Ellen

[daddles]

The John Brooks design, Ellen. 12' lapstrake. Featured in WoodenBoat a semi-eon ago.

Anyone built and used one? What's it like? Photos?

Cheers
Richard

[JFH]

I used the Ellen's building method to produce a double-ender. The boat I built is close to his with the same rig. I love it and would recommend John's method for any builder. The "Ellen" is a great looking craft and with sprit or his other rig option of a sliding gunter, she would be easy to handle.

Here is a couple of pics of my interpretation.





Yes, I like to stand up "sail-board" style most of the time unless I need some meat on the rail to hold her down.

Brook's boat is a few inches wider and is probably a little more stable. but, I used the Sailrite kit from Ellen for the rig. [img]smile.gif[/img]

JFH

[imported_Steven Bauer]

Here's a pic of Ellen from John's site:



He also says he will soon have plans available for Frances, Ellen's 14'long bigger sister.

Steven

[JimConlin]

And when will that book be published?

[Jon R]

I am no builder, BUT, I my wife and I are the proud and very happy owners of the original Ellen.

She was designed and built for my mother in 1994. Mom gave her to us as a wedding present last year, a better gift for us could not exist.

Ellen is a well built, very light and very strong boat. she sails well, rows well and the sliding gunter rig stows completely inboard. We even came in second place in our class at the Mid Atlantic Small Craft Festival in October, and this against some actual racing boats!

She has stood up well in some good blows and ghosts along nicely when it is light. We have never reefed her, though she is well set up for it. I expect that if I were to single hand her in a blow I would.

When asked if she is an "Ellen Dinghy" we proudly reply No, this is ELLEN!

Marvelous boat.

Jon

[imported_Steven Bauer]

Jim, I was gonna put John's book on my Christmas list again this year since the WoodenBoat catalog said it would be available Nov/Dec '03. But I thought I would check with the WoodenBoat Store first and now it says Spring '04.

Steven

[Steve Lansdowne]

This book is taking FOREVER to come out. I took a WoodenBoat Class on building the Ellen's hull from John in July 2002 and the book was supposed to be out a few months after that. I have my doubts that it will ever actually materialize!

[wyhjr]

I have an "Ellen" built by John in 1995. She's got a sprit rig. We row and sail her in SE Mo although we've trailered her to a number of boat festivals in the midwest and east coast. It handles quite well. She draws compliments wherever I launch her. Stood up to a real blow a few years back on a bay just off Lake Michigan.
Love the boat and will probably pass it on to my son someday.

[John B]

Steven, could you post the link to his site please. google didn't get me anywhere.

[wyhjr]

www.brooksboats.net

[John B]

Thanks for that.