Maggie Jane is a modified, strip planked H28 ketch design, extensively rebuilt and sailed out of Quartermaster Harbor on Vashon Island. Her dimensions are LOD 29.5’, LOA 34’, Beam 8.75’, Draft 3.67’ with a displacement estimated at 10,000 lbs. She is ketch rigged and modifications from the original design include the extended hull from 28′ to 29.5′, extended cabin with raised doghouse and a bowsprit for a larger headsail for lighter NW winds. Sails include a main, mizzen, genoa, jib, and light air drifter. She is constructed with 1” mahogany strip planks, edge glued and fastened every 3” with vertical, staggered bronze shank nails. Frames are 2” white oak, bronze fastened. Auxiliary power is a 2020 Tohatsu High Thrust 6 HP outboard replacing the original 4cyl gas Gray Marine inboard. A 2 cyl Universal 5411 diesel is available for later install.
Maggie was home built in the mid-sixties by a talented shipwright in Grand Haven, MI and cruised the Great Lakes extensively throughout the seventies. She was originally christened as the Margory Jane, named after the builder’s wife and, later, renamed Captain Pierce by a subsequent, Midwest owner, She retained that name until I took on the project of restoring her. I believe she was brought out to the Pacific Northwest in the early eighties by a US Navy Commander, a naval doctor, stationed at the Trident Base. I have been contacted by two other owner/families of her but a clear picture of her ownership in the Northwest for the past thirty years is still a mystery.
The hull, framing and decks were found to be in, relatively, good condition but she had extensive freshwater damage and deterioration from neglect to the house, cockpit and house/deck join areas. Major work included replacement of both port and starboard cabin sides of the house, a completely redesigned and rebuilt cockpit, rebuilt transom and rudder, replacement of hull planking at the sheer point as needed, a new replacement bowsprit, restored masts and booms, all new standing and running rigging, all new interior redesign with added full galley, dinette, wood stove, gimbaled Shipmate propane stove, a convertible, main cabin double berth, new cushions, new ceiling boards and flooring, new wiring and panels, ne pumps and water systems and, finally, deck replacement and fiberglass/epoxy sheathing where required.
My goal throughout this reconstruction was to repair, replace, renovate and update as needed but keep the vessel and all systems as original, and simple as possible in the spirit of the original 1942 Herreshoff design. Cruising aboard her today truly feels like being in a time capsule from an earlier era. Perhaps L. Francis Herreshoff, himself, stated it best as to how it feels cruising aboard an H28:
“What a joy is a sweet smelling, spotless cabin, with all clothes neatly stored high and dry. What a joy to sit in such a cabin under the soft glow of a kerosene lamp and study the chart for an even more snug and romantic cove than the one you are anchored in and lay a course to regions even farther from the maddening crowds: places where men are sailors or farmers and converse directly with the gods and can feel the pulse of nature.”
I have to say, that man did have a way with his words. Early in the project I was contacted by a David Egger in the Midwest. It turned out that David was the son of the original builder/owner and had located me through his correspondence with 48 Degrees North Magazine. We struck up a long, 10-year email friendship with my, periodically, providing his family with updates over the long restoration. This reconnection culminated in the Egger family joining us, as our guests, for the inaugural sail of the newly rechristened Maggie Jane (the new name giving homage to David’s mother, Margory Jane, for whom the boat was originally named).
It was an emotional sail on Quartermaster Harbor that day in August 2015 where two families, previously unknown to each other and living thousands of miles apart, came together to celebrate the rebirth of a boat after 50 years. David published an article on his search for, and subsequent finding, of his dad’s boat in 48 Degrees North in the June 2020 issue entitled, A Boat: Lost and Found.
I am, regrettably, ready to hand off Maggie Jane to a new, responsible caretaker, if only because I still have too many boats and projects and, frankly, have too little time. See you out on the water!