The Ostkust Thread

[StevenBauer]

I've been thinking we need a thread devoted to Al Mason's Ostkust design. The Ostkust is a 24' sloop designed in the early 1940's. I know of a handful of Ostkust's, some on the West Coast, some in the East and a couple in Canada. And Menida in Australia.

For more information about Al Mason see WoodenBoat issue #108.

The design was originally published in The Rudder in 1944. Al Mason worked for many prominent yacht design firms (Alden, Rhodes, Sparkman and Stephens) but always sold his own designs on the side mostly through The Rudder.
From the original pamphlet:






Here is our Ostkust, Talisman:



One owner I've corresponded with wrote:
"She sails lke a dream, for some reason she reminds me of what it must be like to play a fine violin. A delicate balance of finesse and power that results in something that's alot like music. With her lofty rig and steady helm she feels much bigger than 24', and yet she tacks like a dingy when you need her to. I also have a Shell Back Dingy that I've sailed around the basin and bay a lot and Peregrne is almost as handy in the tight spots.(except for the draft issue) She really loves a good breeze as well, with a double reeffed main and a small jib I've been out alone in 30 knots with gusts over 40 and had a grand old time."


So I'll add some pics of other Ostkusts I know of and I hope some of you guys can add stories and pics, too.


Steven

[P.L.Lenihan]

A wonderful idea for a "tread" dedicated to a particular design Steven! Perhaps it will inspire others also to begin dedicated all-in-one threads addressing just one design.They may not all be as pretty as your Ostkust but the gathered information will certainly be interesting for folks seeking out specific information on a particular design.

Here's to leaving many tracks!!

Cheers!


Peter

[John B]

' til be a fine tread to be sure.

[bamamick]

A very wholesome looking design. I think she'd be perfect as an overnighter or as a nice daysailor. Don't know how she'd do with her Portsmouth rating but I am willing to bet she'd do just fine in places where there is wind.

Mickey Lake

[Lance F. Gunderson]

Speaking of Portsmouth Rating, there used to be a lovely Ostkust in Portsmouth, N.H. owned by the Arsenault family of New Castle. The spoke highly of the boat and said they'd had many good times aboard. They kept it on a mooring on the west side of the Piscataqua River for many years; I often sailed by to admire it. There used to be another nice one in Woods Hole, built by Fernandez and featuring an extended cabin which I thought looked very good. Yet another nice one sailed out of Manchester, MA., and may be the boat you own now Steven. I recall watching it with admiration as it beat out by Misery Island one summer day. The Ostkust is one of my all-time favorite designs.

[Canoeyawl]

Al Mason was a prince.
He devoted much time to helping us refine the Wenda design, and wouldn't take a penny for his time. Said it wasn't work at all!
Of course I was grilling him about his career with some of the most famous names in yachting and that was an education in itself. A direct link to Stephens, Rhodes, Hereschoff and others - If you could have seen his library... And the plans, he had original drawings (ink on linen vellum) from every yacht he ever worked on, and original prints of many that just intrigued him. These plans have recently been gifted to the San Francisco Maritime Museum and at some point in the future should be available for viewing.
There is a double ended version Sørkust (?) that is also a little gem. He was proud of it.

[StevenBauer]

Seems we are off to a good start. Anita Mason , Al's daughter, mentioned on this thread that the Ostkust and her smaller 21' double-ended sister Sorkust are both derived from the 18 foot Sjekte Jan, designed by Al's father in law. http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?14766
Al used to race Jan against L. Francis Herreshoff in his Suicide design in the under 21' class at Marblehead with great success. There is a pdf about Jan here: www.viking-boats.com/Pdf/Jan-Story.pdf Adrian Morgan built a replica of Jan a few years ago. pdf here: www.viking-boats.com/Pdf/Watercraft.pdf

So, back to the Ostkust, here are a few pics of Al in RI's Ostkust. She was built at home by one of the workers at Joel Johnson's shop where our Talisman was built. She has had her cabintop extended forward:












It seems the rig has been changed to a masthead rig, too.


Steven

[bamamick]

At the terrible risk of hurting someone's feelings, I like Mrs. Bauer's boat better. It just looks 'right' to me, if you know what I mean?

Mickey Lake

[StevenBauer]

I'm not sure if Al reads the forum so we might be in the clear, Mickey. (winky smiley deleted to make room for more pics)

Here is another. Our own Phantom24's Ostkust, Phantom:






















Feel free to jump in anytime now Vincent and you other Ostkust owners.


Steven

[StevenBauer]

I was looking for the shot of Talisman I took from the roof of the house when I was working on the chimney and found this one instead:




And here are a couple of shots of another Ostkust, this one is in Canada and belongs to Forum member Nick Bray.







Steven

[Hwyl]

A very wholesome looking design. I think she'd be perfect as an overnighter or as a nice daysailor. Don't know how she'd do with her Portsmouth rating but I am willing to bet she'd do just fine in places where there is wind.

Mickey Lake

They have a listed PHRF of 276 which converts to a Portsmouth Yardstick of 101, the Dragon is 89 and a 420 is 97.6. Seems she'd be easy to sail to her PY

[StevenBauer]

Gordon always hated the Ostkust guy he raced in his Folkboat. What are the Folkboat's numbers?



Steven

[Hwyl]

103.2, so 2% slower

[John B]

Interesting to see all the variation in cabin tops. Like Mickey, I think you have the prettiest on your boat Steven.. I like the way it carries forward and softens the front coaming. Masthead rigs were a hot fashion item in the 70's.. I bet the other one was modified/ modernised then.

Are you in the water?

[RFNK]

These are lovely boats! To me they look so much like Folkboats that I can barely tell the difference, apart from the difference in hull construction, of course. What are the real differences? I'd expect the Folkboat to head up a little higher and have less of a tendency to round up due to the clinker hull but maybe this is not the case? What differences in performance are there? Steven, do you have that traveller cutting the cockpit in half on Talisman? Rick

[P.L.Lenihan]

Wow.I am impressed by the pictures of the extended trunk version. Not often we get to see such a sweet hull looking equally good with two different cabin profiles!

Phantom however would get my vote for neatest trunk cabin just because it has that lovely big forward looking portlight. It has always been something of a bother for me having to poke my head out of a companionway just for the want of a peek forward.

She also triggers memories of either Rabls' "Picaroon" or Farmers' "Cherub" design. I do have a weakness for abreviated trunks and clear foredecks.

BTW, the picture looking down from above in post 9 must be of a boat other than Phantom seeing how Phantom lacks the cabin side forward extensions up to the fore hatch.

Lovely pictures Steven!!!


Cheers!


Peter

[StevenBauer]

W

BTW, the picture looking down from above in post 9 must be of a boat other than Phantom seeing how Phantom lacks the cabin side forward extensions up to the fore hatch.

Peter

Peter, Phantom24 explained here a couple of years ago that he added the cabin extensions. Those pictures are from more than one season.


No traveler on Talisman, Rick. She sheets from the end of the boom. She has her original roller reefing.

And Nick, we're still waiting for some interior shots.


Steven

[P.L.Lenihan]

I stand corrected then.Thanks Steven!

I do like the way he has port and starboard colours on his spreader tips.Cute


Cheers!


Peter

[RFNK]

Talisman gets my vote - just beautiful with the coaming extending forward of the cabin - just like Pipsqueak! But what about that performance question Steven - have you sailed a Folkboat? I'd imagine that their performance would be very similar - is that right? Rick

[StevenBauer]

But what about that performance question Steven - have you sailed a Folkboat? I'd imagine that their performance would be very similar - is that right? Rick

I've sailed briefly on Hughman's Frisco Flyer but we had 8 people aboard and no wind. The Folkboat is a little longer overall but the Ostkust's rig might be a little taller. Certainly they are very similar boats.

I'm heading out to sand and paint the bottom. Launching the middle of next week.


Steven

[rbgarr]

I like the shorter cabin version for a daysailer, the longer for a weekend cruiser. Both are gorgeous. For some reason I was thinking about Steven and Mary and Talisman when I awoke this morning. Probably due to looking at Elf and Humblebee kits yesterday. She's not in the water, Steven???

If not (yet), I know that how is. Condolences.

[StevenBauer]

Tuesday or Wednesday, Dave. We've been away so much we thought we'd wait. I've been working on the East End of the City and watching the boats sailing by all day has been killing me.


Steven

[StevenBauer]

Here is the Ostkust picture of the day. Can any of you eagle eye's spot the Forumite's boat in the background? Hint, this photo was taken at Beaton's in NJ.



Peregrine was built in 1962 in Marblehead.

Steven

[Hwyl]

Seriously needs a new sail cover.

[StevenBauer]

Which is worse, the fit or the color?


Sadly, Peregrine was damaged when the boat next to her caught on fire. That sail cover probably went then. Last I heard she was being restored. Maybe Russ knows more. Oops, another hint.




Steven

[Hwyl]

Are you going with a bootstripe this year? It would be proper.

[rbgarr]

Sloe Gin

[StevenBauer]

Are you going with a bootstripe this year? It would be proper.

The consensus here was she looked better without. I think it's too late for this year anyway. I was down at the boatlaunch today helping Gavin launch the Elf. Man, it looked like a nice day to sail. Soon, though.

[Lew Barrett]

I knew it was Sjogin from the NJ reference but I still don't see her in the picture!

Great thread idea, and I like the extended cabin! No really...... But they all look terrific. What a great cockpit on these boats as well!

[StevenBauer]

I knew it was Sjogin from the NJ reference but I still don't see her in the picture!

I guess Sjogin was more noticeable in the huge version of the pic I originally got by e-mail. She's back there with the brown sail cover at the jaunty angle.



Steven

[StevenBauer]

Here is the cropped view:

[StevenBauer]

Here is an Ostkust pic for the day:



The boat hauler comes tomorrow morning at 7:30.



Steven

[clancy]

Stephen, do you have any interior shots of your boat?

[Russ Manheimer]

Steven,

No brown sail cover on Sjogin in the Oskust photo, just her tan bark sails. I think we had just come back from a sail.

As far as i know Peregrine is being restored. I thought I'd see her back in the water this year but not yet. I'll check with Tom.

I like your cabin configuration as well. Always liked the look of coamings forward of the cabin.

Happy launching!

Russ

[StevenBauer]

I'm not sure about that launching business. The hauler said he'd be here between 7:30 and 8 and he's still not here at 9. Tide was high at 8:11. He usually runs a little late but not this bad.



Steven