The John H. Chafee docking at Fort Wetherill [near Bull Point] in Jamestown February 2010

1 February 2010 John Chafee

BOAT: John H. Chafee
OWNER: State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
DESIGNER and BUILDER: Wesmac Marine, Surry, ME http://www.wesmac.com/
YEAR: 2004
 HULL: Kevlar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevlar
LENGTH: 50 feet [15.24 meters]
HISTORY:
The boat named after the late Rhode Island Senator John Chafee http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Chafee is emblematic of his legacy. Elected in 1976, Senator Chafee was a strong voice for clean air and water in Washington D.C., as well as a lifelong advocate for the best interests of Narragansett Bay. He was instrumental in securing funding for the boat that bears his name.
 With Narragansett Bay and the nearby ocean waters intrinsic to the past, present and future of our state, it only makes sense to monitor and report on what is arguably our most precious asset- that is the mission of the John H. Chafee.
 Built out of Kevlar- one of the most durable substances known to man- the Chafee is a sturdy platform for research both inside and outside of the bay. On any given day, the Chafee leaves her birth at Fort Wetherill in Jamestown- usually with a team of biologists or marine scientists to perform any number of tasks. The research is key to our understanding of the rapidly changing marine environment. The boat is a fitting legacy for an extraordinary senator.

Zephyr-Stuart Knockabout- Jamestown, R.I.

Zephyr out sailing on a splendid November day on Narragansett bay, R.I.

16 November 09 Zephyr

BOAT: Zephyr
OWNER: The Frary family, Jamestown
DESIGNER: L. Francis Herreshoff, Bristol, R.I.-1932
BUILDER: Edey and Duff, Mattapoisett, MA
LENGTH: 28 feet [8.5 meters]
YEAR: 2003
HULL: Foam/ fiberglass sandwich
HISTORY:
Zephyr is one of a series of boats referred to as a Stuart Knockabout. The Knockabouts are a modern interpretation of a classic design. Made locally by respected boat builders Edey and Duff, the boats fuse modern materials with the style and elegance of earlier times. 
By all accounts, the Bristol based L. Francis Herreshoff was a design genius. He was partial to shallow draft designs with relatively long waterlines. In his day, wood and canvas were the only available materials.  He would be impressed if he could see his design as made today- using materials that allow the weight to be concentrated down in the keel, the hull to be stiff, and the rig to be light. Perhaps he would be even more impressed to see how much the Frary family enjoys their boat.
 Nimble and fast, the Stuart Knockabout is a joy to sail, and has plenty of room for kids, adults and guests. Zephyr was out for what is apt to be one of her last sails of the season last week, but within six months, she will be back at it again.

Quintessence- Jamestown

24 August 2009 Quintessence

 BOAT: Quintessence  http://yachtquintessence.com/
OWNERS: Nancy &  Don Miller. Jamestown, R.I.
DESIGNER: Robert H. Perry, Tulalip, WA  http://www.perryboat.com/
BUILDER: Nordic Yachts, Bellingham, WAm  http://www.nordicnw.com/
LENGTH: 44 feet [13.4 meters]
HULL:  Solid Fiberglass with a cored deck
YEAR: 1981
 HISTORY:
 Designed and constructed as performance cruising yachts the Nordic 44 and smaller sister- the Nordic 40 were drawn by noted designer Robert Perry. While the design and construction techniques are almost 30 years old, the quality has aged like fine wine. The passage of time has only served to validate these exceptional yachts.
 Back in 1999, Nancy & Don Miller of Jamestown found Quintessence in Los Angeles- fell in love- and had her trucked back to Jamestown. Don has a 100 ton U.S.C.G. license. Besides enjoying all that Quintessence had to offer as a cruising boat, the couple also started a small [6 persons and under] charter business.
 Since then, Quintessence has enjoyed more than 200 charters. Don is also a photographer and his clients- ranging from international bankers to starving artists- have enjoyed wonderful sailing as well as memorable photographs.
When not underway, Quintessence lies on her mooring in Dutch Harbor on the quiet western side of Jamestown.

Spartina- Jamestown, R.I.

29 June 09 Spartina
BOAT: Spartina
OWNER: Mike Power, Jamestown
DESIGNER & BUILDER: Palmer Scott, New Bedford, MA http://www.woodtoglass.org/builders/palmer-scott.html
LENGTH: 26 feet [7.9 meters]
YEAR: 1953
HULL: Fiberglass
HISTORY:
 As the Block Island Race Week http://www.blockislandraceweek.com/takes place in the rain off our shores, the folks at Clark Boat Yard in Jamestown  http://www.clarkboatyardandmarineworks.com/are hard at work inside their shed. They are restoring an erstwhile navy launch that is arguably one of the first fiberglass boats ever built.
Established in 1935, the Palmer Scott yard burned to the ground in 1936. Undaunted, the owners relocated and began building extraordinary wooden yachts noted for such things as spiral staircases and hand carved mahogany tillers. This went on until WWII when all production switched over to military needs. After the war, demand for gorgeous wooden yachts was slow. Approached by a chemist with a radical new idea- fiberglass hull construction- the company took off in a new direction. They built a “male” mold for Spartina and pioneered what has become standard practice today- vacuum bagging. The result, is a hull that is smoother on the inside than outside, and it is very thick and strong.
At 56 years old, this early attempt at molded construction is alive and well, receiving full attention as the rain continues to prevent outside work.

Toucan Tango- Frers 41- Jamestown, R.I.

25 May 2009 Toucan Tango


BOAT: Toucan Tango
OWNERS: Peter Coupe, Donna Fischer
DESIGNER: German Frers, Buenos Aries, Argentina
BUILDER: Carroll Marine, Bristol, R.I.
LENGTH: 41 feet [12.4 meters]
HULL: cored Fiberglass
YEAR: 1990
HISTORY:
 It is said that design is the most critical factor of any project- in the case of Toucan Tango, design and quality construction are married. German Frers has designed over 1000 yachts and super yachts. He has worked extensively with Swan, Halberg-Rassey and many other renowned builders. The Frers 41 design is reflective of all of that experience.
Founded by Janice and Barry Carroll, Carroll Marine [1984- 2003, Bristol, R.I.] specialized in series built offshore sailboats. They also built custom race boats and individual composite components. The Frers 41 is one of several Frers designed yachts built by Carroll. It is a comfortable yacht, sturdy and safe for offshore passages, yet still competitive on the race course.
 Owners Peter and Donna take full advantage of “Tango’s” capabilities frequently cruising the offshore waters between Maine and New Jersey. This week, “Tango” went in the water to spend her ninth summer at Conanicut Marine Services in Jamestown. The rig will go in this week, and the process of cleaning and preparing for the season is underway.
 Toucan Tango can be seen in Jamestown, or sailing in and around the waters of Narragansett Bay this summer.

13 April 2009- Firecracker

BOAT: Firecracker
OWNER: Ted Mercier, Jamestown
DESIGNER: Robert Perry, Tulalip, WA http://www.perryboat.com/
BUILDER: Saga Marine, St. Catherine’s, Ontario http://www.sagayachts.com/main.html
LENGTH: 43 feet [13 meters]
YEAR 1997
HULL: Baltek cored Kevlar with Vinylester resin
HISTORY:
The Saga 43 represents a different school of thought in sailing yacht design. Instead of greater beam (width) with a large rig – required to drive the boat through the water- designer Robert Perry took a different tack. Drawing upon lessons learned from long distance offshore racing, Perry made the Saga 43 longer, narrower, and easier to handle than many of the designs that are manufactured today. This unconventional approach exchanges roomy aft cabin space and high labor requirements above for a smooth sailing sled that slips through the water with a minimum of effort.
The sturdy low aspect ratio rig combined with a hull of vacuum bagged Kevlar makes for one very solid boat. Long, lean, and narrow makes for good speed.
Good design and build makes for longevity. Now lets see if Ted can get away from his responsibilities at Dutch Harbor Boat Yard in Jamestown for long enough to enjoy this beautiful boat!

a20 April 2009 Weatherly Concordia Yawl

BOAT: Weatherly
OWNERS: Sharon DeLucca and Paul Castaldi, Bristol
DESIGNER: C. Raymond Hunt/ Concordia Co., South Dartmouth, MA http://www.huntdesigns.com/
BUILDER: Abeking & Rasmussen, Lemwerder, Germany https://www.abeking.com/
LENGTH: 39’ 10” [12 meters]
YEAR: 1955a
HULL: Mahogany over Oak
HISTORY:
If boats were guitars, the Concordia Yawl would be a Gibson Les Paul. The Concordia Yawl is not one of a kind, but rather a class of yachts with noble parentage.
Founded in 1926, the Concordia Company name has become synonymous with excellence in design and quality construction. Company founder Llewellyn Howland lost his personal yacht in the great hurricane of 1938. As a result, he commissioned naval architect and company partner C. Raymond Hunt to design a racer cruiser that would become legendary in the world of yachting.
Between 1938 and 1966 The Concordia Company commissioned 103 yawls- all but four were built by Abeking & Rasmussen in Germany, and all bear the distinctive star and moon cove stripe.
Besides good looks and charm, the boats have soul. Owners don’t just own, they love. By their own admission, Weatherly’s owners- Sharon and Paul- are “boat proud”. They brought Weatherly to Conanicut Marine Services in Jamestown last fall and found a place that can appreciate a fine wooden boat.
At present, Weatherly is “taking up” -allowing the wooden planks to swell- at Conanicut’s marina. Next week the rig will go in, and the process will continue. Soon she will be sailing. Weatherly is visible from the dock at East Ferry in Jamestown.