Sam Rabl's "22' Hooper's Island Skiff"

[yorgie]

There's a lot about this boat that I really like.The simple construction,workboat heritage and sporty good looks all appeal to me.Has annyone from the Chesepeake area ever seen or sailed in one?What could some of it's shortcomings be?

Naomi--a Twenty-Two Foot Hooper's Island Skiff (http://www.dngoodchild.com/5208.htm)

http://www.dngoodchild.com/5208.jpg

Thanks,Chris http://www.dngoodchild.com/5208pic.jpg

[ 09-03-2005, 09:46 PM: Message edited by: yorgie ]

[Dennis M]

I seem to recall Holzbt sailing a similar craft although not to Rabl's design. There was a thread on this sometime back entitled "question for holzbt", I believe.

Parker has a similar design -- a 20 fter that is worth a look as well. See his Sharpie book for comments about the design.

[yorgie]

Thank's Dennis,I'll try to find that thread.

Here's a model of a Chesapeake Bay Crabbing Skiff (http://www.midwestproducts.com/chesapeake_bay_crabbing_skiff.htm)(web page)

Chris

[ 09-05-2005, 02:37 PM: Message edited by: yorgie ]

[Dennis M]

Yorgie, the thread is here: question for holzbt (http://www.woodenboat-ubb.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=002233)

[yorgie]

Oops,I'd already found and bumped the "? for Holzbt" before I'd noticed that you'd linked it. :rolleyes: :D
Though the Pacific Northwest is known for its deep water sailing,the Fraser River delta where I live is quite shallow and this boat would be a lot of fun.Holzbt's description of sailing these skiffs was very informative.

Thanks for the help,I apperciate it.
Chris

[ 09-05-2005, 03:15 PM: Message edited by: yorgie ]

[Dennis M]

Chris, I am happy to help. Keep us informed about what you finally decide upon. I'll be interested in hearing about your progress.

Mike, you have got to stop posting the pic of that boat! It is killing me ;) . I've not seen you mention the S/A of your boat. Wouldn't a boom be a boon for enhancing the sailing characteristics of your craft? What is the freeboard on it, and why did you decide on 6in of constant deadrise? Enquiring minds want to know.

Dennis

[yorgie]

Mlke,thanks for offering your .02,it's worth a lot to me.I like your sailboat and the rig as well.It's no wonder you have to reef the main at 15,she's huge.

Dennis,I've dug out my Chappelle book and have looked at the 18 1/2',the 20' and the 24' sharpies.I saw a cat/ketch sharpy type boat the other weekend during the sailboat race at the Vancouver Woodenboat Show.I was very impressed by her speed for her size.
I don't know when or if I'll be building a Chesapeake bay skiff but it's on my dream list.I have lots of wide cedar planks and I'm saving up some yellow cedar for frames and deck beams.I already have a recently acquired 14' v bottomed sailing dingy that needs a little work but maybe the need for a bigger and faster day boat will come.

I also think the Chesapeake bay skiff would make a good "Raid" boat.It's fast,looks like it could row well and can carry a large enough crew to ballast a big rig.

I'll definetly keep you informed if something happens

Chris

[Robert - Hoopers Island MD]

I wanted to build one of the following Bolger designs Surf, Zephyr or Windsprint. All three seem close in design to a work boat that was popular where I live. These work boats have all but disappeared.

I have almost finished the basics my modified WindSprint to which I adding decks, and should be sailing it as soon as the weather clears up.

Where I live on Hoopers Island in Chesapeake Bay they used to build boats they called sharp end skiffs (pointed at both ends). It was pointed at both ends like the WindSprint but has deck like the other two.

There is still one excellent boat builder who is over 90 (Calvert Cannon) on the island that used to build sharp-end skiffs. According to Uncle Calvert these skiff had their hey day in the 1920s and 1930s. They were work boats at that time used for oystering netting and perhaps most importantly crabbing. They were polled, rowed, sailed and powered by outboards. Racing these skiffs under sail on Sundays was a popular pastime.

I asked Uncle Calvert why they had all but disappeared and he said that when the grasses started to disappear in the bay the skiffs no longer allowed the watermen to make a living netting soft-shell crabs and peelers. Please note that Boger called "Surf" a "Crab Skiff". According to Calvert the watermen used their crab nets to poll their skiff in shoal water and used the net to scoop up crabs. Another contributing factor was the introduction of crab potting which started in the late 1940s.

At the end of their era these skiffs were used to get to and from work boats which were tied to piling of shore. Sharp end skiffs were not rowed but polled. The water is pretty shallow close to the island. The work boats are now all tied to docks - - -almost all of the shore line is now rip-rapped, so you can't really pull a skiff up on shore like you could in the past.

Calvert came by to look at the boat said that WindSprint had deeper sides than most sharpend skiffs, and that it also had more curve from bow to stern (rocker) than many sharp end skiffs, but saw no problems with these differences. I have seen

I have spoken with at least a half-dozen former sharpend skiff owners who had bolted a 2 x 6 to the stern and mounted 3 to 5 horsepower engines to their skiffs. No one saw any serious problem with doing this. It was much easier to motor from one crab pot to another that to sail or row.

I have tracked down one sharpend skiff that has been used in the recent past. I was built about 45 years ago. It is in many ways remarkably similar in its beautiful lines to WindSprint.. 16 feet long 16 inch deep sides, slightly wider toward that stern than toward the bow, all like WindSprint. On the other hand it has decking, washboards and low collar boards, no signs of ever having been sailed, build with traditional materials instead of quarter inch plywood. There are supposed to be two more stored in a barn but I have not been able to see them yet.

Fishing Creek, Hoopers Island MD

[Robert - Hoopers Island MD]

Below you should find pictures I just took of a 16 foot sharp-end skiff (local name for the Hoopers Island skiff) showing lines very much like a 16 foot Bolger WindSprint I just finished. It is my impression that in their last days these skiffs were smaller and not rigged for sailing. I hope to find out more from the old timers who know about such things.

This boat was built by the owner's father. Before I could say anything much he announced that it was not for sale. Mr. Ruark, the owner, said that it was built about 45 years ago, and that he thought he may have helped his father with this one. He also said that he have built several sharp-end skiffs on his own.

I have heard that a local retired waterman has started construction of another sharp-end skiff but I have not had a chance to talk to him yet.

I plan to get every old timer who is willing to talk to tell me every thing he knows about sharp-end skiffs. I would love to see them revived.

Robert Robert@RobertHaynesPhD.net

http://www.roberthaynesphd.net/WindSprint/IMG_0002.jpg http://www.roberthaynesphd.net/WindSprint/IMG_0003.jpg

[Bill Perkins]

I really enjoyed your pics Robert . I've wondered what Hoopers Island looked like .I'm particularly interested in the way the builder pieced in the boards forming the side and end decks .

The dimensions of your scan are too much for this forum and "blow up " the whole thread .

[ 11-22-2005, 08:12 PM: Message edited by: Bill Perkins ]