Dark Harbor thoughts

[Wild Dingo]

Ive been drooling again... I found a few old pics of Art Reeds wee boat and wondered what your doing with her? If my memory serves you were considering selling her did you or do you still have her?

How does she sail?

What timbers did you use? heavy or light? did you follow the plans strictly or make changes along the way?

Any new pics to share?

I lost my set with the great washout of May and havent heard back from Scot regarding my queeries... but am thinking if I dont hear from him shortly I may just have to buy another set of plans of her
Cheers
Shane in the mudpile

[ 08-18-2005, 06:12 AM: Message edited by: Wild Dingo ]

[Russ Manheimer]

Shane,
Since you're drooling for past boats, how about a smaller version of your beloved Elly? Here is my boat Sjogin:

http://photos3.flickr.com/4102664_e5f1423f08.jpg

Here also is the link to my first post after being a long time lurker:

First Post (http://www.woodenboat-ubb.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=004407)

Happy drooling and hope you all dry out soon,
Russ

[Wild Dingo]

STREWTH!!! How the blazes did I miss that??? damn I must be wanderin this earth these days with me eyes wide shut or something...

Sjogin is a truely stunning wee boat mate!

And I noticed you bought my lust affair with young Elly to the fore... cruel fella! and shes only what? 130 or so years old? man what a flamin beautiful ol sheila that baby is!!

But Sjogin is gorgeous! Just look at her curves! :cool: not a wonder theyre often refered to as turtles eh? a knock down? no worries plop and back she would come... but finest kind

Speakin of Elly... wheres that legend from the frozen wastes of late the one with access to Bill Ludwicks yard that fella who has long known of my lust affair with young Elly? MMD get the camera out and show our girl!!!

And Art mate? If you want to post Melinda I wont say no!!

John B can always drop a shot or two of Waione in here as well

Actually thinking of old sheilas of the sea I wonder how young Garys going with Royaliste? Anyone see hide nor hair of him or her of late?

Not to loose the thought track... Sjogins gorgeous! Well done!

[ahp]

Dingo,

The Museum of Yachting in Newport had/has a Dark Harbor that they keep in sailing condition.. I have sailed on it.

It is an old fashioned boat, but that is not bad. This was a few years ago and I seem to remember a gaff rig and perhaps running quarter stays. Is this right? Anyone? She sailed well and she is beautiful and you could single hand her, easily I think. The boom is a bit low by modern standards. Learn to duck.

[JeffH]

Dark Harbors come in three flavors (four, if you count Chip Flanagan's 15), the 12, 17, and 20. The 12 and 17 are Crowninshields and are fairly similar, in that they're both deep fin keeled gaff knockabouts. Art's is a 12. Newport has a 17. Chip Flanagan's, as the name implies, is a blending of the 12 and 17. The 20 is a S&S design and includes many decades (by that time) of sailboat evolution, but is at heart still a deep fin keeled knockabout. Dunno if I'd necessarily recommend building the 12 or 17 as designed, since B.B. took many shortcuts to make a light and cheap, but weak (and relatively short-lived), boat. I would look about and try to find a copy of "Maritime Life and Traditions" that includes an article about building a new Camden Class (basically, a 17 with slightly shorter waterline and slightly longer overhangs). The article describes in detail every alteration you should make for a more structurally sound, but otherwise identical, boat.

Sailing? Long, deep boats with lots of ballast and lots of sail are just my type (I learned to sail on a 12, which may bias me a bit). High heel angles, wet, occasional headaches, but doesn't get much better smile.gif

Jeff

Edit to add: Yep, running backs are fitted on 17s, but not on 12s. Self-tending jibs makes the running backs the only string you have to fiddle with (and not even that on the 12), so singlehanding is cake.

[ 08-18-2005, 09:35 PM: Message edited by: JeffH ]

[TimH]

Originally posted by ahp:
Dingo,

It is an old fashioned boat, but that is not bad. .Blasphemy! The Dark Harbor is gods gift to small sailing yacht design, and a timeless classic...

[Wild Dingo]

Originally posted by ahp:
Dingo,

It is an old fashioned boat, but that is not bad.But Art old mate... Im an old fashioned fella!! these new fangled boats just dont do anything at all for me!... gi me some timber gi me some gaff sails gi me some rope an Im a happy wee chappy :D

And mate? I learn REALLY quick! ;)

[reddog]

Shane;
The last time I was by,a week or so ago,Elly was at her home in Martins River but hadn't been rigged.It will soon be time to think of hauling out for the winter.There I said the "W" word.

Earl

[Steve Paskey]

Okay, Shane, this is totally unrelated to anything, but I have to ask:
Do you also harbor dark thoughts? :D

[ 08-20-2005, 07:06 AM: Message edited by: Steve Paskey ]

[Wild Dingo]

Originally posted by Steve Paskey:
Okay, Shane, this is totally unrelated to anything, but I have to ask:
Do you also harbor dark thoughts? :D aahhh but we all have our wee dark thoughts mate... yes even I have had on rare occasions dark thoughts! specially when the lights are out! ;)

oooh your havin a go at me spellin again are ye? Well so does the loverly possumpoop have a go at me spellin from time to time... but is it dark or darke or maybe even... black? or maybe some shade of grey or is it gray?... mmmm maybe its the harbor thats got yer is it harbor or harbour or harbore? damned if I know mate but either way it got yer attention didnt it!! :D

Earl mate I thought she was out of the water gettin her keel hauled and other needed work done?

Really this thread was meant to lure Art into showin his lady again... shes the finest kind that wee girl :cool: Not on my list as a real option {I want something a tad larger and more blue water capable) but well sooooo cute as to demand I ask for another gander! ;)

While I wait to decide which boat I build :rolleyes: I am not lookin at any other boats!! I AM NOT!! :mad:

And the mail from Nova Scotia to West Aussie is flamin slow these days!!!

[reddog]

Shane;
That may explain why she isn't rigged.It's only a short hop from her mooring to Billy's shop.

Earl

[GBroadlick]

I have a dark harbor designed by Charles mower and built in Michigan. 26 foot lod 17 foot water line. She sails like a dream. She needs new frames though. I am not sure i am up to the task. Russ if you read this i am ready for a visit and a sail. Miss you all a bunch.

[Wild Dingo]

Mate... where the blazes are the pics!!! :eek: I mean comeon!!! PICS!!! :cool:

And I wonder whats happened to old Art Read nowadays??? Anyone know?

[WX]

Wild Dingo, We went doen to brunswick Heads for the day...eat some fish and chips and look at the boats.
Well tucked away in a corner is a very nice Lyle Hess cutter, ten years in the building and I think I'm in lust smile.gif

[TimH]

last I heard from Art he was getting a divorce. Maybe he headed for the south seas....

[Wild Dingo]

Yeah Tim thats what I heard when I recalled he was thinking of selling her :(

Be a right bastard that! Melinda is a beautiful boat made with his hands man to think of all that work and loving care that he put into her creation... gawd that would tear a bloke apart to have to sell her

Anyways I just thought Id ask... shes the only one Ive seen and she was/is gorgeous :cool:

[Tristan]

Originally posted by TimH:
last I heard from Art he was getting a divorce. Maybe he headed for the south seas....Damn, I wonder how many of us built a great boat (8 ton Thames Bawley cutter for me, six years building) , discovered we were STILL unhappily married, sold the boat and got a divorce. Took me about 12 years to start building them again, but I've made up for lost time (six boats in the last 12 years).

[Art Read]

Shane... Just ran across this. Yes, I've been spending less time around the forum lately, and yes, I'm still divorced, but NO, I never even CONSIDERED selling the Dark Harbor! (I just joked about changing the name...) Nobody would ever be willing to pay what I'd be willing to take for her anyway! ;) (I suppose if I ever felt I couldn't take care of her any longer I'd donate her to some worthy organisation... Just can't see trying to put a price on her...)

Anyway, she's still waiting patiently for me at her berth down in Lake Union, looking a little worse for wear since I've fallen down on the varnish upkeep, but nothing a few days work can't fix. I sailed her two days in row before my last trip and I could swear that she was gratefull for the chance to spread her wings! Now that my busy season is coming to a close, I hope to neglect her less...

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid107/p5ba4345e2cd36b6e738c7dd4913c1914/f956b955.jpg

[Wild Dingo]

Worth a second look eh?! :cool:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid107/p5ba4345e2cd36b6e738c7dd4913c1914/f956b955.jpg[/QB][/QUOTE]

Thanks Art she is a fine boat and well I got curious about her and what you were up to so thanks for clearin it up for me! Cheers mate :cool: