
ASSOCIATION FOR MARITIME
Preservation, Inc. will be open to
grant requests from 01/01/12 thru
2/28/12. For more information, go
to www.MaritimePreservation.org.

The 21stAnnual

REBUILT CHRIS-CRAFT 6-cylinder
engines: K, KL, KBL, KFL, KLC, M,
ML, MBL, MCL. Assorted V8s. Mitch
LaPointe’s, www.classicboat.com.
952–471–3300.

June 29–July 1, 2012
Mystic Seaport
Mystic, Connecticut
www.thewoodenboatshow.com

THE BOAT INSURANCE STORE.
Insurance program for wooden boats.
LAWRENCE FOX AGENCY, 1–800–
553–7661. Our 50th year. www.boat
insurancestore.com.

1-800-762-2628
WWW.HAGERTYMARINE.COM

COMMISSION WATERCOLOR or
oil portrait of your treasured boat
by D.Hellums, classically trained,
award-winning artist. Submit photograph or on location. Any size, framed,
ready to hang. 713–443–0962, dale_
[email protected].

GR AY MARINE, CHRIS - CR A FT,
Chrysler engines remanufactured to
the highest standards. All engines
are test run at our facility and come
with a written warranty. We stock
many models including the Gray
4–112 and the Sea Scout 91. We also
have a large parts department with
parts for above engines, also Zenith
carburetors, Paragon, Borg Warner,
AC and Carter fuel pumps. Van Ness
Engineering, 252 Lincoln Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450, 201–445–8685, fax
201–445–3099.

SHELLBOATS.COM—Sailboat kits,
handcrafted in Vermont. Check out
our web site, or call 802–524–9645.

VIRGIN EVINRUDE—NEW, 1977.
25 -hp, short shaft, electric start,
N.O.S. Wire harness, tank is in orig- THE FINEST WOODEN POND sail- BOAT KITS—PLANS—PATTERNS.
inal box, more. Pristine. $3,900. ME, ers. Free brochure: 1–800–206–0006. World’s best selection of 200+ designs.
Catalog $5. Boatbuilding supplies—
207–389–2465.
www.modelsailboat.com.
easy-to-use 50/50 epoxy resins/glues,
fasteners, and much more. Free
catalog. CLARKCRAFT, 16-42 AqualHERCULES ENGINE PARTS
ane, Tonawanda, N Y 14150. 716 –
Model M, ML, MBL, K, KL
873–2640, www.clarkcraft.com.
HERCANO PROPULSION, LLC
Business Hours: M-F 8:30-4:30 EST
Phone: 740-745-1475
Fax: 740-745-2475

W ESTER BEK E 63D NEV ER
installed—In original crate in warm,
dry shop. 2.74:1, Admiral Panel, extras.
$9,985, 253–566–3843, flyingblossom OUR FRIENDSHIP SLOOP MODELS
@nventure.com.
are accurate replicas of the elegant,
seaworthy crafts built in Friendship,
HERCULES IXB, 45 hp—Faithful Maine. Based on a 1900 design, our
servant for many years. Many years kits are available in two sizes. Both
left. 1,500 rpm, 5 knots, 1gal./hour. kits are plank-on-bulkhead and conRecent complete rebuild. Electronic tain many laser-cut parts. Bluejacket
ignition. Spare engine available. Shipcrafters, 160 E. Main St., Sears$1,500. Also, Graymarine 25-hp Sea port, ME 04974. 800–448–5567, www.
Scout for part s. 514 –276 –7142, bluejacketinc.com.
[email protected].
ELEGANT SCALE MODELS. Individually handcrafted custom scale
model boats. JEAN PRECKEL, www.
preckelboats.com, 304–432–7202.

SMITHSONI AN INSTITUTION
Plans from the National Watercraft
Collection, H.I. Chapelle drawings,
Historic American Merchant Marine
Survey, etc. Send $20 check to Smithsonian Institution for 250 -page
catalog to: Smithsonian Ship Plans,
P.O. Box 37012, NMAH-5004/MRC
628, Washington, DC 20013-7012.
www.americanhistory.si.edu/csr/ship
plan.htm.

ATKIN ILLUSTRATED CATALOG
—135 pages, with more than 300
Atkin designs. Famed Atkin doubleCOMPLETE SET OF 12 1⁄ 2 Haven enders, rowing/sailing dinghies,
molds. Used once. $500. 315–783– houseboats, and more. $15 U.S. and
7322.
Canada ($22 US for overseas orders).
Payment: U.S. dollars payable through
a U.S. bank. ATKIN BOAT PLANS,
P.O. Box 3005WB, Noroton, CT 06820.
[email protected], www.atkinboat
plans.com.
January/February 2012 •

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CLASSIFIEDS
ORC A BOATS — STR IP/EPOx y
canoes and kayaks, plans, materials,
courses, repairs, and restorations,
BC. www.orcaboats.ca, 604-312-4784.

TWO GREAT GIFT IDEAS—Details
of Classic Boat Construction by Larry
Pardey, “An invaluable and comforting guide.”—Joel White, Woodenboat.
Bull Canyon: A Boatbuilder, a Writer,
and Other Wildlife by Lin Pardey,
“romantic and admirable...like following the fantastic adventures of an
old friend.”—Publishers Weekly. Web
site special: Details—$35.00; Bull
Canyon—$18.95. www.landlpardey.
com. Both available as Kindle eBooks.

Jordan Wood Boats

P.O. Box 194, South Beach, OR 97366
541–867–3141

www.jordanwoodboats.com
******************

Distinctive Boat Designs
Meticulously Developed and Drawn
For the Amateur Builder

CRADle BOAt
BABy tenDeR

GEODESIC AIROLITE DESIGNS—
Westport Dinghy, 8'10"; beam 431⁄2";
weight 29 lbs. Stow-aboard yacht
tender. Forget outboard, rows easily!
Monfort Associates. 207–882–5504,
www.gaboats.com.

BeACh CRuiSeR
FOOtlOOSe

LEARN HOW TO BUILD yOUR
own cedar-stripped boat. Plans for
dinghies, canoes, row, sail, paddle,
outboard. www.compumarine.com.
AZ, 520–604–6700.
CATALOG OF 40 SIMPLE PLyWOOD
boats, $4. JIM MICHALAK, 118 E.
Randle, Lebanon, IL 62254. www.
jimsboats.com.

BUILD yOUR OWN BARTENDER—
Plans for the original, seaworthy,
planing double-ender available in
six sizes from 19' to 29'. Photos, video,
information available online at www.
bartenderboats.com.
NEWFOUND WOODWORKS, INC.—
Cedar Strip Canoe, Kayak, and Rowboat Kits. Complete kits or order
plan sets to build yourself; cedar
strips, epoxy, fiberglass, tools, seats,
and accessories. Sign up for our e-mail
newsletter. Go to www.newfound.
com for all the info. 67 Danforth
Brook Rd., Bristol, NH 03222, 603–
744–6872.

JAMES WHAR R AM DESIGNS —
World-renowned, safe, seaworthy
catamarans, 14'– 63' to self-build
in ply/epoxy/’glass, from plans that
are “a course in boatbuilding.”
[email protected], webshop:
www.wharram.com.

IMAGINE THE PRIDE AND satisfaction you’ll feel gliding over the
water in the “classic” wooden boat
yOU created. Leave a voicemail
24/7—877–913–2116, for your FREE
“Consumer Guide to Building your
BU I L D N.G . H E R R E SHOF F ’S
Dream Boat.” www.Glen-L.com.
COQUINA, 16'8" sailing and rowing
boat. Under license from MIT’s Hart
Nautical Collection, Maynard Bray
and Doug Hylan have produced a
builder’s package for both amateur
and professional builders. PLANS—
11 sheets of detailed drawings for
both cedar and glued-plywood lapstrake construction. $200 + $10 S&H
U.S. ($30 international). CD—550
photos and text describing all aspects
of construction. $50 + $10 S&H U.S.
($20 international). Free downloadable study plans and information
about kits, bare hulls, and completed
boats are available at www.dhylanboats.com. Send check or money
order to: Coquina, 53 Benjamin River
Dr., Brooklin, ME 04616.

CLASSIC BOATING MAGAZINE—
The most popular and complete publication on antique and classic boats.
Subscription $28, Canada $36 USD,
overseas $78. Samples $5, Canada
$7.50, overseas $12.50. Classic Boating,
280-D Lac La Belle Dr., Oconomowoc,
WI 53066. 262–567–4800.

CAJUN PIROGUE-JON BOAT-SKIFFS.
Paddle, row, motor or sail. Designed
for first-time builders. Kits and plans.
www.unclejohns.com, or call 337–
527–9696.

28 DESIGNS IN OUR $12 Brochure,
includes: rowing and sailing skiffs,
dories, prams, lake and river boats.
Plans and instructions for 13'6" •
4'11" Nez Perce outboard (above)–$50.
Ken Swan, P.O. Box 6647, San Jose,
CA 95150. 408–300–1903, www.swan
boatdesign.com.

WOODEN BOAT M AG A ZI N ES —
Nos. 3–199 (14 missing out of 196).
WOODENBOAT SCHOOL STAFF— $250 cash, you pick up. Littleton,
Currently accepting resumes from MA. Tom, 978–502–7048.
individuals interested in joining our
2012 staff. Shop, waterfront, and WOODEN BOAT M AG A ZI N ES —
kitchen positions available. Season From Nos. 70–195 and Nos. 203–223.
extends from May to early October. Best offer. 603–379–2404.
Looking for individuals with experience, dedication, strong people skills,
and enthusiasm. EOE. Contact: Director, WoodenBoat School, P.O. Box
78, Brooklin, ME 04616 or school@
woodenboat.com.

120 • WoodenBoat 224

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CLASSIFIEDS
MOdern ManiLa. neW LeOFLeXX. the latest rope technology. Looks
great, works hard. american rope
& tar, 1–877–965–1800 or tarsmell.
com.
$299,000—Pied-a-terre in historic maritime village of Fell’s Point,
Baltimore, Md. Small 19th-century
rowhouse, one block from harbor,
deep-water marinas and water taxi.
Year-round, vibrant neighborhood.
410–522–3050.

VarniSH WOrK tO YaCHt Standards—refinishing and cosmetic
upgrading. epoxy work, planking/
woodwork. WoodenBoat School graduate. Freeport, Me 207–329–3828.

SOFt COttOn FenderS and
classic knotwork. For catalog, send
SaSe to: tHe K nOtted Line,
9908 168th ave. n.e., redmond, Wa
98052-3122, call 425–885–2457. www.
theknottedline.com.
H aV e tOOLS W iL L tr aV eL .
Wooden boat builder will build,
rebuild, or repair your project on
site or in my shop. $20/hour. Vt,
802–365–7823.

CanVaS FOr deCKS and CanOeS.
natural, untreated. no. 10, 15 oz.,
96", $17.50/yard; 84", 14.50/yard,
72", $12/yard; 60", $9.50/yard.
SHaW & tenneY, OrOnO, Maine Minimum five yards, prepaid only.
JaSPer & BaiLeY SaiLMaKerS. —traditionally handcrafted spruce Fa Br iC WOr K S, 148 Pine St.,
established 1972. Offshore, one- masts and spars since 1858. 1–800– Waltham, Ma 02453, 781–642–8558.
design, and traditional sails. Sail 240–4867, www.shawandtenney.com.
repairs, recuts, conversions, washing
and storage. Used-sail brokers. 64
Halsey St., P.O. Box 852, newport, ri
02840; 401–847–8796. www.jasper
andbailey.com.
StarS and StriPeS PennantS.
authentic historical design exquisitely
handcrafted in the most durable
fabrics. 4', 6', 8' and 12' sizes in stock—
other sizes and designs by custom
order. Custom design and fabrication
FineLY CraFted WOOden SParS.
is our specialty. also in stock, all sizes
Hollow or solid. any type of construcU.S., state, foreign, historical, marine,
tion. eLK SParS, 577 norway drive,
and decorative flags, banners, penBar Harbor, Me, 04609, 207–288–9045.
nants, and accessories. 77 Forest St.,
new Bedford, Ma 02740. 508–996–
6006, www.brewerbanner.com.

GenUineLY Marine Led LiGHtS,
made by Bebi electronics. w w w.
bebi-electronics.com,[email protected]. US agent—r. Ford,
727–289–4992, rogersf@bebi-elec
tronics.com.
StOCKHOLM tar. Genuine kilnburnt pine tar. it’s the real Stuff.
american rope & tar, 1–877–965–
1800 or tarsmell.com.

WWW.daBBLerSaiLS.COM— traditional small-craft sails. PO Box 235
Wicomico Church, Va, 22579. Ph/
fax 804–580–8723, [email protected].
dOUGLaS FOWLer SaiLMaKer—
Highest-quality, full-seam curved
sails since 1977. traditional sails a
specialty. White, colors, and egyptian
dacron in stock. 1182 east Shore dr.,
ithaca, nY 14850. 607–277–0041.

CLaSSiCBOatCOnneCtiOn.COM
—Your one stop source for all your
classic boat restoration needs. Call
507–344 – 8024, or e-mail mail@
classicboatconnection.com for free
CanOe HardWare: 1⁄2", 11⁄16", 7⁄8" catalog.
3
canoe tacks; ⁄8" oval brass stembands;
clenching irons; 3⁄16" bronze carriage VaCUUM-BaGGinG SUPPLieS—
bolts; canoe plans; clear white cedar. Fiberglass cloth, epoxy resins, waterCatalog $1. nOrtHWOOdS CanOe b a s ed L PU p a i nt s , a nd more.
CO., 336 range rd., atkinson, Me technical support and fast service.
04426. Order, phone 888–564–2710, www.fiberglasssupply.com or toll free:
fax 207–564–3667.
877–493–5333.

BrOnZe CaM CLeat with plastic
ball bearings and 11⁄2" fastening center distance. BrOnZe WinG -tiP
naViGatiOn LiGHtS with glass
globe. Side mount, stern and steaming. For our free catalog, contact us
at J.M. reineck & Son, 781–925–3312,
[email protected].
BLOX YGen SaV eS LeFtOV er
FiniSHeS. Just spray, seal, and store.
www.bloxygen.com, 888-810-8311.
January/February 2012 •

WBClass224_09.indd 121

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CLASSIFIEDS

Available in 316 Stainless Steel and Bronze

www.newfoundmetals.com
888–437–5512

EXCEPTiONA L BRONZE A Nd
Chrome Hardware—Windshield
bracket s; nav igational lighting;
Tufnol and ash blocks; fastenings,
roves, and rivets; repair, building,
and kit materials; oars, paddles, and
rowing accessories; decals, apparel,
and traditional giftware. www.ten
dercraftboats.com. Toll-free phone:
800–588–4682.

FeatherBow

®

FeatherBow® $29.95
FeatherBow® Jr. $17.95

LeTONK iNOiS. ALL-NATuR AL
varnish. Centuries-old formula. Longlasting, beautiful finish. Extremely
user-friendly. American Rope & Tar,
877–965–1800 or tarsmell.com.

Build your own Strip Built Boat
FeatherBow.com • (860) 209-5786

AT L A N T iC A N d NORT H E R N
White Cedar and reclaimed teak,
flitch-sawn, wide boards, 16' lengths,
milling, premium quality, fair prices.
CT, 203–245–1781. www.whitecedar.
com.

T H iS 20' C H R iS - C R A F T WA S
stripped in four man-hours. Environmentally friendly paint stripper. For
more information, call 800–726–4319.
E-mail us at [email protected], or
visit our web site, www.starten.com.
TARREd HEMP MARLiNE. SEvERAL
styles; hanks, balls, spools. American
Rope & Tar, 1– 877–965 –1800 or
tarsmell.com.

Bantam air Hammer

Boat riveting Kit
n Designed for
Copper Rivets
n Cuts Riveting Time up to 70%
n Superior Pneumatic

800-521-2282

www.superiorpneumatic.com

1970s COMPLETE SHiPWRiGHT’S
tool set in two custom wood boxes.
See photos at shipwrightstools.shutterfly.com to evaluate and make offer.
They don’t make them like this anymore. Md, 410–336 –3400 or sc@
davy.bz.

HAvEN 12 1⁄2 COMPLETE HiGHquality bronze hardware sets. See
our display ad elsewhere in the issue.
For our free catalog, contact us at
J.M. Reineck & Son, 781–925–3312,
[email protected].

TEAK LuMBER FROM $7.50/bf and
teak decking from $.99/lf. Call ASi,
800–677–1614 or e-mail your requirements to rogerstevens@asihardwood.
com.
BOuLTER PLY WOOd—MARiNE
plywood 4' • 8' to 16', 5' • 10' to 20'
— 1⁄8" to 1" okoume, sapele, meranti,
teak, ash, khaya, teak and holly, teak
and rubber. Lumber—Sitka spruce,
teak, mahogany, green oak, ash,
cypress, fir, Spanish and red cedar,
teak decking—lengths up to 20'.
Milling services. Nationwide delivery.
w w w.boulterply wood.com, 888 –
4BOuLTER.

COPPER FASTENERS ANd RivETing tools, Norwegian and English
boat nails, roves/rivets, rose and
flathead, clench, threaded, decoration, and more. 50+ sizes and types,
3
⁄8" to 6". Your leading source since
1987. FAERiNG dESiGN, dept. W,
P.O. Box 322, East Middlebury, vT
05740, 1–800–505–8692, faering@
together.net, www.faeringdesigninc.
com.

THE ORiGiNAL SiNCE 2001. THE
smallest composting toilet in the
world! EOS, PO Box 5, Mt. vernon,
OH 43050. www.airheadtoilet.com,
740-392-3642.

SLOW-GROWiNG, OLd-GROWTH
white oak (Quercus alba), up to 50'
long and 42" wide. Longleaf pine
(Pinus pilustrus) out to 50' long. Oldgrowth white pine, 22'–28'. Black
locust, American elm, and larch.
NEW ENGLANd NAvAL TiMBERS,
CT, 860–693–8425.

RESTOREd ORTON SHiP SHAPER
—71⁄2 -hp, 230-volt, three-phase. Tilting router/shaper for cutting changing bevels into wood leaving a smooth
finish. Excellent time-saving machine
for getting out planking or any other
changing bevel work. Asking $4,950.
Call 401–824–6585. Photos available.

PLANKiNG STOCK iN LENGTHS
to 32'—angelique, silver balli, wana,
CARvEL PLANKERS AGREE: Conant angelique timbers. Call for quotes.
Planking Clamps are the best, if you Gannon and Benjamin, 508–693–
want tight seams with no hassles. 4658.
Three sizes suit dinghies to 40-footers. in use by professionals for over
25 years and still in demand. Herreshoff restorers and beginners swear
by these rugged and dependable
helpers. You will, too. rconant41512@
roadrunner.com, 207-633-3004, P.O.
Box 498, Boothbay, ME 04537.

THE BROOKLiN iNN—Year-round
lodging, fine dining, irish Pub. Modern interpretations of classic Maine
dishes. Always organic/local. Winter
Getaway: $145/dO, dinner, breakfast, room, Nov–May. Summer rate:
$125/dO (plus dinner). brooklininn.
com, ME, 207–359–2777.

TE A K , M A HOGA N Y, PA dAuK ,
purpleheart, white oak, teak decking,
starboard. Complete molding millwork facilities. Marine ply wood.
Custom swim platforms. SOuTH
JERSEY LuMBERMAN’S iNC., 6268
Holly St., Mays Landing, NJ 08330.
609–965–1411. www.sjlumbermans.
com.

W idE! LONG A Nd LONGER—
W hite oak, Atlantic white cedar,
longleaf yellow pine, greenheart and
locust. Furniture-grade domestic
hardwoods. Newport Nautical Timbers, Ri, 401–253–8247. Premium
bending stock now available. www.
NewportNauticalTimbers.com.
FERGuSON CuSTOM SAWMiLL.
Custom-cut lumber. White oak, cedar,
cypress and many more varieties.
visit us at www.FergusonCustomSaw
mill.com, or call 540–903–8174.
W W W.di A MONdTE A K .COM—
True teak wood. Planing, sanding
available. Quarter-sawn teak for decking; tongue-and-groove; veneer;
custom work. Also mahogany and
Spanish cedar. Highest quality. We
ship worldwide. 215–453–2196, info@
diamondteak.com.

122 • WoodenBoat 224

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CLASSIFIEDS
WHEELER 40', 1952 SPORTFISHERMAN—Twin diesels, excellent condition, located on Hudson River, NY.
$49,000. Details at w w w.wheeler
sportfisherman.com.

17' WITTHOLZ CATBOAT WITH
trailer and outboard engine. In excellent condition. $9,000. Located
Brooklin, ME. NJ, 201–569–3787 or
201–568–1441.

30' WOODEN SAILBOAT—Custombuilt 1984 by Kelvin Savell. It has
been stored inside the last 15 years
and must be sold, and must go to a
good home. Currenty stored in Minnesota. Delivery can be provided.
320–760–2854 for more information.

HACKMATACK SHIPS KNEES—
Architectural Knees. David Westergard,
NS, 902-298-1212, djwestergard@gmail.
com. www.westergardboatyard.ca.

RHODES 24' LOA, BERMUDAN
Sloop “Mele Kai”. Full-length Port
Orford cedar planking over laminated
white-oak framing with silicon-bronze
fastenings. Sitka-spruce spars. No
sails. Volvo Penta-MD7A. Sailable,
but needs restoration. Featured in
WoodenBoat Nos. 63 and 64. $3,000.
310–748–3390.

1975 PETER NORLIN-DESIGNED
IOR Sloop—(see Most Beautiful Boats
in the World.) Carvel mahogany on
oak. Fast, dry, with many upgrades.
2011 survey: “excellent condition.”
Gabriola, BC. $45,000. drswanson@
shaw.ca.
1965, 42' TRAWLER. 6-cyl diesel,
4K generator. Undergoing restoration, needs paint and cosmetic work.
Tx, $27,000. Call for more details.
Joe, 713–851–1702.

CHRIS-CRAFT 1939, 17' DELUxE
Runabout. Restored. Original steering wheel, and engine. Professionally
rebuilt, 135-hp KFL series with zero
time. $39,900. OR, 503–925–1340.
11' SAND DOLLAR SAILING/rowing
skiff. Sapele mahogany, cypress framing, Shaw & Tenney oars, gunter rig.
Built 2011. $2,550. $3,000 w/trailer.
410–639–7547.
GLOUC E ST E R GU L L DOR Y—
Super lightweight, 70 lbs. Primer
paint. $1,800. [email protected].

24', 1983 BILL GA R DEN C A MP
Tender—Master shipwright-built in
British Columbia. Double-crossplanked, semi-displacement hull.
Trailer included. 250 –920 –5221,
[email protected].
13'6" TWO-PIECE NESTING doubleended dory. 60 lbs. Primer paint.
$1,500. [email protected].
CLASSIC MOTORYACHT—1926,
62' ELCO. Shown in WoodenBoat
No.171, March/April 2003, sketch
pg. 42. Survey one year ago June.
Twin diesels. $500,000+ invested.
Northern C A, A sking $149,000,
415–887–9932.

“EUPHRATES” 1949 MATTHEWS
40' Classic Motoryacht—Beautiful
10-year restoration. Available for
Fractional Ownership in Newport
Beach, CA. $25,000 per 10% interest.
www.Euphrates-NewportBeach.com.
1953, 27' SHEPHERD—CHRYSLER Bob Hersh, PrimeTime Yachts, 949–
M47Ss, upgraded with freshwater 675–0583, 949–278–6764, robert@
cooling, bronze-rubber impeller primetimeyachts.com.
water pumps, electronic ignition.
Low hours since rebuild. Completely
rebuilt in 20 06 w it h no system
untouched. Professionally maintained.
Recent exterior varnish stripped,
recoated, 15 coats hi-gloss. Hardware
rechromed. Adjustable, removable
bimini top enclosure, complete isin1947 LUDERS VIKING “Leg-A-Sea,” glass panels. Full boat storage cover.
31'5" hot-molded mahogany sloop. Jupiter, FL $150,000. Doug, 954 –
Refit 2006 (call for DVD), now in 303–4349, [email protected].
F lor ida. Now 10 0% completely
updated. Sail her home-lots of extra
“stuff.” Volvo 28-hp diesel. 8'10" beam,
4'5" draft, 7/8 rig, 11,500 lbs displacement. Asking $25,000 or best offer.
Anton, 561–271–3344.

29' 8" SLOOP—RIGGED, STILL IN
shop. 85% complete with lead keel,
spars, engine, wired, finished galley.
Price is open. Located in Nova Scotia.
For details e-mail merlesmith@east
COLIN ARCHER PILOT CUTTER link.ca, or call 902–723–2691.
“Marion D”—38', Norwegian built
1950, cutter rigged, pitch pine carvel- HERRESHOFF 15—LOA 25', BUILT
planked on double-sawn flitch frames, in Bristol, RI, early 1900s. Needs
white oak backbone, trunnel fastened. some refastening. $20,000. More info,
$35,000. mariond.squarespace.com. contact Bob at 508–567–1185.

TRESARUS, 1959 CLASSIC 28'8"
Billy Atkin Fore An’Aft—Continuously sailed and maintained since
1959. This decade had some new
frames, some planking, stem, topmast,
transom, forefoot, tanks. Standing
and running rigging sound and functional, including yardarms, ratlines.
Teak deck, Westerbeke diesel, 608
hours. Survey, many pictures available. Discovered September haulout
she needs work on some frames, some
planking. Ithaca, NY. emm5@cornell.
edu.
January/February 2012 •

WBClass224_09.indd 123

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CLASSIFIEDS
WITTHOLZ 40' TR AWLER-TuG
built 1968, Reedville, VA. Excellent
condition; 400 hours Perkins 354; 8
knots, 3 gal per hour. A classic.
$55,000, [email protected].

19' LIGHTNING SLOOP—BuILT
in 2000 at The Landing School, and
featured in WoodenBoat magazine
Nos.153, 154, and 155. Cold-molded
bottom and plywood topsides. Competitive sailer in excellent condition,
$5,500. SC, Phil 864–617–6346.

1955 CENTuRY CORONA DO —
Mahogany 21' runabout. Needs restoration. No wood rot. Chevy rebuilt
motor. New clutch and gearbox.
Trailer. $7,500. Call Don, 540–820–
9234 or Jack, 540–810–7570.

HOLMES EEL—CEDAR OVER OAK
frames, epoxy and ’glass. Cast-iron
keel, centerboard. Petter 6.5 -hp
diesel. Cruise equipped. Trailer.
Vancouver, BC. martin_suo@hotmail.
com, 604–983–0180.

STARLING BuRGESS–DESIGNED
Yankee One-Design 30' sloop. Featured in August 2011 issue of WoodenBoat. Excellent shape throughout,
but needs keel work (estimated cost
$35,000). $5,000 firm. ddavis8957@
aol.com.

1958 THOMPSON 16' on 1957 PETER
trailer. 35-hp Evinrude (turns over),
canvas, cushions, tanks. One owner.
All original. $12,000 or best offer.
Contact [email protected].

NAT HERRESHOFF–DESIGNED
Rowing, Sailing Dinghy—11.5' • 4",
cold-molded. Boat $4,500, rig $1,500.
Primer paint. [email protected].

1917 HERRESHOFF 121⁄2 —Professionally maintained, excellent condition, successfully raced. 2001 Triad
trailer. Located MA. $19,500. 508–
560–0023.

T H E B OAT OF A L I F ET I M E:
“DEVA”—L. Francis Herreshoff design
#65. The only one ever built. See the
feature article in WoodenBoat No. 157.
A dream to sail and a beautiful sight
to behold. This is your chance to
become her next steward. “Deva“ is
a pedigreed ketch that has cruised
the Caribbean; second in class, Eggemoggin Reach Regatta 1997. See
her in Herreshoff’s The Common Sense
of Yacht Design, p. 269. Dan Brayton
and Brad Story combined to faithfully
interpret details of her design and
construction. LOA 36'6"; beam 8'6";
draft 4'9"; displacement 16,500 lbs.
Fully equipped. $65,000. Tel. 207–
359–4651, [email protected].

1956, 42' MATTHEWS MARTINIQuE
Express Cruiser—Very original, one
of two remaining of this model. Twin
331 Chrysler Hemis, rebuilt. Newer
canvas upholstery and instruments.
All new chrome. Hull sanded to bare
wood and repainted in 2010 to show
quality. $45,000. 330 – 482–1607,
[email protected].

BEETLE CAT “PuNKIN”—DECENT
condition, with recent stem, floorboards, ceiling, and deck sheathing.
Refastened and doesn’t leak. Good
sail and rigging, including shrouds.
Oiled spars, coaming, and rails for
easy maintenance. Trailer included.
$2,900. [email protected],
or 207–359–8593.

30' LYLE HESS BRISTOL CHANNEL
Cutter—1997, sistership to t he
Pardeys’ famous “Taliesin.” Extraordinary craftsmanship. Mahogany on
oak. Teak cabin and decks. Hull so
fair many think it’s fiberglass. Amazing teak and bird’s-eye maple interior.
27-hp Yanmar. Well equipped: rollerfurling, storm trysail, spinnaker, sea
anchor, radar, chartplotter, autopilot,
wind vane, refrigeration, VHF, 110V
electrical, inverter, Force 10 heater,
Force10 stove/oven, windlass, 9' Fattyknees dinghy with sailing kit, much
more. Pristine, like-new condition.
Asking $125,000. Web site www.tigressbcc.com. Call 650–868–0348.

1962 TOR 40' MERRYMAN—Doubleplanked, keel-centerboard sloop with
new standing rigging, and recent
sails. Yanmar 40 diesel, traditional
interior, Dyer dinghy. Much has been
done, little to do. Hull primed, needs
to be painted. Currently in water,
covered for winter. Asking $40,000.
Contact Frank Gary, 410–703–4017,
[email protected].
FuLL RESTORATION OF CuSTOMbuilt 1962 International 500, 32'
mahogany sloop. Over $140,000
invested, completion in 2011. May
consider selling when complete; WILL
sell now to someone to complete
restoration and get exactly what they
want. Visit www.WhiteHawkForSale.
com for info.

BB 11 20' CuSTOMIZED DAYSAILER.
Restored 2005. Aluminum mast,
wood boom. Set up for spinnaker.
Show and race winner. Bristol condition. Full boat cover. see www.joysail.
net, Bill 949–874–4402, $17,500.

RHODES 24—35' ON DECK, BEAM
8', draft 51⁄2'. Mahogany on oak with
teak decks. Built Mystic, CT 1949,
and extensively rebuilt by present
owner the last 10 years. A fast thoroughbred. Four-time winner at Foxy’s
Wooden Boat Regatta. Hull #1 in her
class, just about ready to cruise the
Caribbean. Serious offers, near
$100,000. Plans, pictures: yankee_
[email protected].

19'6" ITCHEN FERRY CuTTER,
1999—This is a one of a kind sailboat!
Built by Nokomis Boat Works, cedar
on oak. Draft: 3'6" LOA: 30'9", beam
8'3", LWL:18'9". Yanmar Model SB12,
one-cylinder with a new waterlift
muffler, some new hoses. Cruising
speed 4.5. Her handsome gaff rig
pushes her along well. Displacement
6,500, ballast 1,200, fuel 10. Nat
Wilson sails, manual and electric
bilge pump, galley, compass and VHF.
Two berths with 4' 2" headroom.
Marine plywood with a laid deck.
Great space for a small boat. $21,500
uSD. Ask for Todd, 207–359–4651.

124 • WoodenBoat 224

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11/21/11 5:59 PM

CLASSIFIEDS

11' NORWEGIAN SAILING PRAM—
Walt Simmons built. Douglas-fir,
yellow and red cedar. Very little use—
splendid example. Asking $1,900 or
offer within reason. More pictures/
info www.overlandexperts.com/sula.
Bruce: [email protected],
860–873–2169.

1937, 35.9' LOD “SEA W ITCh,”
A ngelman Ketch, hull #1. Documented. Circumnavigated twice, won
Transpac, second 1949, first 1951,
corrected time. Gaff-rigged, new
electrical wiring, navigation, paint
and mahogany on oak, full lead keel,
Dynel-sheathed, 6' dinghy. Well maintained. WoodenBoat, March/April
1999. Titusville, FL www.heritech.
com/seawitch/sea_witch.htm.

64' SKERRY CRUISER—1936 Knud
Reimers–designed 75-square meter
sloop. Finished bright, very fast,
excellent condition. 414–305–2541.

WESTON FARMER DESIGN SKIPJack—hull two layers okoume plywood. 13-hp diesel. Includes trailer.
Days 203–797–1992, ask for Al, or
[email protected].

32', 1939 PACIFIC-CLASS SLOOP
#35, restored 2009. New sails, rig,
deck, cabin, rails, planks, frames,
hardware, splined seams. Excellent
condition. Lying San Diego. Kettenburg design, asking $19,000. Call
858–922–9686.
1973 GRAND BANKS, 32', hULL
#407—Rare model, ice-box, gas stove,
$11,000. Contact Bill, 954–931–2011.

hISTORIC ChESAPEAKE OYSTER
Trader “M.V. Winnie Estelle”—66',
90 years-old, fully restored 20 years
ago, fine working condition. Vessel
is based in Belize, and in Rio Dulce,
Guatemala. Priced to sell at $125,000
or best offer. 877–208–8616, pelican
[email protected], http://belize
realestate.com/wes.html.
BEETLE CAT hULL #419. Excellent
condition, Doyle sail (2010), cockpit/
boom cover (2010), trailer, new stays,
hoops, running rigging. Paint and
varnish perfect. $8,000. jgraceffa@
morrisonmahoney.com.

1944, 40' NAVY LIBERTY LAUNCh—
Sound hull, built in the Brooklyn
Navy yard. Cypress over oak, mahogany pilothouse, and large cabin.
Converted hull to cruiser style in
1982. 318 Chrysler engine in good
running order, and with very low
hours. Boat in water every season for
the last 31 years. Very heavy, comfortable, and pretty. Vessel needs owner
with ability to continue to maintain
her. Free to good home. Photos available. Located in Salisbur y, M A,
978–452–1779. E-mail petermarina@
comcast.net.
1928 E LC O T h I RT Y- EIGh T—
‘Lindbergh honeymoon’ model
cruiser. Basically a ‘basket-case’. has
been gutted to the hull. Original
cabin woodwork, trim, running gear,
parts, hardware, and accessories are
stored, and are available (not including engine). Contact Tom, NY, 518–
584–7514, [email protected].

12' hEIDI SKIFF—UNFINIShED
student project. Western red cedar
planking, copper clench-nailed,
marine ply wood bottom. Needs
frames, risers, seats and onward.
Includes meranti lumber, bronze
screws, and Rich Kolin’s book to
finish. Located Whidbey Island,
u-haul. 360–331–3758 or 360–929–
6834 to leave callback number.

16' W hITE BE A R SK IFF—L A Pstrake cedar on oak, mahogany transom and rudder, copper fastened.
Includes oars and floorboards. Needs
repair to some planks and frames;
transom has a crack. Wonderful
classic little boat worthy of repair. It
was donated as a potential student
project that never got attention, now
hoping for a new home. Located
Whidbey Island, u-haul. 360–331–
3758, or 360–929–6834 to leave callback number.

WoodenBoat’s MarketPlace
For Buyers and Sellers of Products and Services
of Interest to the WoodenBoat Community
FREE access at www.woodenboat.com/business
To list your products,
simply go to www.wooden
boat.com/business and
follow the instructions
in the FAQ. Marketplace
is open to companies
and consumers alike.
Buy and sell at your
convenience, in one streamlined online community:
The WoodenBoat
MarketPlace.

P.O. Box 78 • Brooklin, ME 04616 • 207-359-7714
[email protected]

January/February 2012 •

WBClass224_09.indd 125

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Order Form for Classified Ads
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Issue Date — Mar/Apr
Deadline —
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Company ____________________________________________
Address _____________________________________________
City _________________________________________________
State/Zip _____________________________________________

WOODENBOAT ClAssifiEDs

P.O. Box 78 • Brooklin, Maine 04616
Phone: 207–359–7714, Monday thru Friday, 9am to 5pm • Fax: 207–359–7789
Email: classifi[email protected]

Place your ad online at www.woodenboat.com/wbmag/advertising.html

Rates expire November 5, 2012
126 • WoodenBoat 224

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Index to AdvertIsers
AdhesIves & CoAtIngs
Epifanes North America . . . . . .
Interlux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System Three Resins, Inc . . . . . .
West System Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . .

www .epifanes .com . . . . . . . . Cover II
www .yachtpaint .com . . . . . Cover Iv
www .systemthree .com . . . . . . . . . . 15
www .westsystem .com . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

BoAtBuIlders

Adirondack Guide Boat . . . . . . www .adirondack-guide-boat .com . . 108
Arey’s Pond Boatyard . . . . . . . . www .areyspondboatyard .com . . . 113
Beetle, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www .beetlecat .com . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Berkshire Wooden Boat . . . . . . www .berkshirewoodenboat .net . . 110
Billings Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www .billingsmarine .com . . . . . . . 108
Brion Rieff, Boatbuilder . . . . . . www .brionrieffboatbuilder .com . 110
Choptank Boatworks . . . . . . . . . www .choptankboatworks .com . . . 113
Covey Island Boatworks . . . . . . www .coveyisland .com . . . . . . . . . . 107
Crocker’s Boat Yard, Inc . . . . . . www .crockersboatyard .com . . . . . 111
Cutts & Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www .cuttsandcase .com . . . . . . . . . 110
Edgecomb Boat Works . . . . . . . www .edgecombboatworks .net . . . 110
French & Webb . . . . . . . . . . . . . www .frenchwebb .com . . . . . . . . . 111
Gannon & Benjamin . . . . . . . . . www .gannonandbenjamin .com . . . 109
Haven Boatworks, LLC . . . . . . . www .havenboatworks .com . . . . . . 113
Ian Joseph Boatworks . . . . . . . . www .ianjosephboatworks .com . . . 113
Island Boat Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . www .islandboatshop .com . . . . . . 112
Langskip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www .langskip .com . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Laughing Loon . . . . . . . . . . . . . www .laughingloon .com . . . . . . . . 110
Moores Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . www .mooresmarine .com . . . . . . . 111
MP&G, L .L .C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Nichols Boatbuilder, LLC . . . . . www .westpointskiff .com . . . . . . . . 112
Pease Boatworks . . . . . . . . . . . . www .peaseboatworks .com . . . . . . 112
Pendleton Yacht Yard . . . . . . . . www .pendletonyachtyard .com . . 112
Restorations by Phil Mitchell . . www .restorationsbyphil .com . . . . 112
Richard S . Pulsifer,
Boatbuilder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www .pulsiferhampton .com . . . . . 113
Rockport Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . www .rockportmarine .com . . . . . . 107
Rumery’s Boat Yard . . . . . . . . . . www .rumerys .com . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Seal Cove Boatyard . . . . . . . . . . www .sealcoveboatyard .com . . . . . 113
Stonington Boat Works, LLC . . www .stoningtonboatworks .com . . 112
Taylor & Snediker . . . . . . . . . . . www .lvjwinchesusa .com . . . . . . . . 111
Traditional Boat Works . . . . . . . www .traditionalboatworks .net . . . 110
Van Dam Custom Boats . . . . . . www .vandamboats .com . . . . . . . . 109
Wooden Boat Shop . . . . . . . . . . www .woodenboatshopinc .com . . . 112

Brokers

Brewer Yacht Sales . . . . . . . . . . www .breweryacht .com . . . . . . . . . 106
Brooklin Boat Yard . . . . . . . . . . www .brooklinboatyard .com . . . . . 105
Concordia Yacht Sales . . . . . . . . www .concordiaboats .com . . . . . . 106
David Jones Yacht Broker . . . . . www .davidjonesclassics .com . . . . 105
Great Lakes Boat Building Co . . www .greatwoodboats .com . . . . . . 106
Kingman Yacht Center . . . . . . . www .kingmanyachtcenter .com . . . 106
Metinic Yacht Brokers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

events

The Boatbuilding &
Rowing Challenge . . . . . . . . .
Brest 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cape Cod
Marine Trades Assoc . . . . . . . .
Family BoatBuilding . . . . . . . . .
Maine Boatbuilders Show . . . . .
Mecum Auctions . . . . . . . . . . . .
Teaching with
Small Boats Alliance . . . . . . . .
WoodenBoat Show . . . . . . . . . .
WOOD Regatta . . . . . . . . . . . . .

barc .woodenboat .com . . . . . . . . . . 17
www .lestonnerresdebrest2012 .fr . . 22
www .boatcapecod .org . . . . . . . . . . 35
www .familyboatbuilding .com . . . . 23
www .portlandcompany .com . . . . . 14
www .mecum .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
www .teachingwithsmallboats .org . . . 91
www .thewoodenboatshow .com . . . . 4
www .woodenboat .com . . . . . . . . . . 12

hArdwAre & ACCessorIes
Atlas Metal Sales . . . . . . . . . . . .
Barkley Sound Oar
& Paddle Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CC Fasteners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hamilton Marine . . . . . . . . . . .

www .atlasmetal .com . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
www .barkleysoundoar .com . . . . . . 91
www .ccfasteners .com . . . . . . . . . . 102
www .hamiltonmarine .com . . . . . . . 18

J .M . Reineck & Son . . . . . . . . . .
R&W Traditional
Rigging & Outfitting . . . . . . .
Red Hill Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shaw & Tenney . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Top Notch Fasteners . . . . . . . . .
Wooden Boat Chandlery . . . . .

www .bronzeblocks .com . . . . . . . . . 14
www .rwrope .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
www .supergrit .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
www .shawandtenney .com . . . . . . . 47
www .tnfasteners .com . . . . . . . . . . . 91
shop .woodenboat .org . . . . . . . . . 103

InsurAnCe

Heritage Marine Insurance . . . www .heritagemarineinsurance .com . 19

kIts & PlAns

Arch Davis Design . . . . . . . . . . .
Chesapeake Light Craft, LLC . .
Francois Vivier Architecte Naval .
Glen-L-Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Guillemot Kayaks . . . . . . . . . . .
Hewes & Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Marisol Skiff/WoodenBoat Store .
Noah’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nutshell Pram/WoodenBoat Store .
Parker Marine Enterprises . . . .
Pygmy Boats Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Redfish Custom Kayak
& Canoe Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Saetta Classic Boat . . . . . . . . . . .
Tippecanoe Boats, Ltd . . . . . . . .
Waters Dancing . . . . . . . . . . . . .

www .archdavisdesigns .com . . . . . 117
www .clcboats .com . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
www .vivierboats .com . . . . . . . . . . 116
www .glen-l .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
www .kayakplans .com . . . . . . . . . . 116
www .cnc-marine-hewesco .com . . 116
www .woodenboatstore .com . . . . . 117
www .noahsmarine .com . . . . . . . . 115
www .woodenboatstore .com . . . . . 116
www .parker-marine .com . . . . . . . 116
www .pygmyboats .com . . . . . . . . . 115
www .redfishkayak .com . . . . . . . . . 116
www .saettaboats .com . . . . . . . . . . 115
www .modelsailboat .com . . . . . . . 116
www .watersdancing .com . . . . . . . 117

luMBer

Anchor Hardwoods . . . . . . . . . . www .anchorhardwoods .com . . . . 102
Joubert Plywood . . . . . . . . . . . . www .joubert-group .com . . . . . . . . . 47

PrInts & PuBlICAtIons
America’s Privateer . . . . . . . . . . . .
Calendar of Wooden Boats . . . . . .
Getting Started In Boats . . . . . . . .
Small Boats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
WoodenBoat E-Newsletter . . . .
WoodenBoat Subscriptions . . . . .

www .privateerlynx .com . . . . . . . . . 37
www .woodenboatstore .com . . . . . . 21
www .woodenboat .com . . . . . . . . . . 17
www .woodenboat .com . . . . . . . . . . 10
www .woodenboat .com . . . . . . . . . . 44
www .woodenboat .com . . . . . . . . . . 32

sAIls

Doyle Sailmakers, Inc . . . . . . . . www .doylesails .com . . . . . . Cover III
E .S . Bohndell & Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Gambell & Hunter . . . . . . . . . . www .gambellandhunter .net . . . . . 102
Nathaniel S . Wilson, Sailmaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
North Sails Cloth . . . . . . . . . . . . www .northsails .com . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Sailrite Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . www .sailrite .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Sperry Sails, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . www .sperrysails .com . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

sChools & AssoCIAtIons

The Apprenticeshop . . . . . . . . . www .apprenticeshop .org . . . . . . . . 36
Center for Wooden Boats . . . . . www .cwb .org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Great Lakes
Boat Building School . . . . . . . www .greatlakesboatbuilding .org . . .8, 45
HCC METC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tech .honolulu .hawaii .edu/marr . . . . . .34
International
Yacht Restoration School . . . . . www .iyrs .org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Michigan School
of Boat Building . . . . . . . . . . . www .themichiganschool .org . . . . . 46
Northwest School
of Wooden Boatbuilding . . . . . www .nwboatschool .org . . . . . . . . 103
Westlawn Institute
of Marine Technology . . . . . . www .westlawn .edu . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
WoodenBoat School . . . . . . . . . www .thewoodenboatschool .com . . . .6-7

MIsCellAneous

Beta Marine US Ltd . . . . . . . . . .
Diamond Teak . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Half-Hull Classics . . . . . . . . . . .
Wooden Boat Rescue Foundation .
WoodenBoat Store . . . . . . . . . .

www .betamarinenc .com . . . . . . . . . 12
www .diamondteak .com . . . . . . . . . 37
www .halfhull .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
www .woodenboatrescue .org . . . . 102
www .woodenboatstore .com . . . .96-98
January/February 2012 •

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11/28/11 9:14 AM

RUTH ANNE II
A converted sardine carrier

Ruth Anne II

Particulars

LOA
52'
Beam
12' 6"
Draft
5' 6"
Power
GM 4-71 Detroit Diesel
Modeled and built by Wagstaff &
Hatfield, Port Greville, Nova Scotia,
Canada, 1942

MAYNARD BRAY

The sardine carrier
RUTH ANNE II was
converted into a
comfortable cruiser
several years ago.
She’s ready now
for more exploring,
though will demand
vigilant upgrading
and maintenance if
she’s to keep going.

by Maynard Bray

F

ar too many usable wooden commercial vessels
meet an early demise due to government buyback
programs or from corporate fleet modernizations, but
RUTH ANNE II is a happy exception. Present owners
Carl and Susan Chase selected her from the several
Connors Bros. carriers in Blacks Harbor, New Brunswick, that were being disposed of, and created a dandy
cruiser by replacing the original pilothouse with a
new and larger one, and installing a galley, full-width
toilet space, and guest quarters where there’d once
been a fish hold. She became an exceptionally fine
coastal cruiser in which the Chases have voyaged as far
south as Florida on the Intracoastal Waterway. But after
six years, they’ve “been there, done that” and are ready
to pass the vessel on to another owner.
This is a charmer, no doubt about that, and will troll
in lots of prospects, including a fair share of dreamers.
But let me warn you that unless you keep up with the
smart and timely care RUTH ANNE II has been given,
she’ll soon be gone. For one thing, she’s always been
afloat year-round—never been allowed to dry out. That
has to continue. Lately, she’s been completely covered
during the off-season and thus protected from rain,
frost, and snow. Her paintwork has been maintained
and, as a result, her decks don’t leak. And, except for a

single winter, she’s always been kept and used Downeast
where baking-in-the-sun days are rare. To depart from
this kind of care is asking for trouble.
RUTH ANNE II is ready to go—a pleasant departure
from the boats I usually feature on this page. But this
not to say she has no needs. You have to recognize that
she was built 70 years ago of local Canadian woods
(spruce, maple, and birch) to commercial standards
with galvanized fastenings. The top of her stem and her
bulwarks have enough rot to suggest replacement, and
her original steel fuel tanks are showing rust here and
there. She leaks through her bottom some, but not a
lot. Sleeping four people in two staterooms and accommodating at least as many at her pilothouse dinette,
this boat offers grand possibilities, made even more
attractive when you consider she consumes only around
21/2 gallons per hour at 71/2 knots.
RUTH ANNE II now swings to her mooring in South
Brooksville, Maine. To see her or to learn more contact
Carl Chase, [email protected].
Maynard Bray is WoodenBoat’s technical editor.
Send candidates for Save a Classic to Maynard Bray, WoodenBoat
Publications, P.O. Box 78, Brooklin, ME 04616.

128 • WoodenBoat 224

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de
a
ls M USA
i
a
S he
in t

WINNING BEAUTIFULLY
The beautifully restored 6-Metre Lucie won
both the Rule 2 and the Baum & König Trophies
at the 2011 6-Metre World Cup in Helsinki.
Big or small, marconi or gaff, old or modern, if
it’s classic, it goes better with Doyle sails.
For beautiful modern sails that complement
your classic boat, contact your local Doyle loft
or visit doylesails.com.

doylesails.com
800-94-DOYLE

BETTER ENGINEERED SAILS

Doyle224.indd 1

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Boat Owners –
Let US Help YOU
Protect Your
Investment

$50

Cash Back on
any purchase
of 5 Gallons or more of
INTERPROTECT® 2000E
Get ready for boating and fun, knowing your boat is fully
protected with an InterProtect® 2000E blister prevention
system.
InterProtect 2000E with Microplate® technology offers a tight
waterbarrier and a hard, durable epoxy surface that protects
the fiberglass and gelcoat. In fact, InterProtect 2000E has
been known to extend the lifetime of the boat, and add
value for re-sale purposes!
Getting ready to paint? Consider a full barrier system with
InterProtect and buy your InterProtect 2000E between
March 1, 2012 through April 30th, 2012 to qualify.
Download redeemable coupon
on www.yachtpaint.com/us.
Complete it and attach
proof of purchase.
Materials must be
received by Interlux
no later than
July 1, 2012.

General Guidelines
Customer must purchase a minimum of five gallons of InterProtect® 2000E to qualify. Customer must supply a proof of purchase within the time period of March 1,
2012 – April 30th, 2012 to qualify. A proof of purchase is either a receipt or invoice that shows the dealer name, quantity and product purchased. Coupon and proof
of purchase should be sent to Interlux Yacht Finishes, Marketing Department, 2270 Morris Ave, NJ 07083. Materials must be received by Interlux by July 1, 2012.
A fifty dollar (US) check will be sent to you by mail within six weeks after the materials are received. This offer is extended to individual consumers only and is not
available to wholesalers, distributors, resellers or retailers that sell Interprotect® 2000E or to Boatyards or Marinas that purchase Interprotect® 2000E.
Employees of Interlux do not qualify for this offer.
Interlux is not responsible for any typographical or other error in the printing of the offer.
Interlux assumes no responsibility for mailings they are unable to process due to network, hardware or other technical failures or for any other reason, or
incomplete, damaged, misdirected, illegible, stolen or lost mail.
PRIVACY: By submitting your coupon and information, you acknowledge that Interlux may send you information or special offers they think may be of interest to
you or other complementary goods or services offered by Interlux.
International Paint LLC, 2270 Morris Avenue, Union NJ 07083
®

, Interlux® the AkzoNobel logo and all products mentioned are trademarks of, or licensed to, AkzoNobel. © Akzo Nobel N.V. 2011.

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