Joel White's Haven 12 1/2

[tattooed john]

Anybody care to share their experiences sailing a Haven 12 1/2?

Fast? slow? stiff? tender? comfortable? suited to what type of waters? etc?

[Brent Cummings]

Wish I could relay my sailing experience but I was unable to get mine launched last fall when I finished it. The Haven web site and forum would be a great place to visit to find that information. Everyone I have ever talked to that has sailed one raves about them. Very stable ,stiff and well balanced. The coamings, bench seating, and large cockpit make it very comfortable.

[tattooed john]

Thanks Brent.

Haven website has a focus on building. Looks good there. No roadtests that I could find tho'.

[Brent Cummings]

Should be some notes on sailing if you scroll through the forum.

[Hwyl]

I've only sailed DoughDishes (the GRP keeled equivalent). Comfortable but not scorchingly fast. You might find a portsmouth number for a dough dish.

[tattooed john]

Found a number but I don't really know how to relate it to overall performance except that its the largest number (slowest?) on the keelboat list.

http://www.ussailing.org/portsmouth/tables06/tables06kb.asp

Doughdish (Herreshoff) DDSH 116.3

Oh Hwyl- your post reminded me to click- thehungersite.com

[prestonbriggs]

Found a number but I don't really know how to relate it to overall performance except that its the largest number (slowest?) on the keelboat list.

Makes sense. The speed of keelboats is (almost always) controlled by length. The 12 1/2 is about the shortest keelboat you'll find.

Preston

[tattooed john]

I guess no ones sailed one then.

[Hwyl]

John, I posted a long post yesterday and it didn't upload. The essence is that they're seriously slow boats that are uncannily nice to sail.

I was close to being metaphysical, it's probably why it died.

Given your age and location, you should be looking at Bethwaite boats. A nice Cherub or Flying Ant, or (dare I say it) foiling moth, The Joel White boat is for old farts.

[tattooed john]

Thank you Gareth.

They sure are beautiful.

(Sorry for being a ****. I will fix it now- but I might be a little older than I have claimed to be. Not quite an old fart yet.)

I do appreciate the help here.

[Steve Paskey]

I spent 10 or 15 hours in a Haven during a sailing class at the WB school a couple of years ago, and would second what Gareth said: slow but uncannily nice ... they're responsive and well-mannered, easily handled by one but comfortable with three or four. That said, I had more fun sailing Peggoty, a replica of a 19th century fisherman's catboat. (The picture of me grinning was taken while I was at the helm of Peggoty.)

[Daniel Noyes]

I sailed on a a bullseye (marconi version of 12 1/2) one afternoon in Salem Beverly harbour. no wind, very slow, but great for eating a cheese steak submarine sandwich.
I designed the Ipswich Bay 18 to sit on a 12' waterline, but like a scow type hull it sails heeled on a longer, narrower waterline than it has at rest.
Dan
http://dansdories.googlepages.com
http://dansdories.googlepages.com/55768x10.jpg/55768x10-custom;size:392,490.jpg (http://dansdories.googlepages.com/55768x10.jpg/55768x10-full.jpg)http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2167/2045098987_52ae58a3b4_m.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dansdories/2045098987/in/set-72157600336204702/)

[esingleman]

I have sailed the Herreshoff 12.5 several times and raced one at the Herreshoff Rondezvous. Joel WHite designed the Haven to be a clone in performance, and from what I have heard it is.

If you are looking for speed, go with a centerboarder that isn't carrying so much lead. This boat was designed for the choppy waters of Buzzards bay, and was intended for small kids to sail safely, thus it is very stable, and easy to sail.

It makes a great family daysailer, and they are raced against themselves. In addition they are lovely, lovely, lovely looking boats.

[rbgarr]

They are small yachts of the finest kind. Comfortable, roomy, and sweet sailers. Not very fast because of the short waterline as mentioned above, but elegant.