The Hvalsoe 16 lapstrake dinghy is considered by Eric Hvalsoe to be “the great compromise,” as it both rows and sails well. This craft’s fine ends make the Hvalsoe 16 an excellent rowing boat, while it carries enough beam to make it stable under its 85 square foot sprit-sail rig.
Marked by an elegant curved stem and rake wineglass transom, the design is narrow at the ends with a powerful, stable midsection.
The rig is an unstayed, loose footed spritsail. The sprit rig is a model of simplicity and flexibility. It features a convenient brailing line, spruce spars, and sail assembly that may be stored inside the boat. Mast, sprit, and sail come in a long canvas sleeve for tidy stowage and transport.
These boats will stand upright on the beach with their wide plank keel and are protected with tough, UHMW shoes and rubbing strips. Hull interiors are finished with Seafin Teak Oil, exteriors typically painted to the owner’s specifications. But don’t be fooled by all the gloss, as seats, transom, trim, etc., these boats are coated with an incredibly tough, flexible urethane coating. Results over the years have been proven excellent.
This vessel is built of vertical grain western red cedar, clinch nailed on steam bent oak frames. Its back bone is made of mahogany with a teak transom and Sitka spruce spars. The hull was built through a series of classes in 2020 with students at The Center for Wooden Boats. Several generous donors made it possible for Eric to finish the vessel at his home shop during the pandemic. It was launched in February 2021 and built in memory of David Allman.
You can learn more about the project here: https://youtu.be/TSytGUIkog4