Bridgwater Flatner

Have you seen the photos of my Shearwater, "Key Lime". It's a Joel White design based on an Osvessel or Os River Boat from Denmark. Basically, it looks like a miniature Viking Ship!! It was built by a friend of mine, a Naval Arcitech and Marine Engineer. Of course he had to modify the plan a bit. She's stitch and glue plywood so he used ply of 2/3rds the thickness and added strength with a carbon fiber filet where the planks lap. He also built the mast hallow with a carbon fibre lining. Light yet strong. The lengths of the planks were to be butt joined in the plans "but" these were scarfed with the joints fixed behind the frames. After finishing the project, Charles sent a photo to Joel White who wrote back and commented on how beautiful she looked with a "bright' interior. The result of the scarfs giving the look of full length, the interior is kept varnished. When Charles moved to Turkey to supervise the construction of Expedition Yachts he left it in the care of friends to use and maintain. They did neither! When he came for the annual boat show in Lauderdale, he asked me to do the same, which I did. The following year at the boat show he told me "if I want another small boat, I'll build one. You keep it!" Like giving someone a St Bernard Puppy! A wooden Boat! Yeah, but I love her just the same!

I'm still thinking about towing her to Florida for this trip. It certainly is no strain to tow. Either way, I shall look forward to seeing you at PiP. This will be my first time at this event although I've been going to Key West since the early 70s. Take care, Rob

I'm still thinking about towing her to Florida for this trip. It certainly is no strain to tow. Either way, I shall look forward to seeing you at PiP. This will be my first time at this event although I've been going to Key West since the early 70s. Take care, Rob

We have had a number of setbacks lately, but the Gods stiil seem to see fit that we get to PiP. I hope that you do bring your Shearwater. I would love to see one again, in person. I had some grand plans of getting a few Flateners built for PiP, but we will be lucky just to have our Walker Bay 8 with us. Since I can't leave well enough alone, I did rig her with a bowsprit and a tiny jib. PiP will be the first sea trial for the new rig... hope it works. I am sure that we will cross paths down there. We are camped in the Modern Campsite (couldn't get a period camp together in time.)

See you soon,

'Cutter

aka: Michael