Category Archive

Banjo was designed to live on a trailer and has cruised waters from the Gulf Islands in British Columbia to San Francisco Bay to Monterey. My wife and I have spent as long as ten days cruising in surprising comfort for such a small boat. It is a common sight on the California Delta, and perfect for making a spur …

When we think about boats, we often wonder, “Is she a keeper?” Alcyone is definitely a keeper. She was designed and built by Frank Prothero in his backyard in Seattle. He sailed her for 9 years and then sold her to the Hanke family who took care of her for 22 years. We have now owned Alcyone for 34 years, …

ANJA’s design is based on the legendary Bristol Pilot Cutters of Britain. These boats were able to weather strong storms as well as be sailed short-handed. They would take the pilot out to large ships waiting in the Bristol Channel. Modern racing yachts evolved from this design. Construction is of mahogany plank on oak frames. Roger Long of Woods Hole, …

Sandavore’s keel was laid in 1962 during the fishing trawler heydays. Pacific Northwest shipyards could not churn these boats out fast enough for an industry hungry to fish. As “Barbara Jean II” she plied the cold waters for decades, having never left Canadian territory unless for short trips to Alaska. In 2004, Mr. Alan Dickinson purchased Barabara Jean II for …

Bill Garden published this design in his 1977 book Yacht Designs. She traces her roots to George F. Holmes who is described as the father of the canoe yawl and to Albert Strange who played a key role in developing the type. In fact, Mr. Garden named his design after one of Holmes’ boats. John MacGregor famously described his travels …

Thistle Dew was the first boat that I built alone. Built from scratch, with plans from WoodenBoat magazine, I so conscientiously tried to fit each piece that I would often make the mistake of shaving off just too much in my determination to achieve a perfect fit—and have to start that piece over again. What I learned was to stop …

We chose to build this slightly smaller variant of a Piscataqua River Wherry designed by Bud McIntosh as we believe it would give us a nearly ideal fixed-seat recreational rowboat for the open bay on which we live here in Port Townsend, WA. Bud’s version is 15 ft. long by 4 ft. wide and built almost entirely from Alaska yellow …

This canoe is based on a design of a canoe built by the E.M. White Company of Old Town, ME in 1920. It was built by Stewart River Boatworks of Minnesota using Northern White cedar for ribs and planking, Alaskan Yellow cedar for inner gunwales and Black cherry outer gunwales and other trim. The breasthooks are from cheery burl wood …

Built to a Sam Devlin design called the Pelicano. Meant to be a commuter boat for my spouse—but no one commutes to work anymore! Build time was about 28 months. With the exception of the canvas, installing the outboard, and a little help with the final paint job, I did all the work myself. Sam was exceedingly helpful with suggestions …