Reuel Parker's new sharpie: Ibis

[teaksmith]

Back in February I posted in the "people and places" forum about meeting Reuel Parker in Florida and seeing his latest construction project: an extended version of his San Juan 36 schooner.

I just returned from another trip to south Florida and this time I had two very pleasant visits with Mr. Parker and learned much more about the new 45-foot, schooner, which he will name "Ibis."

I've written an update on his project here: http://scottsboatpages.blogspot.com/2008/05/update-on-reuel-parkers-latest-build.html

What may be especially interesting for all the Reuel Parker fans here is that I am now going to be working with Reuel on setting up a blog for him so he can post an ongoing documentation of his latest boatbuilding project, complete with photos and descriptions. You will soon be able to follow along as Ibis comes together in Florida. The other good news is that Reuel has now set up PayPal buttons on his main site at www.parker-marine.com, so you don't have send a check and wait for weeks to get his plans, catalogs and books.

Although Reuel Parker has a reputation as being somewhat inaccessible, he stays incredibly busy and is working daylight to dark seven days a week to build his boat. He is ready to make his plans and design work more available though, and as a huge fan myself I'm delighted to be associated with him and to be involved in helping him do so.

[Bill Perkins]

That's all of interest to me . Thanks for posting .

[pipefitter]

Thank you for the information and blog. It's what has been missing from the Parker works.
I can understand the distancing during work hours as it happens to me all the time at my shop. People take it as being unsociable or stuck up, many times not realizing that I have time to make up from distractions from other customers, the phone or just having had people in the way. Once you get in the zone, it's hard to make yourself stop for seeing a light at the end of the daily tunnel before you run out of tunnel. Coming from a piece work environment, every false move is money. I often wonder how many that do stop by to chat, afford time off in which to do so in the middle of a work day. It's one thing to be a straw boss and be directing others, but when you are the boss and crew, there is a lot of shoes to fill in any given day. Soon as I read that part of the blog, I could instantly relate. Usually when people stop by, they are right in the way of my direct path to the bandsaw, welder or hip bender and once I get momentum, I like to walk fast and keep my motions somewhat mechanical and fluid. As soon as I stop, it's hard to get back in it again. It can make all the difference to me nailing cope cuts on the first try or multiple trips and adjustments.

[GregW]

Teaksmith,
Good work. I for one look forward to following his blog on the building of Ibis. One doesn't see a 45ft double ended sharpie schooner every day, I can't wait to see what it looks like on the water.

[teaksmith]

Parker's blog should be up and live within a week or so. He's sending me a CD with all the photos and captions of the construction phases up to this point. I'll set up the blog and upload this much, then he will go in and write his own descriptions, so it should be quite informative and thorough if his books are any indication. There will be a period of inactivity shortly after we get this started, as he is going to Maine for the summer, and the boat will be finished next fall when he returns to Florida.

I will certainly post his blog address here once it is ready.

[JimD]

Is there a line drawing we can have a look at?

[teaksmith]

JimD,

I don't have a copy of the lines yet, but I did see the drawings in his office and tacked to a piece of plywood under the shed next to the boat. I'm assuming he intends to make the plans available for this design at some point in the future.

Hopefully, he will send me a copy of the drawings when he sends the photos for the blog. If so I will post them. The closest thing to the design on his site is the San Juan 36 http://www.parker-marine.com/sanjuan36page.htm

Ibis is basically a larger version of this design with some changes and improvements.

[Boatsmith]

Actually if you buy Reuels catalog of sharpie designs he puts several inserts inside as well. One of these is for the San Juan 45 , another is for a maxi trailerable 46' New Haven style sharpie schooner, very pretty as well. David

[Rigadog]

Does the catalog include the maxi-trailerable Egret 38? If so how is it different than the 39 ft one?

[JimD]

Is there anybody else out there designing boats like these? They are unique, creative and beautiful.

[GregW]

Is there anybody else out there designing boats like these? They are unique, creative and beautiful.

You forgot to mention affordable.

[JimD]

You forgot to mention affordable.

On par with other plywood designs, I suppose. But given that typically the hulls are very shallow and the cabins low and often intruded by large center boards, the Parker designs seem small for their size - so you gotta build a bigger, or at least longer one if cabin space matters.

[teaksmith]

It's true you have to build bigger to get the accomodation space of other design types. But because of the simple and low-cost construction methods he uses, you can build a bigger boat with longer waterline, better speed and sea kindliness than a shorter boat with more beam and depth. These boats go together much faster than other types as well, so the time frame to go bigger doesn't really increase (as compared to other types).

Parker has made all this progress on this 45-schooner working mostly alone in just a few months. He said the material outlay not counting the diesel engine, which he already had, will be between 25-35K. Not bad for a new, 45-schooner at today's material prices!

[Dutch]

I like his 25 foot bateau. Im wondering why it couldnt be done via ply instead of cold molded? cold molding is so messy with epoxy.

[Dave Hadfield]

If you want more cabin room, just open the top! That's one thing Jim Michalak has done with many of his shallow-draft designs. They feature slot-tops. These, and related schemes such as the MacGregor 26 pop-top offer full standing headroom at anchow with a sleek low form under way.

Sure, an acquired taste, I suppose, but very simple and practical. I sailed using a pop-top for 9 seasons. Never a problem, and the dim little tunnel became a bright airy room each time.

Dave

[Dutch]

any pictures of a pop top or how onewould be built dave?

[Dave Hadfield]

Here's a photo of our M26 just after launch in Lake Superior.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y79/DaveHadfield/MacGregor26showingpop-top.jpg

As you can see, the top, which also contains the hatch slide, goes up on 4 arms that have simple pivot bolts to hinge on at their lower end. Then the front of the top attaches to the mast with a simple wing nut. It takes about 30 seconds to release the hooks inside and then push the top up to where you see it in the photo.

Then a windowed vinyl enclosure drapes over the top and snaps into place for bug and weather protection.

One very practical aspect of this is that a fair amount of the deck is captured by the enclosure. As a result you have shelf space to put things up out of the way.

The most useful thing to put up there is a 5 gal carboy of water, with it's spout hanging over the edge into the cabin. An instant gravity-pressurized water system!

Anyway, as you can see, a dark little tunnel becomes an airry, well-lit, very pleasant room to live in, tall enough to stand up in to pull on your pants.