Looking for info on Wendall Calkins

[bill hersey]

In the mid-fifties ('59 I think) the NV and engineer Wendall "Skip" Calkins designed a revolutionary hull named LEGEND. Strip planked, sloop rigged, she went on to hold Trans Pac records and gather up trophies for years on the West Coast.

He worked out of San Diego, and the Calkins 50 (mine is hull #3) was the yacht version of LEGEND. I am interested in any information any of you might have, or just some insights into this designer. You don't hear much about him, yet his plans are so detailed and complete, he must have admirers somewhere. And there have to have been other vessels he designed that are still around.

Anyone have some clues? Thanks in advance.

[pdeber]

Hi.

I have buy a Calkin 50 in Texas 4 years ago, a sistership of Legend (not the "new" model with deck saloon, that I don't like to much!) but I have problems of papers with USCG - long story. Small works to be done on the boat but nothing impossible.

I have the original drawings of the boat - 6 or 7 sheets, except the sail drawing.

If you need something contact me : pdeber@free.fr

bye, Philippe.

[TR]

Some info from The Encyclopedia of Yacht Designers.

Wendell H. "Skip" Calkins. 1912 - 1977 United States

Born Minneapolis Minnesota, Graduated MIT 1938 with a degree in NA and Marine Engineering. First worked at BIW in Bath Maine on Destroyers, moved back West in 1940 (where his parents had moved when he was 8 years old) to LA to work with Douglas Aircraft. Chief Draftsman at LA Shipbuilding, then chief designer at Ackerman Boat Works building tugs, patrol boats, etc for wartime Navy.

After the war Calkins owned and operated a small yard in Newport Harbour, built yachts and commercial vessels, and designed sailing dinghies P-14 and 17' Sharp-Shooter, also racing hydroplanes. Obviously his interests were diverse and lightweight performance was a biggy.

First major design was 50' Legend, 1951, light displacement canoe-sterned sloop with long waterline, short ends, and foil shaped keel. I don't know for sure (as I've never seen a drawing of her) but every Calkins design I have seen has fin keel and spade rudder and I imagine Legend had them too. I would guess this was influence from Ben Seaborn. Legend won the Transpac in 1957 and her success as a racer lead to a string of 50's of which 5 were build by Driscoll in SD and 20 were built by American Marine in Asia.

There were other boats of similar style, some 40's, and the big 72' ketch Whistle Wing. Calkins was not a prolific designer and seems to have mostly worked for others. During the Korean war he worked at the Long Beach Naval Yard supervising shipbuilding and later as chief Naval Architect at National Steel in San Diego until 1959.

In 1960 he returned to private practice and employed Doug Peterson for a time. In 70-71 he worked in Micronesia building local fishing vessels, in 72 he returned to SD and worked for Doug Peterson until his death.

Undoubtedly a major influence, with Ben Seaborn and William Lapworth, of the West Coast light displacement type.

[pdeber]

...thanks for this post. There's not a lot of data on the web about Mr. Wendell H. Calkins...

About my Calkin 50, it seems to have a long keel and the rudder is not perpendicular to the water line. The boat was build in Rockport, Texas around 1961. There are small difference in the main cabin, and the building was under the Calkin's specs (there's hand writing on he drawing "difficult to find good white oak" and so on.

If you give me your post adress I can send you a copy of the drawing.

Philippe (from France)