Building The Matinicus Double-ender

A quintessential Maine traditional fishing vessel, the peapod was once found all over the state’s rugged sea coast. Dating back to the late nineteenth century, the peapod was used in the lobster fishery to haul traps while others served as lighthouse keepers boats, as well as many other working tasks on the waterfront.






The peapod is easy to row, stable under sail and kind in a seaway. A typical lobsterman’s rowing peapod is wonderfully stiff and rows well into a wind and or a sea.




Historically, the clinker or lapstrake planked double-enders were a vessel that adapted well to various interpretations in design. They were flexible enough to accommodate the materials at hand. Each region produced it’s own particular design and the builder’s molds would be passed down through generations.









The original design for the Matinicus Double-ender was built by the Young family on Matinicus Island for generations. Walter Simmons, a Lincolnville, Maine boat-builder adapted the Young's peapod for modern construction and Jim has gone one step further by building his double-ender with mahogany plywood.







Jim is building his boat wherry style, with a wide, flat keel. The hull is shaping up nicely and Jim does a great job of describing his work step by step. If you're interested in the process of putting together a Matinicus Double-ender, I'd recommend Small Craft Warning.




Great job, Jimbo!