Weighing anchor on LEOPARD using a traditional Lunenburg windlass. Boats that leave the dock and go somewhere (other than to another dock) need ground tackle. I briefly discussed ground tackle for cruising boats in Choosing Anchors And Rodes . Boats much over 10,000 lbs in displacement generally need a windlass to weigh anchor, and the subject of windlasses can bring otherwise mellow cruisers...
The Whiskey Plank
The whiskey plank, traditionally, is the last plank fastened into the hull. The occasion is typically marked by a party to celebrate.
The views expressed are those of the authors and may not necessarily reflect those of WoodenBoat.
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April 28, 2014 -
April 21, 2014WoodenBoat contributor Bruce Halabisky and his young family have been cruising in a 34′ wooden boat for the past seven years. Most recently the family crossed the Atlantic from Maine, via the Azores, and then sailed on to Senegal. Since March this year, they’ve been in the Caribbean. In this special blog post, Bruce discusses the joys and challenges of extended cruising with young children aboard... -
April 02, 2014Mast Section from step to spreaders, 9 1/2″ x 7 1/2″ outside dimensions. I have developed a “new” mast construction method for use on light- to moderate-displacement sailboats having a Marconi rig, and for motorsailers. I put “new” in quotes because I am sure it has been thought of before now. The four corners of the new construction sequence are all made identical in section, from Douglas fir or... -
March 19, 2014In early 1985 I searched South Florida for a place to set up a small informal boatyard—really just a place to build my newly-designed Exuma 44 cat schooner in cold-molded wood. Camping out with a group of friends in the Keys, I found an overgrown, deserted property on the south shore of Windley Key (Islamorada) that seemed perfect. It had about three acres, a ruined fish-camp shack, a 100′ canal... -
March 03, 2014For over 35 years I have lived, on and off, as a cruising sailor. In addition to designing, building and restoring wooden boats, this has been my life. In all those years, I have learned a lot, and made a lot of observations. Cruisers are in some ways a huge community, spanning oceans and borders, as well as lifestyles and economies. So there is overlap, a great exchange of information, and... -
February 20, 2014Around 1991, Jon Eaton (my editor at International Marine Publishing) suggested that I write a book about sharpies. He knew I was a fan of the type (inshore fishing/oystering/crabbing boats), and I gladly accepted the assignment. I researched the history of sharpies in various museums and historical societies on the US East Coast, from Mystic Seaport to Miami. I already owned many books,... -
February 03, 2014Sail Plan for the Australia 47, featuring L-Head rotating wing masts In 2003 I received a commission to design a 47′ aluminum schooner for a doctor in Australia, who wanted a fast, shoal-draft racer/cruiser. I designed new rotating wing L-Head masts for her, using modern hardware, winches and aircraft-grade plywood for the mast sides. The new masts, while based on my earlier low-tech L-Head masts... -
January 12, 2014In the late 1990s it occurred to me to design a trailerable one-design racer. I was living in Key West, and I also saw this as a way to get involved in Key West Race Week, a fairly major event in the world of fast sailboats. Conch 32 Sail Plan. Most small one-design racers have fin keels and require custom trailers, necessitating the use of a crane or Travel Lift to launch and haul them. Without... -
December 25, 2013T’IEN HOU in her early “Lorcha” persona, anchored off New Bight, Cat Island. I first sailed to the Bahamas in early 1981, in my cutter FISHERS HORNPIPE. I had sailed the HORNPIPE from California, through the Panama Canal, arriving in Key West in late 1980. Since the Bahamas were pretty much on the way to anyplace north, I decided to make a quick perusal of them. I didn’t expect much, after the... -
December 16, 2013In cruising, sometimes something good comes out of something bad. On Friday the 13th of April 2012, I was sailing homeward bound in my sharpie schooner IBIS. I had three close friends on board, and we were enjoying the unparalleled beauty of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. We had been anchored for the night off the crescent beach at the southwest end of Hawksbill Cay, a place I have visited...