Just Back from Wooden Boat School

[Ray Frechette Jr]

Had a great time.

I taught an introduction to Marine Electrical sytems for the week.

About a 40 hour of classroom instruction course.

Other students relayed comments they heard from some of my students that;

"Not only was there a lot they didn't know before coming but they had no idea there was so much they didn't know about Marine Electrical Systems."

Great Week. In addition to my course Clint Chase taught an oarmaking course.

Geoff Kerr taught a 2 week course on building a Ness Yawl.

The name of the instructors slip my tire mind at the moment but there were two instructors teaching and building a 20 something trimaran in two weeks with amas that fold in for trailering.

Down on the Waterfront there was an essentials of seamanship for woman course. (BTW they are the same essentials for seamanship for men. The essentials are the same, but this course was sexist and you had to be female to take it...)

And there was also a small boat class for beach cruising in small trailerables.

The CS series would be considered posh and luxurious compared to what they were using. When they say small boats they ain't kidding.

I learned an awful lot simply browsing through the other classes during breaks in our course. Keep you eyes open and ask a few pointed questions and take a few pictures....

I had an opportunity to sail a Herreshoff 12 1/2.

I was sort of dissapointed. I had heard so much about how great they were and about the Wizard of Bristol.

Sat on the cockpit seat and wondered how they could get it wrong with bad coaming angle. Top of coaming bites into your back. Seat is significantly angled aft and down and coaming is near vertical.

Joel White designed centerboard replica in the Haven 12 1/2 and replicated uncomfortable coaming angle to keep visual appearance the same.

John Brooks however designed the Somes Sound 12 1/2 glued lap version and that one has the coming tweaked to make it more comfortable.

I also found the boat just begging for a tiller extension as it is a wide boat and my arms wer stretched out to get to tiller. Also found the boat decidedly doggy in light airs. I wondered why they bothered with a jib given it's small handkerchief size.

The Beetle cat was much more to my liking. Wide bottom very stable to get into and sitting on floor not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Again coaming could have been angled from vertical for more comfort but performance was better. And if wind dies down the large barn door rudder can scull you home in very short order. No need for oars really. Also if you do get in irons one quick swish and you are off on a tack.

I also got to row a 14 foot Whitehall. They do track very straight just as the books say. In fact turning one takes some doing.

I brought up my Wife's Chamberlain Dory Skiff as I figured I could row to my hearts delight wherever and whenever I had free time. I didn't take the CoreSOund as I wanted to sail the School's boats and get those under my belt.

I got loads of oar time with the CDS. I would get up and be on the water at 5:00 AM and row for an hr and a half to two before breakfast and watch the sun rise. I also rowed after supper and a few times out at night with a lantern in the boat to alert power boaters I never saw. Rowing with the lantern off and just keeping an eye and ear out I was enveloped in inky blackness with only the stars for light until the moon rose. I saw Bio luminescence for the first time in my life those nights.

Every dip of the oars turned on the lights in the water around the oars. Splashing from the bow in the waves sent little flickers of shimmering light as did drops of water from the oars on the return to catch position. You read about it in reports but it doesn't cease to amaze you when you see it in person...

I think I got about 18-20 miles per day of distance all up rowing a few times a day.

All in all it was a significant experience. I got a lot out of it.

[Greg Luckett]

You know I am envious, of course.

Thanks for telling about it; I enjoyed!

[Greg Luckett]

I had a friend, he passed away a couple of years ago, who swore by the Beetle cats. He use to live in Boston. I would like to look one over someday and maybe sail it too.

[Dale Niemann]

Ray,

I have sailed the Beetle Cats and the both the 12.5 and the Haven 12.5 at the Wooden Boat School when I have been up there for various classes.. I had the same reaction to the 12.5s as you did. The main problem I had was envisioning trying to sail one in Florida in the shallow waters we sail in. Actually, I did not like the Beetle cat very much either. I also sailed a Beetle Cat at the Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle.

I think basically I am spoiled by my Core Sound 17 'Lively'. I love her. I am sold on her abilities for speed and safe sailing in any conditions. I also love the cat/ketch rig. I had never sailed one before but after sailing 'Lively' for about 4 years now in many different conditions, I am sold.

The boat I liked best sailing at Wooden Boat School was the 19' Caledonia Yawl built by Geoff Kerr. I took his class building the CY several years ago and he brought his boat. It is a very nice boat. Simple, safe and enjoyable.

just my opinions,

Dale

[BARRYFOY]

Ray--

I just read your post, with great pleasure. I was camped in the trailer just up from you, and was taking Mike O'Brien's and John Brook's traditional small craft course. I really am very grateful to you for answering my electrical questions and filling me in on the high level of care needed in boat wiring.

I loved the small craft course, but as you say, some were SMALL! I distinctly remember that sailing some of them required that I wrap my knees around the back of my neck. Any video of me and an equally large and ancient sailor in the Nutshell dinghy would surely have gone viral if put on YouTube. But we also rowed, and almost all of them were delightful rowing craft. We also sailed some larger craft, including the 12 1/2's, the Friendship sloop, and the Mackinaw boat. Anyway, I came away feeling that the boat I am building (Spindrift 11 nesting dinghy) is a good choice for me.

It is interesting how we have different takes on the 12 1/2's. The week before, I had taken the Elements of Seamanship course (since I have been away from sailing for almost two decades) which was mostly in the 12 1/2's. I enjoyed them -- especially the Havens -- and found them to be very comfortable. I agree that I would want a tiller extension, if single-handing one. I would not want to own one though, especially here in Florida. Overall, the course was excellent, and I would recommend it anyone, even relatively experienced sailors. If nothing else, you learn how to drop and pick up a mooring under sail, under less than idea conditions -- something I had never done before. I would like to take the Elements II course next year, along with Clint Chase's oar course.

You taught a great course, but from now on, my boat electronics will all be hand held!

Barry Foy

[Ray Frechette Jr]

John Brooks redrew the 12 1/2 in a Somes sound 12 1/2 glued lap iteration. In his plans it calls for angle =coamings and altered seat angles . doesn't veer too far from the aesthetics of the 12 1/2 but improves seating comfort considerably.