Sea Bright Skiff & Sail Rigging- (New To Forum)

[OldGuard]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the forum and looking for info on sail plan & rigging for a Sea Bright Skiff, Hankins Built, 1983.

She is a well maintained lifeguard dory that my brother and I rowed in Point Pleasant Beach NJ as lifeguards. We acquired her when we retired. While we still row her and still even compete with this craft from time to time, we've been thinking about installing a centerboard box and sail rigging. Any suggestions for searching for this info, equipment would be appreciated.

Best

[Thorne]

Welcome to the Forum!

There is a lot of info on Seabright skiffs, but my first concern is the competition -- as adding a daggerboard or centerboard will add drag due to the slot in the bottom of the boat. And adding mast step and partner, plus other sailing bits and bobs will also increase the weight of the boat.

What is the boat made of -- specifics are best if you know the materials and dimensions of same.

And what sort of sailing do you want to do - competitive/performance or just an occasional downwind ride with a small rig?

Here's a photo of Linda and Dusty Dillion's Jersey skiff (probably quite similar to your boat) at the Big Lagoon Messabout in '08 -
http://www.luckhardt.com/bl_jerseysail1.jpg

[nedL]

Have you visited contacted the Toms River Seaport Society Maritime Museum? They are the caretakers of Charlie Hankins' boat building legacy, and I would think have all the information you need for this. Charlie did build sailing versions of his skiffs & I think the TomsRiver society may even have one in its collection.
Welcome to the WBF, you have a nice boat there!

[UCanoe_2]

John Gardner's Building Classic Small Craft has a chapter on the Sea Bright Skiff. He has photos of an old Sea Bright from the late 19th-early 20th century, and IIRC he shows a sail plan.

[OldGuard]

Wow! What a warm welcome! TY all! Its a classic Hankins lifeguard skiff, 17 feet, oak frame, cedar lap strakes, wood finish (I'll post a pic soon). I will check in with the Toms River Museum as we are hoping to be in that area to row her in the NJ State rowing championships there. Just located John Gardners book, awesome.

I agree, it may be a sin to modify this boat for sailing. May try to locate another Hankins for this project. Have just always been intrigued that these were once sailed.

[nedL]

I don't think I'd say that many of them were sailed to regularly, and I wouldn't expect them to be great sailers, but it will get you downwind on a breezy day nicely. :D I think Charlie's sailing versions had just a small dagger board up forward, no centerboard. - There is one of Charlie's 16' surf boats on Craigslist now (West Chester Pa.). - My family had one of his 24' inboard shelter cabin cruisers for a number of years, not fancy, but an unbelievably capable boat for only 24'.