BROKE R AGE
We had a big spring by selling three Herreshoff 12-½s in
May and June. Brokerage has slowed up a bit since, but there
are still some spectacular values to be found. Two boats in
particular deserve special consideration:
MISS BUCKEYE is a 24' Lyman Sleeper, built in 1961. In
2002, she was sent back to where she was built in Ohio for
a major makeover. The yard replaced all of the varnished
mahogany pieces: decks, rails, windshield, bulkheads, ceiling
planking, cockpit sole, etc. They also replaced her electronics
and installed a 325hp Crusader engine. Since then, she has
been immaculately maintained here at Artisan, and should
be considered both cosmetically and mechanically “as new.”
Unfortunately, in the past few years, it has become clear that
her lapstrake plywood bottom planking needs to be replaced,
and her current owners have decided they no longer spend
enough time on the water to justify the expense. The good
news is that they have listed her for sale for barely what the
engine installation cost, and the cost of the necessary bottom
job will be a small fraction when compared to the work that
has already been done.
MISS BUCKEYE is currently in the water, fully commissioned,
and could be used “as is” for a few more years—so long as
her top speed of 50 mph is kept under control. For those who
know and appreciate Lymans, this is an opportunity too good
to miss. For a complete listing, please visit the BROKERAGE
page at ArtisanBoatworks.com.
As my two daughters (ages 4-½ and 6) begin to discover
rowing and sailing, I find myself focused on Rozinante canoe
yawls, and have queued up
L. Francis Herreshoff ’s book
“The Compleat Cruiser”
for a re-read. It might be a
few years before our family
gets its own Rozinante, but
until then I will continue to
look. There are currently six
Rozinantes for sale on Yacht
World, three of which are
here in New England, two on
the West Coast, and one on
the Great Lakes. Of the three
New England boats, one in
particular is both in the best condition structurally and the
least expensive.
OSPREY was built in 1976 at the famous Smith & Ruhland
yard in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. The yard was best known for
large wooden commercial vessels and fishing schooners, but
they built at least three Rozinantes. Smith & Rhuland closed
in 1969, but the yard remained intact and was later re-opened.
During the down time, Fred Rhuland built OSPREY for his
son-in law, and she was reportedly the last boat built under the
yard’s original ownership.
The current owner has had her since 2002, and she has
been professionally maintained. His goal was always to keep
her in perfect structural condition, and to reduce annual
maintenance by painting everything. OSPREY could use some
cosmetic upgrading, but she’s ready to sail “as is” and could
be launched, rigged, and be on your mooring as soon as next
week. For more information, call Alec at (207) 542-0372.
SAVE A C L AS SIC
Few would argue that for a combination of looks, performance,
and “feel,” nothing beats a sleek, long-ended, deep draft boat
with plenty of ballast and sail area. The Dark Harbor 12 is
about the smallest boat that delivers all of those things
without compromise. B.B. Crowninshield designed
the Dark Harbor 12 in 1915 for one-design racing in
Islesboro. They are 20' 2" on deck, 12' 5" on the water,
displace 1,923 lbs, and carry 210 square feet of sail.
Fast and wet, with a self-bailing cockpit and only a
small hatch accessing the forward compartment,
these boats are essentially a “corked bottle”
and can safely be driven without mercy for a
truly spectacular sailing experience. They are
exceptionally fast under all conditions, and
are terrific ghosters in light air.
I grew up sailing a Dark Harbor 12 called
BOBBIN, No. 14 of the class, and raced every
Wednesday and Saturday during the summers with my
father, brother, uncles, and cousins at the Bucks Harbor
Yacht Club. I was the fourth generation in my family
to race BOBBIN, and believe that by then the boat
was on her 4th set of sister frames! When we weren’t
racing, we were exploring, and before the days of
cellphones and GPS, my brother and I would
sail as far from home as the wind allowed—
sometimes not returning until the breeze filled
back in long after dark.
Illustration by Kathy Bray
Eventually there came a point where No.
14 required a rebuild that was beyond our
family’s resources, and she was regretfully
sold. Now, twenty years later, there is an
opportunity to restore another Dark
Harbor 12—hopefully for a family that
will cherish her as we did ours. Call or
e-mail for details.
416 Main Street • Rockport, Maine 04856 • ArtisanBoatworks.com • 207.236.4231