The Creation of

A shoal-draft cruiser

H aving a custom boat built was not something weever considered doing. It was as far removed fromour style of life as a villa on the French Riviera.For more than 20 years we had cruised for thou-

sands of hours in our Albin 25, a diesel-powered pockettrawler, in the waters of the Southeast, the Florida Keys,and the Bahamas. In the past few years, however, we hadbeen using the boat less and less, and noticed that fewerof our friends were willing to come with us.

Time had taken its toll, not on the boat, but on us andour friends. As we got older, the berths became smallerand harder, the lack of privacy and comforts harder todeal with. Roughing it, which adds to the fun when youth-ful, loses its appeal with the passage of years. In spite ofthe long accumulation of pleasurable memories associ-ated with the Albin, she no longer suited.

As we began to look at other boats for thefirst time in many years, we were- dismayed bythe designs and construction quality of thepowerboats available. Most were sloppily builtand in design more suited to cocktail parties atthe dock than the self-sufficient, shallow-waterexploration to which we were accustomed.

Then, as I was leafing through the December1994 issue of WoodenBoat, a drawing struck myeye. It was a new design, but one reminiscent ofthe classic motorboats of the '30s, like the oldElcos and Matthews I had cruised on with familyfriends in the '50s. Reading through the article,it was as if we had talked to the architect, DaveGerr, listing our requirements: very shoal draft,light and open cabins, single diesel power.Although someone else had commissioned thedesign, it was our ideal boat, too. I also liked thewood-epoxy construction, being familiar with thesuperior qualities of wood as an engineering mate-rial and the durability of modern epoxy resins.

After three months of hesitation, I called DaveGerr, expecting to be disappointed. I was surethat such a boat would be out of the questionfor us. But I was encouraged by our discussionand by his rough cost estimates. Only then didI tell my wife, Marie, about the idea. Sheexpressed relief that my preoccupation and thepaper I had been keeping secret were about aboat, not something more sinister, and she, too,was enthusiastic about the design. She was alsoskeptical that we could afford to have a custom-built boat.

A visit to Dave's office in New York in Junequickly made us comfortable with our commonviewpoint about what we liked in a boat and ourability to communicate easily. We had some sug-

gestions about the interior arrangement, and I was happyto find that they were taken seriously and incorporatedin the final design.

Having absolutely no experience with such a project,every aspect of the whole undertaking was a learning expe-rience. We didn't even know anyone who had commis-sioned a custom boat. We had read about the horrorstories: boats that were poorly built, years late in delivery,and disastrously over budget. In an attempt to avoid suchtroubles, our first thought was to have the boat built closeat hand so that we could supervise the work. Finding nobuilders of wood-epoxy boats nearby, we decided to havethe hull, deck, and cabin built and trucked to our citywhere the interior and finish work could be completed bypeople we knew.

After weeks of anxious waiting and disappointing

58 WoodenBoat 143

BELLE MARIEby Mike Martin Photographs by Starke Jette

responses, we got a favorable reply from Covey IslandBoatworks in Petite Riviere, Nova Scotia. We weredelighted, having heard of their reputation, although abit dismayed by the distance. In August we visited CoveyIsland accompanied by Dave Gerr. A meeting with builderJohn Steele quickly established that we were in good hands.Rapport among us all was immediate. The obvious qual-ity of their work, the glowing recommendations, and theintegrity of their business practices made us so comfort-able that we quickly decided to have them build a com-pletely finished boat. We would furnish the dishes and thelinens; everything else would be completed there. Thiswould allow the boat to be delivered on her own bottomrather than having to be trucked 2,000 miles.

Although initially concerned about the miles separat-ing us and the architect from the builder, on reflection itwas evident that a couple of thousand miles was no greaterproblem than several hundred. Internet e-mail helpedovercome the problem of distance. It allowed us to com-municate quickly and accurately without regard to sched-ules, time zone differences, or time of day.

Both Dave and John were endlessly patient with us aswe agonized over choices we would have to live with formany years. What level of finish did we want? What engineshould we use? What was the best way to address my desirefor extremely quiet operation? Should we have heating?They shared with us their experiences and knowledge,always explaining why they recommended certain things.At least two messages a day were exchanged among us,sometimes many more. By the end of I he whole project,my accumulated file of printed e-mail messages amountedto a couple of hundred pages.

We quickly learned that if both John and Dave agreedon a particular subject, there was no doubt that their view-point was the correct one. I remember being appalled bythe weight and expense of the ground tackle whichincluded a high-torque electric windlass, 300' of chain,and a large plow anchor. Suggesting that we had suc-cessfully used a rope rode and a lighter anchor for yearswithout a windlass got me nowhere. Both experts wereadamant that the system as specified was necessary. Theyhad frightening stories about ground-tackle failure. Wehave had two occasions since to learn that they wereabsolutely correct.

Some of the decisions we made affected the appear-ance. One was to have no varnished trim outside the boat.Another was to have what we called "refined workboat"finish for the interior. The bulkheads and doors are cov-ered with an off-white laminate; the exposed hull insideis painted to match, and the wood trim is oil-finishedcherry. We also selected aluminum-framed, commercial-style windows. We will be cruising in tropical areas anddo not want the maintenance problems associated with

traditional wooden boat finishes. We know that a boat thatis used in Southern waters 12 months of the year presentsdifferent maintenance problems compared to one that isused in cold waters and higher latitudes for only four orfive months of the year.

It is difficult to express the feelings of unreality andexcitement we had during the nine months it took to com-plete BELLE MARIE. We could hardly believe that we weredoing it—actually turning ideas and lines on paper intoour boat. Every few weeks, we would receive a videotapeof the progress from John, and twice I flew to Nova Scotiafor on-site visits. The daily e-mail communication andfaxed drawings made more frequent visits unnecessary,although I could have happily lived at the yard and watchedevery plank and screw go into place.

I had suggested that BELLE MARIE be put in the 1996WoodenBoat Show at Mystic Seaport as an exhibit of thework of Dave Gcrrand Covey Island Boatworks. This gaveus a tight schedule in which to complete a new design.There were the usual last-minute delays and problems thatseem to crop up in any complex project.

When all was done, John Steele and I (along withtwo of my friends) left the Le Havre River in NovaScotia with only seven hours of engine time showingon the hour meter. I was apprehensive about makinga 300-mile open-water passage in a new, shoal-draftboat, but Dave's confidence in the seaworthiness ofthe design andJohn's experienceat making th issame crossingin many otherboats were reas-suring.

The trip wasmuch rougherthan we antici-pated. There werew i n d s of 25knots generating6' beam seas. Welearned thatBELLE MARIE isextremely stablein spite of hershallow draft,both becauseof the h u l lshape and theweight distribu-tion. The smallsteadying sail, thatI had considered

Pushed by a well-protected propellerand able to float in 1'9" of water, BELLEMARIE can cruise just about wherevershe chooses. Ptmt BELLE, a 9'6"Nutshell pram, rides comfortably on thehousetop.

July/August 1998 59

Looking aft in the pilothouse: good visibility and plenty of room for working up the charts, snacking, or simply loitering.

eliminating, was surprisingly effective in damping rolling.Guided by GPS and electronic charts, we found the tip

of Cape Cod with radar at three o'clock in the morningin the midst of a howling squall line, making us truly appre-ciate modern marine electronics. By afternoon we were inNewport in time to see the finish ofthe OSTAR transatlantic sailboat raceand learned that several of the par-ticipating boats had capsized in thesame weather system that had hit us.Although happy to be in protectedwaters, the experience really gave ustremendous confidence in the designand construction of the boat. The onlytime we ever got green water onboardwas when I drove her off the top of aBuzzards Bay roller into the trough.

T n the months since BELLE MARIE'slaunching, we have explored the

1 lower Chesapeake Bay and havefound that BELLE MARIE suits us per-fectly and attracts a good deal ofattention. We are frequently askedhow old she is and were even singledout by a harbor tour guide as a goodexample of a well-maintained oldboat! A surprising number of peo-ple recognize her as the Summer Kyledesign from Joel White's review in WoodenBoat.

Many of the details of the design function even betterthan we had anticipated. The living spaces on the boatare well proportioned. The light finishes and large open-ing windows and hatches make the boat feel larger thanshe is and allow us to stay comfortable in hot weather.The forward well-deck has proved to be a comfortableoutside space in which to sit and enjoy the view.

Dave's design allows us to carry a large, hard dinghyon the after cabin top, and the mast and boom makelaunching and recovering the dinghy an easy operation.It is far more convenient to anchor off and take the dinghyashore than to find dock space. Having a hard dinghy is

a luxury we have never had before.We settled on the 9'6" version of JoelWhite's Nutshell Pram, which also wasbuilt for us in Nova Scotia. It com-fortably carries four adults. Havingan ultra-shoal-draft boat always putsus wi th in easy rowing distance of ourdestination, eliminating the need foran outboard motor.

The shape of BELLE MARIE's hull,lull protection of the propeller andrudder, and the stainless-steel plateon the bottom have made us boldabout exploring shallower places, sowe have already discovered the bestways to get off after a grounding.Being able to take the ground withconfidence has led us to venture intoareas off limits to most cruising boats.

After almost 300 hours of cruising,there is little we would change. Weindeed have our dream boat, a boatthat did not exist except in a customdesign. Our only regret at having fin-ished the building project and begun

the cruising, is that we are no longer working with Daveand John and the crew at Covey Island Boatworks. Wenot onlv have a new boat now, but some new friends aswell. JL

Michael Martin, a surgical-device designer, and his wife, Marie, anenvironmental lobbyist, have explored the coastal waters ofthe Southeastand the, Bahamas for the past 30 years.

60 WoodenBoat 143

Designing BELLE MARIEby Dave Gen

like to think that my small design office draws up moredifferent kinds of boats than any other office in theworld. Right now, we're finishing up a 35' police patrol

boat, and a 44' high-performance, ultra-modern, cruis-ing, sailing catamaran—one just launched, the othernearly so. In the mid-stages of design are a 44' express-type motor cruiser for a California yard, and a 57' voy-aging motor cruiser. For new projects, we've got a 67'voyaging motor cruiser; an ultra-ultralight, lifting-bulb-keel flyer of a sloop; and a 58' clipper-bow, center-cockpit ketch. And all this in just the past year or so! AmI equally fond of all these projects? Well...when it comesto boats, I'm much like the lyrics of the old rock-and-rollsong: "If you can't be with the one you love, love the oneyou're with." All these different designs are fascinating,rewarding, and challenging; and the broad variety keepsthings—to say the least—entertaining!

Still, there are some designs that stand out as special.Summer Kylewas born whenJohn Per re t t istopped by myoffice. A consum-mate scu lp to rin wood and aworld-renownedm a r t i a l - a r t schampion,Johnwanted an eco-nomical cruiserthat he and hiswife could live onfor a month ortwo at a go, andcruise exten-sively. At the sametime, he han-kered for classics ty l ing and —the kicker—herequired lessthan 24" of draft.Why? Becausethe berth behindhis Long Islandhome had as little as 22" of water at extreme low tide.Besides, like me, he finds the most interesting part ofcruising to be poking into all those diminutive shallowbays and inlets, nosing up creeks, and squeezing oversandbars. Some rough sketching and discussion ofarrangement and machinery led to the conclusion thatJohn needed a vessel a bit over 40' LOA. But how to getsuch shallow draft in a 40'-plus cruiser? There was muchpleasant discussion back and forth, with John making ahost of sensible and valuable contributions.

It was then that I recalled reading about a tunnel-drivehull form developed by naval architect William (Billy)

BELLE MARIE'S timeless, classic profile hides modern engineering and construction.

Atkin. Dreamed up between the two world wars, the hullis a modification of the Jersey Sea Bright skiff. For somereason, Atkin's tunnel-drive has nearly been forgotten,which is a real shame. Billy designed and built at leastseven different boats on this model (perhaps as many astwo dozen), and all were extremely successful—fast, com-fortable, seakindly, safe, and economical. You can seehow the tunnel is arranged by looking at the after half ofthe sections and at the inboard profile. It is, though, hardto visualize ifyou're not used to reading lines drawings.Basically, instead of a single centerline tunnel directly inline with the propeller, two semi-tunnels flank the keelaft. These sweep up and astern toward the centerline, fun-neling water efficiently to the prop. At the same time, thefull Sea Bright Skiff box keel is retained for maximumpropeller and rudder protection.

It's even more of a challenge than usual to work upa design based on a radical and long-forgotten hull

form. I spentmany hours gath-ering all the dataI could fromAtkin's writings.I had to analyzethe shape toensure I under-stood its work-ings. Enlargingthe publishedlines from twodifferent Atkindesigns, I scannedthem into thecomputer andused that to con-struct a mathe-matical model.From there, Icould investigatethe hull's princi-ples, pay ingcareful attentionto the distribu-tion of volume,the shape of the

buttocks in the run (essentially the whole tunnel), thesize and location of the propeller and rudder, and therelative cross-sectional areas of the tunnel at various sta-tions. Eventually, I had a model that described the formaccurately enough for me to strike off on my own to designa totally new boat—different size, arrangement, power-ing, and construction method—and still have a firm han-dle on performance.

One feature in particular proved a real poser. Atkin'stunnel opened directly to the air at the transom.Conventional wisdom (which I believe to be generallycorrect) says that tunnel-drive hulls should have

July/August 1998 61

Des/gn/ngBELLEMARIEtheir tunnels immersed at the transom;otherwise, the boat will suck air and fail toback down or even to stop as it should.However, my experiments with sloping theAtkin-type tunnel down enough to close itoff, radically altered the buttock angles aft.This configuration would have createdunacceptable bow-down trim underway; itwouldn't work. What to do? Well, I figuredthat Atkin would hardly have drawn somany different designs over more than adecade—all with open tunnels—if the durnthings wouldn't back or stop. Decisionmade; I would stay with the original Atkinconfiguration exactly.

Using the information I'd gained fromthe model, I soon had preliminary sketchesand calculations with surprisingly robuststability numbers and with promising per-formance figures.John was enthusi-astic and gave thego-ahead to finishup the detai ldrawings and toquery builders.Another consid-eration was lightand air below.None of thatdark-cave feelingfor Summer Kyle.A l m o s t everywindow through-out the boatopens, and thereare plenty ofthese and plentyof hatches, too.The wheelhouseopens wide withboth a sunroofand two athwart-ship companion-way slides aboveport and starboard sliding doors. Further,all the front and side wheelhouse windowsopen. Kortchmar & Willner, in Greenport,Long Island, was selected as the builder.

Soon, I was immersed in the lines draw-ing—always one of my favorite tasks, andparticularly challenging with this hull form.I still do these the old-fashioned way, byhand, believing firmly that it's faster andgives me more control of unusual shapesthan using computer fairing programs. (Iuse the computer extensively for mathe-matical modeling, engineering, hydrosta-tics, performance predictions, and such.)At any rate, presumably the offsets cameout nice and fair, as I never heard a peepabout them from the yard; and builders

ParticularsI.O.ABeamDraft

41'3"12'0"

An extraordinarily comfortable arrangement for a couple with occasional company.

The hull's bottom, a full2 %" of plywood sheathedwith 60-oz biaxial E-glassand epoxy, can take theground without problems.

are sure to bend my ear if there's a prob-lem. Then, with the drawings nearly com-plete, we hit a snag. Through no fault ofhis own, one of John's chief clients wentChapter 11. It's always a disappointmentwhen funds run out on a project, and it'seven worse when it's one of those designsthat you're especially proud of!

Luckily, we'd sent out press releases onSummer Kyle, which generated more inter-est than any other single boat I'd everdrawn. WoodenBoat reviewed the design inissue No. 121. Mike and Marie Martin sawthe piece. Summer Kyle was just right forthe sort of cruising they'd been enjoyingfor years in a smaller boat. They knew whatthey wanted and needed, yet understoodwhen to compromise. Mike suggested thatwe rearrange the wheelhouse and put a

raised settee aft,so you could sitand look out ofthe windows.This provided thepleasant optionof having break-fast or coffee in awheelhouse withnearly 360° unob-structed visibilityall around. Withbinoculars rest-ing at hand, youcould take a sipand easily admireswooping cor-morants or pass-ing boats. What'smore, this movedthe wheelhouseside doors for-ward right nextto the helm, soyou could steerstanding on the

side deck (particularly handy during dock-ing). All in all, they are wonderful improve-ments.

Mike also asked me to think of a way toadd an after head. This had stumped mefirst time around, but—to my surprise—itturned out to be easy. (Nothing like a freshlook at an old problem.) The original star-board hanging locker was removed, and ahead fitted under a bench built out fromthe hull in its stead. For privacy, the queen-sized berth's headboard was equipped witha drop-slide panel, which (when raised tothe overhead) formed part of an enclosure,and a tri-fold door closed off the remain-ing inboard side. This "Pullman" head hasworked superbly in practice. It takes no

62 WoodenBoat 143

more than 30 seconds to raise the headboard panel andclose the door, forming a totally private head compartment.

Mike selected Covey Island Boatworks as the builder,and, after a pleasant visit, the contract was signed. BothJohn Steele of Covey Island and I had independently cometo the conclusion that the most cost-effective method forbuilding robust, low-maintenance, finely shaped hulls waswood-epoxy strip-plank, sheathed on the outside onlywith biaxial E-glass laid in epoxy. Covey Island has builtover 70 boats this way, and I've designed quite a few aswell. Because our methods were so similar, it felt like we'dbeen working together for years.

This construction, by the way, can be lighter than mostother methods for high-performance craft; and, for cruis-ing boats, it can be incredibly tough with no increase inweight comparedto more conven-t i o n al con-struction. Indeed,BELLE MARIE'Sscantlings makeher about ass t r o n g a n dt o u g h as arobustly fash-ioned aluminumhull, of aboutthe same weight.Yet, BELLE hasthe warmth andappeal only woodcan provide. Herb o t t o m — de-signed to takeground regularlyin all condi-tions—is evenstronger thancomparable alu-m i n u m . Withextremely heavy,closely spaced in-ternal framing offir, her ground-ing bottom is three layers of 3/3' plywood sheathed with60- oz of biaxial E-glass, with an overlay of '/V -thick stain-less-steel plate, bedded on 3M 5200, and through-bolted.This "overbuilding" was the source of some good-naturedribbing at Covey Island, but it'll be an even greater sourceof comfort when BELLE takes the ground full-tilt on coralor granite.

The crew at Covey proceeded at a great pace anddelivered BELLE MARIE on time and within budget. Shewas solidly and carefully crafted and her systems allfunctioned about as they should right out of the box.I've never worked with a more dedicated and cheerfulyard.

Of course, the payoff is always on launching day,and BELLE MARIE floated exactly where I'd instructedthe yard to paint her boottop. Even better, she handledsuperbly: turning in just V2" times her own length atany speed. (She canjust about be spun around in place

BELLE MARIE'S five-bladed propeller operates in a tunnel on the fence on the rudder

improves steering response.

during docking maneuvers—once you learn how.)Initially, steering response had been a tad more slug-gish than ideal, but a fence added to the bottom of herrudder corrected this completely. Response is now sopositive you can almost dispense with the bow thruster;however, the thruster is really necessary—as she doesskate sideways at docking speed in a crosswind. (Shedoesn't skate at all at cruising speed.) Atkin did, indeed,know what he was about, and BELLE stops and backspositively and has shown herself to be notjust a goodseaboat but a superb one. She's experienced quiterough going offshore, and has proven exceptionallystable, soft riding, and comfortable. Her steadyingsail—small as it appears—does an admirable job ofdamping roll.

I didn't geteverything justright. Like manydesigns, BELLEM A R I E grewheavier as shematured. Thiswas no surprise—I had calculatedher true finaldisplacementdead on, w e l lin advance—b u t g r e a t e rw e i g h t whenready to cruise,combined withher special tun-nel configura-t i o n , m e a n tthat my originalspeed estimateof 14 knots pluswasn't achievable.BELLE cruises ata solid 10 to 11knots, toppingout at 12.2. At 11knots, she con-

sumes about 3 gallons per hour, which (with her 330-gallon diesel capacity) gives her a range of 1,100 nauticalmiles, with a 10% reserve.

I can tell you from a delightful voyage on BELLE, onthe Chesapeake this past summer, that she is almost toocomfortable to leave. After a wonderful five days, Mikeand Marie almost had to pack up our duffel and hurl itonto the dock. Oh well, I can take a hint! Barbara and Idid, after all, have a plane to catch.

Even better, John Perretti long ago resolved his clientproblems, and his original Summer Kyle is being plankedup at Kortchmar & Willner. Soon, there'll be two of theseboats—and I'll be able to thumb rides on both of them!

JLNaval architect Dave Gerr is the author ofPropeller Handbook andof The Nature of Boats. He is working on a new book, Boat Strength.You can contact him at Gerr Marine, 838 West End Ave., Ste. BB,

New York, NY 10025.BELLE MARIE continues on page 64.

July/August 1998 63

Bi/ttg BELLE MARIE

Y ears ago I was told that boatbuilding has one ofthe highest inquiry-to-contract ratios of any indus-try in North America. I've never counted how many

inquiries we answer every year. Through all the letters,phone calls, and folks I've chatted with at trade shows,I've developed a sixth sensethat lets me know when I'mtalking to a real customer.

This project began witha typical call filled withquestions about what ourshop had done, what wewere doing, what we wouldlike to do. My sixth sensetold me the caller, MikeMartin, had arrived at a ten-tative "yes." Truth be told,the boat he was interestedin building, the SummerKyle design by Dave Gerr,was right up our alley—aunique design of strongcharacter.

Mike Martin's originalphone call became a visit.In September of 1995, heand his wife, along withdesigner Gerr, arrived inNova Scotia for our firsthandshake. Nova Scotia islovely any time of the year,but it's especially lovely inSeptember—so that was onour side. Try as I might, Ican't help feeling a littlelike I'm about to sit for afinal exam whenever I meetprospective clients. Thistime I needn't have worried.When they arrived, our shopwas humming with severalexciting projects. Dave andI saw eye-to-eye on buildingmethods and materials. Theowners, experienced andknowledgeable boat people,were clearly pleased with what they saw.

Their Summer Kyle would be called BELLE MARIE.Like most of the folks we build boats for, the Martins knew

just what they wanted and brought their life's boatingexperience to the table. Dave's original layout was mod-ified, and detailed written specifications were developedto answer the Martins' particular needs. We had discus-sions about every piece of gear—always trying to fit thepiece exactly to the intended use. Being avid birdwatchers,

by John Steelethey planned to use their new boat much like their last:to wander around shallow coastal estuaries. Their love oflight, and a desire to be part of their surroundings, madethe wheelhouse almost a solarium. All through the processof planning and building, small modifications continued

to customize the vessel TheMartins were particularlyconcerned that BELLEMARIE be as quiet as possi-ble. Wood is one of the bestmaterials for controllingnoise levels. Still, additionalattention was paid to theengine and drive systems.Mounts, couplings, bear-ings, and sound-proofingall received carefulthought.

Throughout these dis-cussions of practical mat-ters, the "owners" becameour friends. This is one ofthe best parts of customboatbuilding. It's impos-sible to build peoples'dreams without knowingwho they really are. As aboat grows in the shop, itstops being "hull number73" and becomes "theMartins' boat. "The owners'character begins to influ-ence everything that we do.By the time we're down tothe finish work, all of us feelthat we knowjust how theywould want things done.After more than twodecades building up thisyard, constantly immersedin questions of technologyand method, I realize themost important thing is toknow whom you're build-ing for. All the clever mar-keting in the world is

meaningless if the owners of the boats you build aren'tyour best salespeople.

Dave's design had received considerable exposure inthe boating press before we started building. Being suchan unorthodox hull, skeptical comment was inevitable.Among the onlookers who looked and left shaking theirheads were a couple of designers who knew a thing ortwo as well as several experienced builders and scores oflifelong boaters. We're used to this sort of thing at Covey

When not in use,the sink in theafter "Pullman"head folds flatagainst the bulk-head.

64 WoodenBoat 143

Looking aft in the owners' cabin: plenty of light and a good view out. The drop-slide panel at the foot of the queen-sized berthraises to help enclose the "Pullman" head.

Island. Nova Scotia is steeped in tradition, a place wherenewfangled ideas like epoxy and building hulls upsidedown don't easily gain acceptance. Although we, too, hadsome questions, we were sure of the boat. After all, BillyAtkin was no fool, and years ago he had designed manyboats with tunnel sterns. We weren't losing any sleep overher, but I admit our curiosity did grow as launching dayapproached.

BELLE MARIE was launched in June 1996, only twoweeks behind schedule. She floated on her lines, andeveryone pronounced her a pretty boat. Sea trials beganimmediately and she handled well. The hull was moreeasily driven than anyone might have expected—anyoneexcept Billy Atkin. After a minimum shakedown time, itwas off to the WoodenBoat Show in Mystic. We set offdown the coast of Nova Scotia and across the Gulf ofMaine, with a chorus of skepticism verging on doom ring-ing in our ears. We were taking a shoal-draft gunkholeron a route that would put us over a hundred miles off-shore crossing the mouth of a bay that not only boaststhe world's largest tides, but is also renowned for fog. TheGulf of Maine has also seen a breeze or two.

Eight hours out from the secure lee of Cape Cod itbreezed up to 25 knots and the seas grew to 6' right onour beam. BELLE MARIE took it all in stride with a solidcomfortable motion. Even in these conditions we con-tinued to bunk down in the forward cabin. Later, on theother side of Cape Cod where the canal empties intoBuzzards Bay, things werejust a tad nastier. The samewind was now on our nose, and the waves were closetogether and steep—bad enough to shake up any boat.Square seas 8' tall marched at us right up the middle ofthe narrow channel. BELLE MARIE really showed her stuffby putting her shallow draft to work and slipping into theshallow waterjust outside the channel. We proceededdown the bay in a civilized manner and, as I recall, evenenjoyed a cup of tea. Our maiden voyage had clearly estab-lished this as an able, well-mannered, and very comfort-able boat. JL

John Steele is president of Covey Island Boatworks, Petite Riviere, NS,BO] 2PO, Canada. This SeptemberJohn will begin a year-long sab-batical with his wife and daughters aboard MARGUERITE T, his restoredBristol Channel pilot cutter.

July/August 1998 65