Flatiron (sharpie) skiff, professionally built from plans given in Howard Chapelle’s “Traditional Small Sailing Craft”, was recently completed. Though traditionally a heavy skiff, this boat is well balanced/ballasted with oak centerboard, and pine bottom; sails well in all winds, and rows well from either station. I’ve given her a spritsail rig, and an optional jib and topsail with removable bowsprit/spars. Planked with cypress on southern longleaf “heart” pine keel, stem and framing. Bronze fastenings and hardware. Rudder, deck and sheer trim are also longleaf pine. Centerboard is 2” live oak. 9’6” ash oars. Bottom is double-planked with 7/16” heart pine with muslin and Dolphinite bedding compound between layers. All trees felled and milled by the builder. Seats and centerboard trunk are cypress. Tiller, cleats, blocks, pins, etc. are all handmade of live oak, walnut, ipe and lignum vitea with natural hemp roping.
Finishes are Epifanes, and Pettit varnish and paint.
Sails are natural 8 oz. “bull drill” cotton, machine sewn panels with all edges, grommets, rings and natural hemp edge roping hand sewn. Sails are treated with a proprietary silicone treatment.
All rigging is tarred hemp colored POSH 3 strand polyester and/or natural cotton and hemp.
This is a completely handmade, traditional boat with attention to classic detailing, right down to the gold coin under the mast and a handsewn ditty bag for thole pins, extra lizard blocks, etc. There is storage under helm seat. Includes racks with leathered bottoms for transporting/storing spars and oars that double as support for the boat cover (burgundy Sunbrella canvas).
Boat is available without sails, or I can provide a Dacron sail if buyer prefers to not have cotton sails (which lowers price considerably). Trailer is not included. All questions welcomed. Pictures available upon request. Asking $27,000.
