Drascombe yawls.

Will Gilmore · Jan 12, 2019

Are they all luggers? I like the boomless rig. I feel like there is an inherent trim stability in the design. Plus, you don't get whacked on the head.
Nice pics Tom.

-Will (Dragonfly)

jssailem · Jan 12, 2019

Is that a "Boom" or a spear to athwart boarders from astern?

jssailem · Jan 12, 2019

The more I look at them I kind of like those little boats... Even if they look a bit like someone ran upstairs and stripped the bed sheets off to go sailing.

Meriachee · Jan 12, 2019

They are cute, but the sails don't look big enough to do much of anything.

jssailem · Jan 12, 2019

See another person that recognizes a bed sheet when he see them.. It is a small boat and I suspect they push-pull the boat along ok.

Meriachee · Jan 12, 2019

So, 975 sq feet of A2 wouldn't be appropriate?

jssailem · Jan 12, 2019

Oh it might be fun for a moment than a stiff 10knot breeze comes up and rolls the boat.

Pagan Baby · Jan 12, 2019

In the mid-late 90’s I worked for an outdoor school in Baja California (NOLS). We would set off for three weeks in a fleet of 3 or 4 Drascomb Longboats, riding the prevailing northerly south and camping on the beach along the way.

The Drascombs were perfect boats for this kind of sailing- we could creep into and anchor in tiny sheltered coves that no keel boat could ever approach and could pull them up on the beach if necessary. The boats could carry stores and water for a crew of 4-5 for ten days (we usually did a resupply midway) and handle the seas and wind of the gulf with ease. Upwind the boats were pretty wet, not the most weatherly, but could be persuaded to go uphill.
The yawl and Gunter rig were ideal, gave a lot of configuration options, easily reefed, and the lack of a boom made the boats a lot safer. We would use a sprit between the mast and clew to hold the main out when the wind was aft the beam.

I remember some wild surf landings and launchings, whales, dolphins, and swordfish leaping, sharing a perfect camp with local fisherman, incredible sunsets and sunrises, screaming into a tiny anchorage surrounded by a reef that would have ripped the bottom out of any keelboat, being winded in for days on deserted islands, and a whole lot more. Probably the best job I ever had! I’d put some pictures up but this was in the ancient age of film and those pics are tucked in the attic somewhere.

Thanks for reminding me of this time in my life!

Pagan Baby · Jan 12, 2019

jssailem said:
Is that a "Boom" or a spear to athwart boarders from astern?

That’s a removable spar for sheeting the mizzen.

Pagan Baby · Jan 12, 2019

jssailem said:
Oh it might be fun for a moment than a stiff 10knot breeze comes up and rolls the boat.

They are actually fairly easily to right if they go over, the trick is not to let the center board slide into the well.

Pagan Baby · Jan 12, 2019

Web Chile’s sailed a Drascomb Luger (smaller version of the longboat) 3/4 of the way around the world starting in San Diego in the 1970’s. If you want some good sailing yarns pick up his books.

jssailem · Jan 12, 2019

Red Sails in the sunset comes to mind... Written by an Irish song writer in 1935... sung by the Platters.

Will Gilmore · Jan 12, 2019

Pagan Baby said:
I worked for an outdoor school in Baja California (NOLS). We would set off for three weeks in a fleet of 3 or 4 Drascomb Longboats

I spent the Summer of '77 on Hurricane Island, Me. with Outward Bound doing similar stuff. My father was a captain/watch officer while my brothers and I took courses and helped out. I have a friend who use to work for NOLS as their safety compliance officer in Colorado. Great program.

-Will (Dragonfly)

Rick486 · Jan 12, 2019

TomY said:
Drascombe is a generic term for any boat built to a design by John Watkinson, UK.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drascombe

There are many versions of these small, mostly open designs built in lapstrake plywood and GRP.

I've seen a few, drascombes, sailing on the coast of New England. This blue drascombe may be a lugger yawl, the first of the series of designs.

Pretty boat. The man sitting comfortably in the bow,...is he thinking, 'why is your boat so big?'

View attachment 160103

Several years ago, a drascombe went by us in Perry Creek. Two men waved.

View attachment 160106
A small outboard pushed it up the creek beyond where 'cruising' sailboats dare to go.

The drascombe anchored in a teacup of swirling water at low tide.

The two men raised a full boom tent and may have collected a mussel dinner, simply reaching over the gunwales.

Are the dogs thinking, 'why is our boat so big?'.

View attachment 160105

Looks like Winter Harbor on Vinalhaven Tom? We made the mistake of going in there once to anchor just west of the big rock and the wind came up big with West in it. Wow. Like being in a wind tunnel.

Rick486 · Jan 13, 2019

TomY said:
I didn't know the wind could find Winter Harbor, it's so narrow. Good to know. The above photo was taken anchored off Hells Half Acre in the wide anchorage near Devils and Bold Islands.

That day the wind funneled down the harbor and seemed to accelerate as a wind tunnel. We waited it out and it dropped at cocktail hour......or maybe it didn't....

Michael Davis · Jan 13, 2019

Pagan Baby said:
3/4 of the way around the world starting in San Diego in the 1970’s.

A fellow from B.C. was doing that too. Last I heard he was in the Red Sea. Tanbark sails are a lot easier on the eyes, less reflection.