Summer 15

Scandinavian Inspiration

The inspiration for Summer came from a landscape photograph, seen online, with an interesting little craft in the foreground. Described as a Post Boat from the Gulf of Finland, they were almost double ended, with a very narrow transom, just wide enough to accommodate a sculling socket. I have since lost the original image but the boat pictured above is similar to the one that spiked my interest. Using the basic lines, the transom was widened for more volume aft while the underwater shape remains much the same.

As with other boat designs in this collection, the lug rig can be configured in sloop or ‘cat’ rigged form. The bottom boards can be raised to fit between the thwarts, side seats and centreboard case, to provide a sleeping platform for overnight camping and dinghy cruising. Since her launch in 2016, she has had two cruises on the Morbihan, Brittany, and sailed in North Wales and the Westcountry (UK), as well as sailing from her home harbour of Burnham Overy Staithe.

Under sail, her lug rig is very efficient, being able to handle the short tacks required to negotiate the narrow tidal creeks of North Norfolk. Sailing with the OGA trailer section, Summer has proved to be remarkably slippery.

Construction is of wide board epoxy lapstrake plywood for ease of build and low maintenance. She was featured in Watercraft Magazine, W119 September/October 2016