| ||
|
This classic 1948 design by L. Francis Herreshoff is again available to those who love the craftsmanship and romance of a bygone era. 
Banners were flying, flags waving, and docks sagged under the weight of sailors flooding the walkways to look at the latest innvoations and designs of this year's crop of new sailboats.
But amidst this hustle and bustle of the west coast's only all-sailing show, Sail Expo in Oakland, California, on the other side of the main pier, nestled amid the free sailboat rides and Dewitt dinghies, a beautiful wooden ketch gracefully bobbed in her moorage, like a swan amongst ducklings.
She was aother new boat, but her lines spoke of a heritage far beyond today's computer aided designs of wide beams, spacious interiors and high freeboards. She was a glimpse into another era.
The boat was and is the Araminta, a 1948 L. Francis Herreshoff design, built by Legendary Yachts, Inc. of Washougal, Washington. The company was the offshoot of a 30 year dream by founder and owner Stan Bishoprick.  He had always wanted to build a boat like the legendary Ticonderoga, a 72' design by L. Francis Herreshoff. On completion of his boat Radiance, Bishoprick was so impressed by the skills and talents of his building crew that he wanted to keep them together, so he formed Legendary Yachts, Inc.
Doing mostly custom jobs, the Araminta is the companies first "spec" boat. Bishoprick has always been taken with the design and believes those, like himself, who love this type of boat will share his enthusiasm. "It's built for those that just like to go sailing," he says.
The boat was originally designed for day sailing off the coast of Maine. The design features a generous sail plan and a full keel with a 50% ballast to displacement ratio. This "stiffness" allows her to carry full canvas without constantly sailing on her ear.
The Araminta is strip planked in Alaska Yellow cedar, with laminated Honduras mahogany frames. Douglas fir as a hull material is an option for future Aramintas. Spars are of Alaska Sitka spruce. The decks are made of Port Orford cedar laid over a marine plywood subdeck. Most brightwork is done in mahogany. The bowsprit is of vertical grain Douglas fir.
Her original design as a daysailer is reflected in her simple, open interior. Amenities are limited to a one burner gimbaled stove, sink, and portable head. The low cabin roof does not allow standing headroom, so one sits on two settees/berths, one each on port and starboard of the wineglass hull, the curve of which is most pleasing.
While Bishoprick is dedicated to the design, he's not adverse to incorporating new developments in coatings and adhesives into the building. Other updates have been incorporated in such a manner that they do not intrude on the classic feeling of the yacht. The modern electrical panel on the bulkhead fits in with the clean lines of the boat. The only evidence of the 18 HP Yanmar diesel is the small shift and throttle lever in the cockpit.
Aside from the brightwork, the next thing one notices is the brass. The ports and fittings are all brass, now works of art as well as function. The mainsheet blocks are especially intricate. Getting these fittings has proved to be quite a challenge for the Legendary builders. The portlights are from England, with many other pieces from an east coast company called Bristol Bronze. Some parts have actually been remanufactured by the builders.
Every time the Araminta left the dock for it's frequent sails during the show, conversations would stop and heads would turn, ours included. So, it was with great pleasure that we joined Stan Bishoprick and Will Pollard for an evening sail on the estuary.
Just going aboard the ketch puts you in a different mind set than one has on a usual test sail. With little wind, the ketch glided upwind, moving easily, even with the relaxed and inattentive sail trim caused by Bishoprick's captivating sea stories. She responded quickly to the helm and tracked nicely as befits a full keel boat. The sails, by Nora Petrich, are another example of combining the old with the new. The material is modern dacron which is died to give it the look of Egyptian cotton sailcloth. Downwind we reached and went wing and wing, and again moved well.
Even though the water was smooth, powerboats were good enough to provide us with some impressive waves. The Araminta knifed through them with dry decks and not a lot of hobby-horsing. The sidedecks are wide, but some may find the lack of lifelines disconcerting. Two people easily can handle all the sailing and docking chores, although, with no halyard winches, some might want a strong hand at the mast. The cockpit is spacious and surprisingly comfortable.
We found the Araminta delightful. While not a boat for everyone, if you're the kind of sailor with a love for vessels from a more genteel era, an appreciation for the 6,500 hours it takes to hand build this type of boat, and who enjoys the romance as well as the exhilaration of sailing a finely crafted vessel, then, by all means, take a look at the Ariminta.
|
...back to 48° North title page.
