Category Archive

It all started on the back of a napkin, when multihull sailor, designer, and builder Russell Brown had an idea. He had 2 Tornado hulls, a 15hp Honda long shaft, some carbon mast tubing, and an outside-the-box mind for building efficient boats. With these – essentially recycled parts – he built “Grasshopper”. He put it together as an experiment, and …

The Penobscot 17, designed by Arc Davis, is a glued lapstrake constructed boat built with marine plywood planking laid on the fore and aft stringers. I built this boat from scratch over a four-year period. Sail area 132 sq ft, two rowing positions.

Viking Mariner was built by Mario Tara at Ladner with fir planks on fir frames and launched in 1954 as Mar-Brothers. It was originally owned and operated by the Martinolich family, part of a family fleet that included Mar Lady, Marsons and Klemtu. Throughout her working life the Mar-Brothers worked as a drum seiner for Martinolich Bros. Fishing Ltd, and …

Sassafrass was built in Vietnam in the early 1960’s she came to southern California in the early 80’s and was a home for several owners doing youth sailing, she was moved to the PNW in the early 1990’s by a retired ship right who hoped to take the vessel to Alaska. We purchased in early 2000’s when the owners health …

Barquito II is a Chesapeake Bay dead rise skiff with a D.N. Hylan design hull and a builder imagined cabin. She is intended to be a slow cruising highly efficient camp cruiser. Barquito II is a COVID-19 project. When it became evident in early 2020 that I would have time on my hands, I ordered the plans and started construction …

The Linach 15 is featured in WoodenBoat magazine’s May/June 2022 edition and was designed by Sam Devin in collaboration with James Guzzwell, the builder, who wanted a large two-piece “nesting” rowing, sailing, and fishing dinghy for Utah’s mountain lakes. The design goal was to create the largest possible dinghy that could easily be transported inside any large SUV, minivan, or …

Sea Witch is a well-known classic wooden boat in the Pacific Northwest. Stories of Sea Witch have been in print for decades in the PNW; a Port Townsend original she has been featured in newspaper articles, magazine covers, Jo Bailey’s gunkholing guides, and previous festivals by her former owners. The current owners were bewitched by her in the summer of …

Western Red Cedar planking on oak frames. This Northwest Classic built by students at Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding was recently converted from a diesel to a zero emissions electric drive. The Poulsbo boat is used as a teaching platform for students in the Marine Systems program. Providing an opportunity to practice installation of both diesel and electric drive.

The first boat started as a classroom project that quickly evolved into an independent undertaking. It features red cedar, white pine, and old-growth cedar, with gunnels, seat frames, and portage yoke done in white ash. The seats are hand canned with waterproof canning. The second project demonstrates the growth and development in craftsmanship and aesthetic design. This one features red …

This Abaco Dinghy was built by students of the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding. The original plans used were from the Apprentice Shop in Maine but were modified to make the boat larger. The modifications required new drafting, lofting, and setup. The project is a great example of a small boat built very much like a large boat. Winer Malone, …