This question should really be directed at amateurs, not “experts.” The problem with experts, professionals or whatever misnomer you choose is that we’ve all been messing about with so many boats for so long that any vestige of unbridled desire has been distilled into a raw assessment of facts and qualities that make up a particular craft. Having said that, I’m reminded that just the other day my heart went pitter patter as the 65’ schooner Juno came roaring through the harbor under full sail and the locals lined up on the beach observed in silent… amazement, bewilderment, awe…lust? Ask an alcoholic to name his three favorite drinks and he’ll give you an equally ambiguous stare through a similar blurred vision.
More often than not, I find myself appraising a vessel by the company it keeps. The chaotic tub that sails off every afternoon with a pile of happy kids aboard who are firing water balloons at unsuspecting targets has more appeal to me than the sleek an exotic 6-meter or 8-meter sloop locked to its mooring most of the summer. Unfair as this may seem, it is human nature to pass judgment subjectively and these days my subjects are between the ages of four and nine—all armed with water balloons.
Having excused myself from serious consideration, I’ll briefly describe three boats that my children and grandchildren could sail aboard in full pirate attire and adventuresome spirit.
#1: The Bay Bird
The Bay Bird was designed by W. Starling Burgess for shoal draft sailing in Pleasant Bay on Cape Cod. I learned to sail in this lovely craft back when I was around 12 years old at the Pleasant Bay Camp. At 18’ on deck, 16’3” on the waterline, 5’6” beam, and with only 6” of draft with the centerboard up, this sweet little gaff sloop could carry two or three campers plus an instrutor in relative comfort. The sloop rig is just right to keep everyone occupied—one person tending the jib, one on the main sheet, a helmsman at the tiller, and perhaps a bailer. This is a great sailing, responsive open boat with the bare essentials for the essence of sailing. I understand that the class is being revived. Contact:
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Douglas Kent says:
Currently restoring a Baybird (glass hull) in Weymouth to very nice shape Quanset Ghost moors in Nantucket. March 2021.
Geoffrey Davis says:
I agree with Nat. The Baybird is an unforgettable and lustworthy classic. I taught sailing in them at Pleasant Bay camp in 1963. A long time ago, but the magic of them is still fresh in my mind and heart. The sister of camp director, Jim Melcher, would like to contact Nat. Also, her daughter has two wooden Baybirds one of which she may be willing to sell if adequately persuaded. The boats and Pleasant Bay have been part of her life since childhood.
Greg grundtisch says:
Like good lookin women I lust after them all, and not limit myself to just three! Sadly, I can only sail one at a time. Well that’s not exactly true when you give it some creative thought. I can only sail one boat at a time.
Happy sails!
Bob Triggs says:
This was a great read.
John MacFarlane says:
The first boat my father ever bought was a bay bird , sail number 9. As a young boy
i helped my father restore as much as we could at the time. I think the boat was 75 years old
at the time. Had a blast learning to sail that boat. My father sold the boat five years later
and the new owner never kept up with the restoration work. That boat is gone now, but
its good to see they brought the class back. Would love to own a new one.
Richard Schneider says:
I have got to vote for “Celeste”, as my favorite. This is a strong yet gracefull fulfillment of the perfect design. It has a strong stem with a flowing sheer that leads to that canoe stern that must be a bear to build. I just wish that the G&B website listed it with the other Nat designs and had more pictures. Thank you for a great design!
Vagn Worm says:
I have just joined and am enjoying the blogs from my friends Nat Benjamin and Peter Neill about the boats they lust after.
Keep up the good work!
Vagn Worm
Michael Naumann says:
Nat, am I disappointed by your dream-boat-choice? Yes! Why didn’t you pick the most beautiful Here & Now, which was designed and built by a man who looks exactly like you and sails exactly like Charlotte (actually a little faster)? Michael
Benjamin Mendlowitz says:
For all you fans of the Bay Bird, I am happy to report here that the 2013 Calendar of Wooden Boats will include a shot of a Bay Bird sloop sailing in Pleasant Bay on Cape Cod. — Benjamin
William Randall says:
I too am a great fan of the Bay Bird and enjoyed reading about it in your recent blog. It was the incentive for me to become a member of Off Center. The first sailboat I was ever in was a Bay Bird at Pleasant Bay Camp. I will never forget the exhilaration as the wind filled the sails for the first time and the boat heeled slightly and took off. I have been hooked on sailing ever since. The other fond memory from that month at camp was the race at Chatham. We were in number 10 ( I think) the slowest of the camp’s boats and we were leading the race on the last leg. None of us could believe we were doing so well, then the bridle on the gaff suddenly broke and our hopes were dashed. In our hearts we were still victorious as we limped home. Every time I go sailing on Biscayne Bay it is because of my experiences that summer at Pleasant Bay Camp.
Pip Wick says:
Nat,
As a fellow hater of engine noise, I would like to recommend a diesel hybrid system. I wrote about ours in the November issue of Blue Water Sailing.