Gartside Yawl Construction

[Dave Lesser]

Finally out of the paint shop. The cabin top and deck look washed out in this photo, but they are Awlgrip Moondust and Cream respectively. Bottom paint will be red after another coat of primer.



Stern view:




A few more recent photos on Flickr. Now to install the deck hardware, then on to the rigger.

[Ed Armstrong]

Wow!

[PeterSibley]

Beautiful !!!!

[stuhaynes]

Just discovered this thread by accident while looking for another boat in build thread. Between both threads I've learned a huge amount that will help me repair my own 61 year boat. Thank you so much for posting.

Your boat is a real beauty and I can't tell you how much pride I would feel were it mine. Great stuff!!!

Stu

[chuckt]

Pretty Sweet Dave.

[WX]

That topside finish is a bit impressive.

[Don Kurylko]

Geez Dave, that is absolutely stunning! I wasn't sure about that paint colour at first, but I think it is going to look absolutely terrific on the water.

[BBSebens]

Hot damn thats a sexy boat. Love the color choice.

[Dave Lesser]

Thanks all for the kind words. We couldn't be more pleased.

We were somewhat nervous about how the color was going to turn out. Kirby's #1 Green Gray is the basis for the color, but we lightened it very slightly. The color really does seem to vary with the light. There are also variations in how computer monitors portray colors. On my computer, it looks more green in this photo, while the starboard side (pictured above) looks more blue. One way or the other, this is the color she'll wear for the next 10 years or so.

[BBSebens]

Wife says she wants one. How much?

[TR]

I was in the Yachttech shop the other day and saw Dave's spars, they are gorgeous as well....... spectacular boat.......

[skaraborgcraft]

Thats an interesting lookin 4 blade prop,what is it? As for the finish.....i do hope the owner is going to buy a round of beers for those responsible,its far too good to go bashing docks with!
Cant get my head round those square hull ports though.....

[Dave Lesser]

Thats an interesting lookin 4 blade prop,what is it? As for the finish.....i do hope the owner is going to buy a round of beers for those responsible,its far too good to go bashing docks with!
Cant get my head round those square hull ports though.....

That's a Maxprop Ecowind. Things got a little out of hand.
Those guys earned more than a few beers.
I agree that the ports detract from the appearance somewhat, but that will be compensated for when kids (or me) lying on the pilot berth, look out to see the water rushing by, or even better, when the ports are awash.

[P.L.Lenihan]

.

A feller could warn other fellas, once in awhile, to at least put on some sunglasses. She is absolutely stunning Dave, in so many ways, one hardly knows where to begin! The level of skill and craftsmanship brought to bear leaves me numb at the mere thought of it all.Just incredible!!!

There ought to be a WB cover shot when she is all done-n-rigged!!

All the best with the hardware and rigging!


Cheers!



Peter

[potomac]

Essentially pornography.

[Dave Lesser]

A feller could warn other fellas, once in awhile, to at least put on some sunglasses.

Sorry, Peter. I assumed that you wore shades all the time.

[Sailor]

Pete? No, he only wears them at night.

[P.L.Lenihan]

How goes the rigging Dave? Summer ain't gonna last all year long, ya know!

Cheers!


Peter




P.S. @ Sailor, it could be worse Daniel, much worse, like wearing them in bars and in bed.

[Dave Lesser]

The masts were finally stepped last Thursday. Eric did not want to do it on Friday (the 13th) and all went well. The spars and rigging were built by Serge Gabilondo at Yachttech in Sidney and he did a magnificent job.



We spent Tuesday in Sidney measuring the rig with Carol Hasse of Port Townsend Sails. Working with Carol and Serge has been delightful. They are both passionate about their work and produce amazing results.



Sailmaking will take 6-8 weeks, so it looks like launching will be in September. All of the other interior details should be "finished" by then.



Additional photos on Flickr.

[chuckt]

Just lovely.

Does she get bronze vents on top of all those dorades? Cost prohibitive maybe but would sure be nice bling.

[Dave Lesser]

Does she get bronze vents on top of all those dorades? Cost prohibitive maybe but would sure be nice bling.

Chuck,
Since I started the project in 2005, I have had plenty of time to collect used gear from eBay at a considerable savings. The cowl vents, stanchions, hawse holes, cleats, hatches, portlights and and most of the winches were eBay finds. There is a lot of junk out there, but if you're patient and discriminating, there are some quality items to be had:

[chuckt]

Oh yes. Chuck likes.

[Don Kurylko]

Just when you think it can't any better, WOW! I can hardly wait to see the new sails.

[bott]

Lookie who I found puttering around at Spencer's Spit on Lopez Island...

Lookin' good!

[Quest]

I think someone owes us some launch photos.....

[BBSebens]

Lookie who I found puttering around at Spencer's Spit on Lopez Island...

Lookin' good!

Somehow, I missed that this was a PNW boat. Where is she berthed? I MUST SEE HER!


I mean...
*clears throat*



Thats a lovely boat.

[chuckt]

Yes, Dave has neglected us. Can't say that I blame him.

[Dave Lesser]

Lookie who I found puttering around at Spencer's Spit on Lopez Island...

Busted.


Sorry, guys, I haven't had access to a computer. Launched on 9/17. We have been living aboard since 9/26, fitting out and enjoying the PNW. Currently in Port Townsend. We're going to Bell Harbor in Seattle on Wednesday to get the dodger installed, weather permitting. I'll post details and launch photos after we get home in early November. Thanks for your interest and encouragement. She's a dream.

[chuckt]

Fantastic. Glad you are enjoying her so much.

[SBrookman]

Busted.


Sorry, guys, I haven't had access to a computer. Launched on 9/17. We have been living aboard since 9/26, fitting out and enjoying the PNW. Currently in Port Townsend. We're going to Bell Harbor in Seattle on Wednesday to get the dodger installed, weather permitting. I'll post details and launch photos after we get home in early November. Thanks for your interest and encouragement. She's a dream.

What a beauty, you have to be so proud to have a dream come true, and live on it. Now I'm bummed as I was in PT just a few days ago and even had a camera but didn't see her.

[Dave Lesser]

Finally getting around to launching photos and report. Here is a shot of Eric and Bent Jespersen as the boat is lifted off the stands:



On her way to the ramp. A pair of nice 6-meters in the background.



First dip in the water. We were all too involved to get photos of the actual launch, but I can assure you that all the appropriate toasts, prayers, thanks, and music were involved. It was a day for gratitude, almost 7 years since my first letter to Paul Gartside. She was a little down at the bow, but that was corrected with some trimming ballast, and next year I’ll remove half of the 300 feet of 3/8” chain from the chain locker.



.

[Dave Lesser]

Next came bending on the sails:




Carol Hasse came over from Port Townsend to help with the fitting:




I can’t say enough good things about the quality and service that comes out of Hasse’s loft.




Here is an example of some of her detail work.



.

[Dave Lesser]

From Sidney, we went to Port Townsend for the dodger, sail covers and interior cushions. We really enjoyed our time in Port Townsend. It is a treat just to walk around the yards there. Hundreds of interesting boats, along with skilled and passionate craftsmen.




We lived aboard for the next 5 weeks with Port Townsend as our base of operations. The interior is very comfortable. The Herring diesel stove from Navigator Stove Works kept us warm and dry when we were on the hook, but we used an electric oil radiator at the dock.


.

.

[Dave Lesser]

Since we launched so late in the season, we weren’t able to get as many hours under sail as we would have liked, but those hours were glorious. We got to share the bay with the schooner “Adventuress” one afternoon.


.



The weather started to deteriorate toward the end of October, but we were having too much fun to notice. Here is a shot of the trip back across the Strait of San Juan de Fuca.




There are some more photos on the Flickr site.

She’s now back in the yard in Sidney for some ballast adjustment and a few other loose ends. We’re already looking forward to getting her out in the spring. Thanks to all for your advice and encouragement during this process. It has been the experience of a lifetime. I guess that this about wraps it up.

[Sailor]

Not quite. We need a report on her after the reballasting and a few more sailing shots next year. As well as a report on how she handles, what' she's like...... You ain't done this thread yet!

[BBSebens]

Since we launched so late in the season, we weren’t able to get as many hours under sail as we would have liked, but those hours were glorious. We got to share the bay with the schooner “Adventuress” one afternoon.


.
.

Benjamin Mendlowitz will be jealous.

I know I am.

[chuckt]

Grats Dave. Thanks for the lovely photos. She really turned out spectacularly.

And yeah--what Sailor said.

[StevenBauer]

Wow! Just wow!

Thanks for the update.



Steven

[WilyBCool]

What a stunner!

[P.L.Lenihan]

La Vie En Rose...what a lovely name for such a sweet boat!! What a grand finale to this wonderful build Mr.Lesser and as Sailor mentioned, we hope this is not the last we'll see of you or her!

Enjoy a well earned winter break so that you'll be in top form come next year as you continue to dazzle us with some more stunning photos!!



Cheers!



Peter


P.S. Had I tried to build this boat, the name for it would have probably ended being "La Vie dans la Rouge"!

[Don Kurylko]

Well, would ya just look at that. Way to go Dave!

Where will your home port be?

[St.J]

Fabulous.
You must be counting the days until she goes back in.
St.J

[Dave Lesser]

Where will your home port be?

Good question, Don. There seems to be a long waiting list at most of the marinas. Suggestions and recommendations would be welcome. We'll probably just be transients next summer, spending more nights at anchor than in a marina. We hope to make the journey to Desolation Sound and possibly beyond, but eventually we'll have to find a permanent berth. We're keeping our home in Utah for the next couple of years, but plan to move to the PNW eventually. Our time in Port Townsend was very enjoyable and that's certainly on the list of possibilities.

Did you get launched yet?

[Dave Lesser]

La Vie En Rose...what a lovely name for such a sweet boat!!

Thanks, Peter. I guess some explanation is in order. My patient and supportive wife's name is Rosemary, but she didn't want to have the boat named after her, so the oblique reference honors her support for this crazy project. The literal translation is "Life in Pink" or "Life through rose colored glasses" and that reflects her optimistic outlook. The master craftsman on the project is from France and this was the last boat that he built at Jespersen's, so the choice of language pays tribute to him as well.

[Sailor]

The fact that "La Vie en Rose" is actually one of the competitors of a certain "Victoria's Secret" chain didn't have anything to do with it?

[Don Kurylko]

Did you get launched yet?

No, not yet Dave. This coming spring if all goes well. The plan then is to meander north. Sure hope to cross tacks with you guys at some point.

Cheers,
Don

[rbgarr]

Dave,

I really like the two seats forward in the cabin. They look ergonomic and comfortably cushioned.

------------------------------------------

The bronze portlights will go in the cabin sides.

We're going to try to make the deadlights as unobtrusive as possible - they will just be frameless tempered glass set flush into the sides of the hull

When we bought our Gartside boat (his design and build) I asked what he thought about installing a topsides portlight or opening porthole. He recommended against it based on his experience with his own boat Jennifer, shown here:



"Mine leaked", he told us. I may go ahead anyway (farther aft) with some Wiley ports I have.

-----------------------------------------------------

I was looking forward to see the yankee jib set. Did you have one of those made also or change the sail plan?

[Dave Lesser]

Rbgarr,

We really like those “reading chairs” as well. I lifted them from Bill Rothrock’s book, “A Somewhat Irreverent Look at the Design of the Long Distance Cruiser”. That book is an interesting (handwritten) rant about the faults of production boats that try to be all things to all people. Here is the illustration from his book:



Since we have those chairs, there was no need to put cushions on the backs of the settee, so the storage space behind the settee can be accessed more easily.

****************************************

Paul did not originally draw portlights in the topsides – they were my later modification. With the dark tint, they did not turn out to be as unobtrusive as I would have liked. However, they do accomplish the goal of making the interior brighter, particularly in the v-berth. It is nice to be able to investigate commotion while at anchor without rolling out of bed. And it is also fun to lie on the pilot berth with the aft portlights awash. So far they have not leaked.

I would be interested if anyone knows whether tempered glass can be tinted other colors. The exterior appearance would improve if the portlights were the same color as the topsides.

****************************************

Carol Hasse suggested the modifications to the sail plan that Paul drew. We ended up with a 125% roller furling genoa for more power and less healing moment in the light air of the PNW. Also, as initially drawn, the clew of the roller furling Yankee would not have been accessible from the deck. She also talked us out of having a club on the stays’l, and I’m glad that she did. It really opened up the foredeck, and the stays’l is easy to tack. It can also be backed from the cockpit when needed. The stays’l is hanked on to a removable stay with a quick release so that it can be out of the way when tacking the genoa in light air.

Coincidentally, the first time I met Paul, he was in his back yard putting the finishing touches on the boat that you now own. She’s a beauty. I’m sure you must be enjoying her.

[rbgarr]

The Rothrock seat design looked familiar and I'm glad to see someone use it afloat. I used the same drawing to make a porch swing almost forty years ago when I first saw it in his book.

Did you know he contributed a few comments here? http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthre...light=rothrock

If your kids are like I was at their age they'll be mesmerized by the view out the pilot berth deadlights when the boat is heeled. It's like watching a washing machine window with the chance that a shark may pass by.

That's interesting about the boat of Paul's design being finished off. Here she is in her winter berth. My kids and their spouses will arrive soon for Christmas and we''ll go out as much as possible. I wish we had as mild winter weather as in the PAC NW. We'll see how the boat does in the snows:



Friends who built (with Geoff Kerr) and own a similar boat designed by Paul will join us next summer and we'll go off for a cruise in tandem. http://store.gartsideboats.com/produ...ser-design-143

I may write up something about the similarities and differences, inspired by the recent WB article about Paul's design approach.

[kc8pql]

OP. Late to the party here, but that is a lovely boat...