Preview: SPARKLE: The Boat to Beat

*     *     *
OffCenterHarbor.com is a membership website with over 1,000 videos and articles on boat handling, repairs, maintenance, boat building, dream boats and more.

Sign up above to learn more, and get 10 of our best videos.

*     *     *

In 1947, two NASA rocket scientists started playing around with sailboat design. The result was SPARKLE: the boat to beat on the U.S. west coast for the next six decades.

Get Free Videos Start Free Trial Members Sign In

Comments, Thoughts or Suggestions?

You can leave a comment or question for OCH and members below. Here are the comments so far…

Leave a Comment

54 Responses So Far to “SPARKLE: The Boat to Beat”

  • Avatar

    Brent Williams says:

    Wow, what a beautiful beautiful boat and great story.

    Great job guys

  • Avatar

    Claudia Dengler says:

    What a great story. Thanks for saving Sparkle and giving her a new life. And no doubt adding years to Alex’s life. What a great sport this is, just full of beautiful boats and people like you!!

  • Avatar

    Ray Hopkins says:

    Thank god you preserved her. She’s a beauty. Reminds me of some of Nat Herishoff designs. Alex is the west coast’s version

  • Avatar

    Michael Ryan says:

    Wonderful story and beautiful boat. Thank you for sharing and peace to you all.

  • Avatar

    Barbara Woll Jones says:

    This wonderfully optimistic and beautifully made video of gem of a boat lifts the spirits on a sadly memorial day. Thank you.

  • Avatar

    David Rawls says:

    Competition, comraderie, cordiality! Close to perfection! Thanks!

  • Avatar

    Jim Sullivan says:

    LOVE IT!. I lived on a 43 foot motor sailer built by Ralph Wiley in oxford Maryland in 1937. Great fun times. I swore I would NEVER own a wooden boat again! I now have an 18 foot Simmons sea skiff built in North Carolina. after this article(which was great) Damned if I didn’t find myself looking at wooden boats for sale. Damn you people!!

  • Avatar

    Fred Neuschel says:

    This is first class videography for a first class story.

  • Avatar

    John Bukowsky says:

    Great video, wonderful story. What struck me was the timeframe. I had to pause the video and see when OCH filmed it. That was way back in April of 2015. In five months the video will be five years old. Wow!

  • Avatar

    Chris Young says:

    Brand New OCH Member, this video was worth the subscription! Thanks for the huge smile and well constructed and told story!!

  • David Tew

    David Tew says:

    Appalachicola, you say? My brother and his wife are down there for the winter and we’re very tempted to go for a visit and ditch this cold weather. Anything i could scout around for you down there??

    • Steve Stone

      Steve Stone says:

      Hey Dave, have us connect you with a buddy “wintering” down there from Brooklin.

  • Avatar

    PATRICK LOUGHRAN says:

    This is a great story and filmed extremely well. It was a great way to start my day today. Thanks guys.

  • Avatar

    David Goetz says:

    I am a neighbor of Norm Schwartz’, Sparkle’s co-designer in Santa Monica where he lived. Although he has passed on now, I remember a conversation about the boats he designed, of Sparkle being based on a whaleboat, and being excited that she was still afloat and being used somewhere. He would have been tickled pink to see this excellent video.

  • Avatar

    Kim Bottles says:

    The design of SPARKLE is great and made all the better by Brian’s and Guy’s dedication to her. One of my all time favorite boats and sailing stories.

  • Avatar

    David Hubbard says:

    So rare that we can go back and find the true ‘Spirit’ in which a boat was built. And record it accurately for posterity. Thanks for saving a boat, and her history!

  • Avatar

    Terry Smith says:

    You folks have done it again. What a wonderful story about the changing of the guard on a remarkable boat. I’ve sailed duckboats that have left more of a wake than Sparkle with her rail down (although I don’t think the turnbuckles were under).

    Off Center Harbor continues to be my most enjoyable subscription. Thanks.

  • Avatar

    Paul Noble says:

    Simply stunning I hope to have a boat like that one day….. Look after her….

  • Avatar

    peter strietmann says:

    The perfect stewards. Congratulations and I can only hope all boats will find such loving owners.

  • Avatar

    Jonathan Margolis says:

    Looks a lot like a Rozinante, with a sloop rig. Not surprising, as LFH described Rozinante as a decked-over whaleboat.

    • Avatar

      Jonathan Margolis says:

      I should have pointed out that Rozinante was designed in 1956, after Sparkle. Although her inspiration was the canoe yawls of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

  • Avatar

    Bill Courington says:

    One of of the top videos I’ve seen on the site. Great boat (though tender!), great people.

    The design makes me think of West Coast designers Lapworth and Calkins, East Coast LF Herreshoff.

  • Avatar

    William Fanning says:

    Yeahhh, this is what sailing is about. Can’t wait to raise a Sparkarita in honor of her!

  • Avatar

    Stephen E Chalmers says:

    Quote the boat

    Reef me not though on my ear
    Unless my buckles disappear…

  • Avatar

    Alan Roberts says:

    What an adventure, rewarded with such success in racing. Brilliant video making.
    Sparkle reminds me of the Scandinavian class of ‘Tumlarens’ – also beautiful boats – a few of which may still be sailing in the Falmouth, UK, area. They had a smaller sail area and they slipped through the water like a hot knife through butter!

    • Avatar

      David Sterrett says:

      There are about 12 Tumlarens sailing in Port Phillip, Victoria, Australia.

  • Avatar

    Clay Ford says:

    Well now you have a guardian angel to help you win races. Keep his memory going!

  • Avatar

    Philip Messier says:

    Thanks for sharing a great story. Reminds me why I am the proud owner of a woody, a Pease Boatworks 28.

    • David Tew

      David Tew says:

      Do you own their Madoc 28 by chance? Where do you keep her? Nice looking boat. Curious, here.

  • Avatar

    Michael Tamulaites says:

    What a great story. Well done OCH. These personal “people and their boats” work is really great for us not and for those who come behind us.

  • Avatar

    DON SENECAL says:

    Now that’s what I think sailing is all about. Nicely done. Very good stuff….

  • Avatar

    Sullivan Bradley says:

    It really is a great story. Keep up the good work, OCH!

  • Avatar

    Steven Wallace says:

    OMG. what a beautiful story and beautiful boat. My hat is off to you for saving Sparkle.

  • Avatar

    Mark Smith says:

    Laughed, and teared up. What a great story about a boat you’d love to race on, and crews you’d love to do it with. Great little evocative film.

  • Avatar

    Bernard Moore says:

    Amazing story, can’t wait to show it to the kids :)

GET THIS FULL VIDEO!

Get Immediate Access, Plus
10 More of Our Best Videos

Your email is safe with us.
We'll NEVER share it, and we DON'T spam.

or …


Start Free Trial

Get Instant Access as a Member to the Entire Site

  • Access all 1000 videos/articles
  • No risk! Cancel anytime
  • Get a nice discount if you join