Category Archives: Sailing Vessels
Sterling Hayden and Wanderer
Any story telling session among sailors out here on the West Coast will not go long before someone mentions Sterling Hayden. Writer, Actor, Father, and mostly Sailor, he was a larger than life character who touched the lives of many, but perhaps especially those concerned with boats and sailing. It seems that many[.....]
The Le Clere’s and Pacific Yew
Sometimes it’s hard to believe the riches we in BC are blessed with. I’m thinking about boatbuilding materials today. Many countries or parts of the world have one or no indigenous high quality boatbuilding woods. New Zealand has Kauri, the Philippines have their Mahogany, Africa has Iroko, and Burma Teak. But[.....]
Varua and Starling Burgess
From The Circumnavigators by Don Holm
“Varua, which means “spirit” or “soul” in Tahitian, is considered by many aficionados to be the most beautiful and functionally perfect sailing yacht ever built.”
Above are the hull lines of Varua, designed by Starling Burgess in 1940. In More Good Boats Taylor reports that Burgess and Robinson tested her model[.....]
Moonraker Cruising BC
Above: Moonraker with the stove going, anchored next to Tzu Hang at Musgrave Landing, BC, in the winter of 1953-54.
In August of 1953 Moonraker of Fowey sailed quietly into Victoria and tied at Fisherman’s wharf. Moonraker was small, 29′ overall with a beam of 9′8″ and draft of 6′. She was built[.....]
Bluenose II Launched
The Bluenose II went back in the water last week. I feel a lot better now. As a symbol the old (built 1963) horribly hogged Bluenose II was an embarrassment. The new laminated structure will hold her shape for many decades to come, a wise investment.
So now we’ll have a circus[.....]
Ocean Racing Ketches
A recent question about the rig proportions of an older ketch caused me to do some comparison of several boats. Let’s look at two ocean racing designs separated by 50 years. Above is L. Francis Herreshoff’s design #47, created in 1930 for Dudley Wolfe who instead built the Frank Paine designed 72′ cutter[.....]
Dragoon, an Ocean Racing Ketch
Dragoon, an Ocean Racing Ketch
Launched 1925
Built by H.W. Embree & Son in Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia
Designed by Ford, Payne, and Sweisguth
Built for Robert Bavier of City Island NY
Contract price (firm) $6,795
LOA 66’6”
LWL 55’0”
Beam 14’6”
Extras (owner’s additions)
Ratsey sails $1270
Engine installed $1000
Hollow spars $1000
Capstan $160
Delivery from NS to NY $400
Tender (clinker) $75
Furnishings $1000
Grand total $12,847
What grabs[.....]
The Hinckley Sou’wester 70 story
This is the story…..Anything I say about the H70 will be from memory as I recall it, others probably see things differently.
I think the H70 project started in about 1990. At the time Hinckley engineering consisted of 3 people, Peter Smith, Steve Weiss, and Chris Van Heerdon. This was pre Picnic[.....]
An Interview With Me!
Bob Wise over at Boat Bits published an interview this morning……..Sort of a “where does it all come from and where’s it going?” At least he didn’t ask which boat is my favorite….the un-answerable question……..
Here it is – Chat with Tad Roberts
And here are a couple of favorites…….the hard-working Sophie & Seka[.....]
Archives
-
Monthly:
-
By Category:
-
George Bruigom, Boatbuilder