2009 BOATS OF THE YEAR
Carpenter’s Boat Shop: Republican THE CARPENTER’S BOAT SHOP of Pemaquid welcomed 10 apprentices from all over the map—even Scotland—to its program, which runs from September through June. They joined the 6 staff members to create a flotilla of new craft: 10 Monhegan Island skiffs, 5 Jordan Cradle boats, and 1 Acorn dinghy. The dory that sits outside the lighthouse on Monhegan Island (subject of many a photo and painting) was revived after too long in the salt air. The Marblehead Gunning dory Republican, originally built by Capt. Gerald Smith of Marblehead, MA, and featured in some of John Gardner’s books, was brought to the shop by its new owner, a friend of Captain Smith. After refastening, the addition of a mast step, the refitting of seat risers and thwarts, and a bit of paint, the boat returned to the water after a long hiatus to be used for recreational winter rowing on the Maine coast. Other repair projects included skiffs, dinghies, a Friendship sloop, and a Boothbay Harbor One Design. Visitors are always welcome at the shop during the 10 a.m. public tea-time. The 2010 summer program will include a Shaker woodworking class. www.carpentersboatshop.org; 207-677-2614.
Alison Langley(3)
ham, Massachusetts, company is the rebuild of Nat Herreshoff’s 23' Marlin design to look more like the Fish. The prototype is slated to make the boat show rounds in the fall of 2010. Repair jobs included brightwork and bottom work. www.capecodshipbuilding.com; 508-295-3550.
BEQUIA BROOKLIN BOAT YARD by John Snyder
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N THE FALL OF 2007, STEVE WHITE, owner of the Brooklin Boat Yard, thought that it might be time to upgrade the yard’s Travelift to accommodate some of the larger boats stored at the yard. He purchased a refitted 80-ton capacity rig and rebuilt the Travelift piers. He could not have made the upgrade at a better time. Two years prior, designers Robert Stephens and Paul Waring of Brooklin Boat Yard Design Associates, now known as Stephens, Waring & White Yacht Design, had begun design work on a 90-foot yawl with world cruising capability. The owners had sought out the design team after seeing examples of the yard’s previous work, especially Donald Tofias’s 76-foot Spirit of Tradition racing stallions Wild Horses and White Wings, which were built in 1998. They were drawn to the graceful sheer and overhangs that are so much a part of Stephens’s work. But the owners wanted more than a thoroughbred racer; they wanted the same classic look in a more substantial yacht that could take them anywhere in the world in safety, luxury and style.
Chesapeake Light Craft Dory CHESAPEAKE LIGHT CRAFT builds new boats
and produces kayak, rowing craft, canoe, and sailboat kits. The Annapolis, Maryland, company released a kit for the 17-foot rowing and sailing Northeaster dory in May, after working on the prototype over the winter. By early fall, 50 kits had shipped, and a number had already been built and launched by October. More than a dozen were built in week-long “Build-Your-Own-Boat” classes held at the WoodenBoat School in Brooklin and the International Yacht Restoration School in Newport, Rhode Island. You can view one of those classes, captured in time-lapse video
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White woodwork and ebony-stained sole, the saloon exudes restrained elegance. MAINE BOATS, HOMES & HARBORS
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February / March 2010
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Issue 108
BOATS OF THE YEAR 2009 Work began on Bequia in the spring of 2007. At 90 feet LOA and a cost of about $7.5 million the new yacht is the yard’s grandest project ever, both in terms of design and construction. The job took 20 months to complete and required approximately 85,000 man-hours in labor for the yard’s 60 employees. Like the majority of Brooklin Boat Yard’s boats, Bequia’s hull is cold-molded using West System adhesives. It was built upside down, a composite of Douglas fir, cedar laid diagonally, and an outer layer of Honduras mahogany covered with two layers of 12 oz. fiberglass. The yard is noted for this method of construction,
Extensive three-dimensional computer modeling allowed the designers to minimize the intrusion of the systems on the accommodations. A network of rectangular channels below the decking accommodates wiring and hydraulic lines, and also serves to stiffen the deck itself. Below decks, the arrangement is simple and roomy. Forward, there is a double stateroom with access to a full head and tiled shower. Quarters for two to three crewmembers are located to port, off the large galley, while in the passageway to starboard is a shower, laundry, and a pair of additional bunks for offshore crew. The large owner’s suite is located under
visibility over the house. The side decks are wide and unobstructed. Perhaps the yacht’s most elegant feature is the bright-finished deckhouse, which rounds out the yacht’s classic styling with what is essentially an elevated saloon with large windows, comfortable seating, a spacious chart table, and a modern electronics panel. Although Bequia is a complex yacht in terms of systems, its classic looks and feel have been maintained thanks to the engineering and design work of Stephens, Waring & White, combined with the legendary skill and craftsmanship of one of the world’s premier wooden boatbuilders. Like the yacht’s smaller stablemates, Bequia has set a new standard for the breed. As for Steve White’s new 80-ton Travelift? Once the news of Bequia spreads, Brooklin Boat Yard is destined to become an even busier place, and that lift is sure to get quite a workout. N SPECIFICATIONS / BEQUIA LOA: 90'9" LWL: 63'5" Beam: 19'4" Draft: 9' Displ.: 135,000 lbs. Mast Height: 109' Sail Area: 3,424 sq. ft. Fresh Water: 120 gal. Fuel: 750 gal. Hull: cold-molded wood/
Natural light in the owner’s aft stateroom is provided by elliptical and clerestory portlights.
which is relatively light weight, low cost, and low maintenance. Other advantages include improved soundproofing and thermal insulation, and the beauty of exposed wood in the main saloon and staterooms. One of the most demanding tasks for the designers and builders was to integrate modern systems into the yacht’s traditional deck layout and joinery. A custom hydraulic system runs 27 different functions, including boom vang winches, sail furlers, ground tackle, and a unique starboard boarding platform. The system can be powered by one or both Westerbeke 15 kW generators, or, if silent operation is desired, by a DC electrical system. www.maineboats.com
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the aft cabin trunk and includes a full head with two sinks and a separate tiled shower. The main saloon has the dining area to starboard and is fitted with bookshelves and a gas fireplace to take off the chill. Seating is on custom-made couches. The paneling is painted offwhite to keep things bright and is offset by an ebony-stained cabin sole. Natural light is provided by elliptical portlights and butterfly hatches on both the forward and after cabin trunks. The large galley is fully appointed and features walnut countertops. On deck the layout is classic and clean. The center-cockpit helm is fitted with Whitlock steering and has excellent
MAINE BOATS, HOMES & HARBORS
West System Power: Cummins QSB5.9
330-hp diesel Aux. electric: two 15 kW
Westerbeke generators Rigging: Southern Spars, NZ Sails: North Sails - 3DL Cost: approx. $7.5 million Designer: Robert Stephens,
Stephens, Waring & White Yacht Design, Center Harbor Road, P.O. Box 143, Brooklin, ME 04616. 207-359-2594; www.swwyachtdesign.com Builder: Brooklin Boat Yard, Center Harbor Road, P.O. Box 143, Brooklin, ME 04616. 207-359-2236; www.brooklinboatyard.com 61