Otter

Otter is the first boat I built, forty years ago. She is a Gloucester Gull, as designed by Phil Bolger. Shes logged a lot of nautical miles and fulfilled many purposes. Phil designed a simple, lightweight craft, with timeless grace. I must admit, the boat as specified by the Master of light craft was not durable enough to be used daily as a commuter vessel and work boat. After a couple seasons of being side-tied to various boats under working conditions and constantly subjected to the vagaries of Pacific Northwest weather, she was no longer the Light Dory from Bolgers pen.


But shes held up.

Subsequent owners of Otter have kept in touch and recently I received a note from the last mariner to love her. He had given the dory to his grandson. Im happy to report Ian is a budding mariner himself.

 And apparently, so is his brother.

Happy rowing and sailing to these young gentlemen. I couldnt think of a better fate for the old Otter.

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Sharpie Otter Relaunched

On the Sunday of last weekends Port Townsend Boat Festival, I was whisked away from the festivities to witness the relaunch of Alan Woodburys sharpie on Mystery Bay. Alan has been working on restoring this boat for awhile and friends kept me appraised of progress, but I had yet to see it in person.

Its a stout boat, built of fir plywood and designed with a cat ketch rig. The sail rig has yet to be installed.

We had a poignant  de-naming ceremony and re-christening to appease Neptune.

It always helps to have a bagpiper for these occasions

I was impressed.

Alan has apparently forgotten to lower his rudder, but hell get to it.

There is seven hundred fifty pounds of concrete blocks inside for ballast and look how much capacity is left.





Sharpies are one of my favorite designs, for their unique combination of simplicity, efficiency and seaworthiness. Many of you will be familiar with sharpies from Ralph Munroes Egret and also from the design board of Reuel Parker.

Otter is twenty seven feet long and eight feet wide. The cabin is expansive, which at first gave me pause, but on the water has a grace I wouldnt have imagined. We took a quick tour around Mystery Bay under the power of a 9.9hp outboard while Jamie Orr and I sat down below in comfort.

There is a small unobtrusive centerboard in the middle of the cabin and a much larger one just aft in the cockpit, which you can see in the last photo above. With two masts and two centerboards, the options for trimming the helm are infinite.  

Otter took to the beach as her namesake implies and rode easily on the shingle while we celebrated. Skipper and crew could easily disembark without getting their feet wet! Such is the beauty of the extreme rocker and flat bottom of the traditional sharpie.

Alans boat was a bit rough and not very well loved before he started. His repair work, however, is top drawer and we look forward to the finished product.

Congratulations, Alan!

Jamie and Alan scouting out an appropriate mooring. Please note the custom sailing outfits.

Thats one happy, hardworking skipper.

If youre interested in reading about building a sharpie, there is a thorough description by Dale Austen of his Pangur Ban, a 28 foot Bill Schwicker sharpie design originally published in WoodenBoat #56.








Another builder/designer who finds sharpies impressive is Ross Lillistone. I recommend a visit.

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Ness Yawl Otter

By now it must be apparent that Doryman loves a double-ended sea boat. Then, it comes as no surprise that at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival last month, a particular boat stood out. Now, to claim you have a favorite boat at such an event is very hard to say. Impossible, in fact.

So, lets just say that Dan and Mettes Ness Yawl Otter was one of the finalists on Dorymans list. Iain Oughtred designed this fine sea boat on the lines of the Shetland Yoals. In days of yore, these boats were imported to the Shetland Islands from Norway, and then assembled by local builders. They were of lapstrake construction dating to the Vikings.

In the years since the development of the Ness Yawl, many similar boats have been built to its capable sea qualities, including several new designs by Iain himself.

The popularity of the open double-ender was apparent at the PT Festival, with several examples tied along the same dock, all rigged for open water sail-and-oar gunkholing.

Otter was moored at the end of the dock, amid a jumble of small boats and the activity of a cul-de-sac, but Doryman has a discerning eye for a well crafted boat.

Dan confessed he was not a professional boat builder though hes a fine woodworker, there is no doubt.
His new Ness Yawl is beautiful.

Congratulations Dan and Mette! A fine vessel. May she provide you with many pleasant hours on the water.

The proud builder. He looks mighty pleased, and well he should.

Doesnt get better than this.

If you would like to see what a Ness Yawl can do, please visit the Man on the River, for Giacomo de Stefanos fabulous trip across Europe in Clodia.

For a very good example of how a Viking might build a boat like this, visit Adrian Morgan.

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