Matinicus Double-ender, Mouse

We've been following the build of Jim Luton's Matinicus Double-ender, Mouse, and it's time to celebrate with Jim on the launch of his fine creation.

It would be an understatement to say Mouse is a beautiful boat. Enough said.
Jim has done an exceptional job of demonstrating the building process on his blog, Small Craft Warning.

Launch day is always a fun event. Brings a smile to my face every time. Let the pictures tell the story:

Congratulations Jim! See you on the water...

Matinicus Double-ender

Jim (Jimbo) Luton is a meticulous cabinetmaker from Brooklyn, New York. Watching him build his double-ended peapod is a marvel. Not only does he pay particular attention to detail, but he shares it with us in a thorough, concise manner.

Last time we checked in with Jim was a couple years ago, so if you haven't stopped by Small Craft Warning recently, you will find he's putting the finishing touches on what might be the prettiest peapod I've ever seen.

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 boat 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 boatbuilder adapted the Young's peapod for modern construction.

A 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 keeper's boats, as well as many other working tasks on the waterfront.

Jim recently put together an account of his winter shop activities:

"My latest chores on this boat project have been to complete the rudder assembly, including tiller, tiller extension, and rudder blade, plus the daggerboard."

Sounds simple enough, but wait 'till you see what he's done.

Thanks to Jim for the photos and access to his shop for a virtual tour.

Well done, my friend!

A Swampscott Dory in Auckland, New Zealand

A modern take on a classic design from Captain Pete Culler.

Recently, I received a note from Miles Quick in New Zealand about an old favorite of mine. You all know how much I respect and admire Pete Culler. His swampscott dory is simply perfect. It turns out, Miles thinks so too.

Miles was looking for a small boat to enjoy the excellent sailing conditions in Auckland, which lies across a volcanic isthmus separating two harbours. Waitemata Harbour to the east opens on the Hauraki Gulf and the Pacific Ocean. Westward, Manukau Harbour opens to the Tasman Sea.

Miles' view from the bus on the way to work.








 For these waters he needed a well founded and seaworthy boat...

"I kept coming back to a boat I saw in the book 'Pete Culler on Wooden Boats'.

Now THAT is a fine looking boat. It has all of the qualities I was looking for. Swampscott dories are good in rough water. They were used for several decades as commercial fishing vessels, first under oars and sail and later power. For sailing Captain Pete argues persuasively for a 2 sprit-sail rig that is easily handled in all conditions. A previous owner confirms that this is a fast and exciting boat to sail. It rows well, and the plans are available from Mystic Seaport. Definitely a boat worth considering."

Miles had never built a boat before and wanted to simplify the project by adapting to plywood a boat that was designed for traditional construction.

"When I sketched some ideas on paper I realised that with a few changes this could be a very simple boat to build. I converted the frames to bulkheads and moved the centreboard to sit squarely between the bulkheads. This is simple and strong construction and removes the need for oak frames. I converted the bulkheads into floatation chambers and seat lockers and was pleased to see that not only did the layout make sense, but the changes did not compromise the classic look and feel of the boat."

By taking construction details from three modern designers, Iain Oughtred, David Nichols and Jim Michalak, Miles created a beautiful boat he is really proud of:

"The boat, to my biased eye, is good from every angle. The beauty of Culler’s lines remains intact and the limitations of the builder are mostly concealed."

Jim Michalak inspired the bulkhead design. The frame sections are from David Nichols' book on lapstrake canoes.

The planks are glue-lapped, Oughtred style.

Motor well and centerboard trunk are supported by the same bulkhead. Each end has a sealed floatation chamber.

 The dory takes shape.

 Nicely conceived, skillfully executed.

He is still working on the sail rig and for the mast positioning he is taking inspiration from Ross Lillistone's Periwinkle.

"The actual sails are identical in size and shape to the original design, which has a small mizzen with a sprit boom and a larger loose-footed main. Culler’s essays describe how to get the best out of this classic rig: when the weather turns bad you furl and stow the mizzen and add some rake to the main; when it gets worse you reef the main, and when it turns really bad you use the small sail to get home."

"There is enough space between the 2 masts for a small canopy to protect skipper and crew against the severe ultraviolet we experience in New Zealand."

"The sail area is small (about 100 square feet), but that is one of the things I like about the boat. By all accounts she is very fast with the small rig. I hope to write a later report on how the sails and other ideas work in practice."

We're looking forward to it, Miles! Thank you for taking the time to write.

Wooden Boat Foundation Regattas

Wooden Boat Foundation regattas are an exposition of traditional seamanship and maritime heritage and a rendezvous, celebrating the camaraderie of fellow sailors met through the years.

The Wooden Boat Foundation sponsors two annual regattas. First up this year is the 19th annual Shipwrights' Regatta which is coming up soon, on February 20, 2010.

This is a hardy race, in the chill of late winter and was originally organized to accommodate local shipwrights whose busy schedule did not allow them to race during the regular sailing season.

Today everyone is encouraged to participate, and all boats are welcome, wood or otherwise. Registration is free. Boat skippers and sailors who would like to crew should attend the skippers meeting at the Northwest Maritime Center & Wooden Boat Foundation at 9 AM. The race will start at 11:30 AM. The regatta culminates with an award ceremony at approximately 4:30 PM.
For an entry form in PFD format, visit the NWMC website.

The offices of the Northwest Maritime Center & Wooden Boat Foundation are located at Point Hudson marina, Port Townsend, Washington, US.



The second, and most popular (does the warm summer weather have something to do with it?) is the 27th annual Classic Mariners' Regatta, June 5 & 6, 2010. This regatta is a three race series. Preregistration information is available by contacting the Port of Port Townsend for moorage at Point Hudson 360-385-2828.

Entrants should do so now to insure a dockside slip!

This year there will be more classes than ever. In addition to the usual A and B classes, there will be divisions for Concordias, T-Birds, Spitsgatters, and Schooners, as well as a Cruising class.
If skippers can organize at least three of any type of boat, they can have their own class.

The schedule:
Friday, June 4:
1830 Welcome reception
Saturday, June 5:
0930 Skippers meeting
1200 First race start. Second race to follow first.
Dinner, music, dancing Saturday evening.
Sunday, June 6:
0930: Dinghy Rowing Race
1200: Final race start
1700: Awards ceremony

Please, call Kathy Grace at the Port Townsend Sailing Association 360-301-4938, or e-mail her at bonz@olympus.net for more information about events.


Schooner Alcyone photo by Jan Davis.
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Remiera a Venezia

Historical Rowing Vessels in Venice

Our friend Giacomo Stefano is tireless in his promotion of the historical vessels of Venice. In this video, you can sense the almost militant tenor of the preservation effort for human powered boats and the quiet tradition of the rowing culture in Italy.

I have a great bit of empathy for this effort and additionally, support the preservation of traditional human powered vessels the world over.

It's plain to see the degradation that wave action from the multitude of motor powered boats must have on the ancient buildings of the canals of Venice. The apparent disregard for the rowers by the motor boats would cause me to be militant too. A water taxi nearly runs over the starboard oar while passing a sandolo!

Water quality is another subject dear to Giacomo and rightly so. There is not a drop of water left on the rock we call home that is not polluted by the activities of humans. We could use much more militancy on that subject.


Giacomo Stefano is planning a journey from London to Istanbul, which he has dubbed North Sea to Black Sea; to embark next spring. His low impact "less is more" voyage is intended to highlight the need to address the human impact on the essence of life, water.

You might not be surprised to hear that Giacomo has had some difficulty finding support for this event. His original intention was to organize a volunteer effort to build a Ness Yawl, but it looks like he has decided to continue on without sponsors.

His father's Eun Na Mara is also being outfitted for the trip, as the required companion boat for crossing the English Channel.



Giacomo reports on new solar panels for Takatani an Eun Na Mara gaff yawl.

"The Solon company, famous solar leaders throughout the world, which provides solar panels to Giovanni Soldini, has just made to measure, the solar panels that cover the deck house of Takatani, the support boat for the next trip North Sea to Black Sea, which will be moved only by the wind and an electric motor from ASMO Marine Copenhagen, Denmark."




"The panels, tested by Giovanni Soldini in the seas around the world, are about 2 mm thick and will provide 200 watts max power, to recharge the batteries. This will allow us to sail or with the quiet engine, allow filming without vibration to the cameramen."

"I thank the enthusiasm and expertise of Dr. Nicola Baggio, an engineer manager at Solon Italy who helped us in this first big step for a clean trip from London to Istanbul in 2010."

"Do not leave the planet to the stupid! Is the motto of Solon."




Doryman has been invited to participate in this six month voyage of purpose and if sponsorship can be found, surely he will.

A list of links for Giacomo's efforts to help bring the plight of the world's rivers and seas to the attention of all of us:
Ness Yawl on the Po River
unaltropo.com
Canto Mediterraneo (there is a lot here, look diligently and keep your translator handy - posts are in English, Italian and Portugese.)
Canto Mediterraneo (on DoryMan)
Ness Yawl on the Po River (on DoryMan)
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Sucia Island Rendezvous, Epilogue

Bound for Home

I could go on forever, but as they say, all good things... (must make way for other good things).
For this series I'll leave you with two of my favorite boats from the Sucia Island Rendezvous.

First, the 18 foot Sloop Boat Feather, designed by Pete Culler. Is there any doubt that Captain Pete Culler is one of the preeminent designers of the twentieth century? Two brothers, Glen and Alan rowed this fine boat from Port Townsend, Washington.












Feather waits quietly at anchor.








Also from Port Townsend is Sparrow, a 20 foot yawl rigged Surf Dory designed by Ed Davis and built by Kees Prins for Laingdon Schmitt. Here we see Kees at the oars and Laingdon standing by.

Kees and Laingdon have rowed and sailed Sparrow in the Shipyard School RAID and found that they make the most efficient time if one rows while the other rests, then switch. These hardy fellows are setting out on a blustery day to head home, while the rest of us wait out the storm.........

(In the comment at the bottom of this post, Laingdon describes the consequence: "Kees and I got completely spanked by the huge gusts sheering down off the mountain on Orcas (Island)- at one point even running off with just the jib was too much, and we were making steerage and then some under bare poles. Ended up taking refuge in Brandt's Landing, by the mercy of the harbormaster; spent the night aboard there, while Kees hitched to the Anacortes ferry. Next couple of days I sailed back to Port Townsend through San Juan Passage.")

"Great little voyage!"
























Kees designed this bronze steering linkage which hinges around the mizzen mast with such precise linkage that it feels like the tiller is attached directly to the rudder head. A very well executed design from stem to stern.








Kees Prins has competed in RAIDs with Iain Oughtred and Iain's influence is apparent in Sparrow.





There is more, much more, so look for all the dedicated Sucia sailors and their seaworthy vessels in future posts......
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