Fits and Starts

Perhaps smoldering best describes my infatuation with this “next boat”. Yes, it could be added to what’s becoming a long list. Some entries sparked. A few smoked long enough to produce half hulls. Others inspired a gathering of materials. And a couple even made it to the lofting floor. This one however has persisted and demands more. She currently has a set of finished spars hanging in the garage, foils and centerboard case reside on the bench and enough milled Atlantic Cedar for a hull rest in the shed. Pictured above is “Next’s” half hull prompting for clear garage space for lofting. Fingers are crossed. This is getting serious. Last week I installed a garage ceiling heater. Hmmm.

A little background: Near six years ago Off Center Harbor offered a video of Skorri, a 16’ centerboard sloop designed by Paul Gartside . Another double ender! Rob Denny of British Columbia had beautifully rendered Paul’s plan #165 accented with Rob’s added cuddy. Struck immediately, I contacted Rob within days of viewing his craftsmanship. Since then, he has humored me with many emailed replies. What a kind fellow.

So much of his Skorri reminded me of the prettiest thing I’ve ever owned, Luna, my L. Francis Herreshoff “Rozinante”. I parted with her in 2019 after 3 years of cruising her, but family, work and house renovations demanded attention away from that fine boat and she needed a better steward. Luna remains the finest Rozinante I have seen. It is all in the details and Luna had them all as Francis intended. I still hope to cross paths with her again, when life gets freer …

Back to Skorri. She stirred wonderful memories of Luna: her shape, grace, patina and scent of cedar. I reviewed the video now countless times. Her builder continued to email encouragement. After a year of pestering him, I bothered Mr. Gartside to see if he’d draw a 19’ version for me. With some back and forth, our answer appeared in WaterCraft issue 150 for December 2021 as design #257. Interestingly, in short order Paul designed a close 14′ sister #260, “Skraeling”. She’s shown blasting along WoodenBoat’s July 2023 cover. Recognizing a “pinup” of sorts, the magazine’s design editor Mike O’Brien reviewed our boat in September’s 2025 issue. And guess who is featured in Paul’s latest anthology, Volume III. Yep, this boat without a name.

I’ve no idea how many plans have been purchased thus far. Paul says the boat has driven quite a bit of interest. Obviously, I’m besotted. She has my attention. Last winter I made this model to study the hull’s volume.

So, we have a start. Several weeks have been invested this past Spring and Fall fabricating boat pieces. I feel like we’re building backwards. Are we 20% done? Now we only need a hull.

On December 14, 2025 By eebe4In 1/2 Hull Models, Wood Things8 Comments

Gull Fixes

There is something satisfying to bringing an old boat back. Yes, even a plastic one. Gull is approaching the 46 year mark. Aside from the last owner’s care, the list of others is unknown. Judging from the condition, the boat had not been abused. However, with such age there are things to get right and some details needed fixing or adding. Most can be spied in the last video.

The trailer is a separate thing, We replaced the lights, keel rollers and mast crutches. A keel plank with aft roller was installed while the bunks were modified for adjustment to them.

Boat improvements thus far are:

New wood tiller. That original aluminum tube felt horrible in the hand. Buzzed down a salvaged laminated stick, added a revamped extension with cork ball and suede grip (didn’t work. Now has micro paracord) and put small cleat under tiller for rudder controls. Removed pin on rudder head to allow raising of tiller and added wood roller on aft end of head for ease of raising and lowering rudder. Big improvements.
Added 3 deck cleats. Using SS rivet nuts, mounted 2 nylon cleats on the cockpit chamfers aft and one on the bow.
All lines were replaced. Halyards must have been original! Added topping lift and reef lines too.
Reworked centerboard controls. Removed ratty cams and made a new wood cap with wood jam cleat instead. Works!
Added a turning block for the jib furler line. That now runs properly with new, less stiff, line.
Took UNA’s latest tent and added snaps under Gull’s gunnel to facilitate use.
Sails were filthy and original. A double scrub with a bleach solution and, in some locations, a TSP paste followed by thorough rinsing and hung to dry made things very presentable again.
Reused a masthead fly that was in the garage for years. Perfect for this boat, but no longer made.

To do list:

A better winch strap and hook are needed.
Paint (Epifanes “medium grey” = gull) has been ordered for the hull. Beige is not a color.
Would like to paint spars white, but that is a big project.

Every boat is different. Gull is no exception. What were frenetic demands initially are becoming prompts to pay attention to this or that. Let go of the tiller and she is going to weather NOW! She is getting me trained. She is persistent, but becoming predictable. We are a good fit. We’ll see how the pup likes her. Camille was more his speed and UNA passes too.

I pulled the boat from the clothesline yesterday. The water has really chilled in a few days. The cold is setting in, but Sunday may be in the high 60’s! So, we’ll reserve hope, leave the stick in and add Gull’s cover for a short while.

On November 11, 2025 By eebe4In Harpoon 4.6, Harpoon Projects2 Comments

Gull, a Boston Whaler Harpoon 4.6

We almost got kicked out of the Old Bay Club last weekend. For a no dues, no officers, no rules jumble of boaters, suddenly there was no room for a plastic boat?! Some even asserted they could smell the fiberglass. If you ask me, I think the real issue was that “Gull”, my Boston Whaler moved a bit too spritely. She was the last to leave the marina, sailed against wind and tide up the James River and arrived at Chippokes alone until the other 5 boats (one a Bristol 35.5!) motored into harbor just before sunset. The group took a similar cruise 3 years ago. Thankfully the colorful peace we had found remained along with two pairs of bald eagles nesting in the cypress. The following day offered a dead calm return home.

The 4.6 was designed by C&C, Cuthbertson and Cassian. In particular, it was Robert Ball who designed this boat and many others for C&C, including a C&C 34 my father bought back in 1984. We raced that boat, “Elan”, in many Wednesday night races in Hampton Rodes and cruised to both Bermuda and Block Island from Norfolk, VA. I was unaware the old manufacturer of sailing school barges had ventured inti sailboats. However, the vintage lines of Gull immediately resonated with me when I discovered her maybe 24 hours after selling my “wife’s” Beetle Cat, “Camille“. It was time for another to continue that ongoing renovation. “Seller’s remorse” always arises when parting with a boat, but the resolution has never been so quick. I missed having a boat ready on the clothesline to sail along with the pup.

Found on Marketplace at the same price I sold Camille, curiosity won, negotiation was accepted and I dragged a dirty old plastic boat home from Annapolis. Crazy? Perhaps, but I have already gotten my money’s worth. Thankfully she came with a rugged custom cover, galvanized trailer and sails in good condition. Heck, the recent Harken jib furler alone cost more than the deal! (look at the justification brewing!) After a strong scrubbing, we hit the water. Immediately, I felt I had discovered something. She was stable, quick to the touch and reawakened childhood memories competing in Moths and Lasers. The trailer gained new lights, a keel support plank, tie-down strap and spar crutches. UNA’s latest tent was adapted, and we were ready just in time for our club sail.

Tested, Gull earned further improvements: All new running rigging, a wood tiller complete with new cork ball on old extension. The original aluminum tube tiller was terrible. Reef line with ties, hiking straps, three deck cleats, new pop rivets for hardware on spars, sails twice cleaned, a new centerboard case cap and some transom trim.

While the season is drawing to a close, we are still sailing. Perhaps I need to dig out the wetsuit? Always therapeutic, and so much fun. Some quick pics and video are compiled here: