Video

International One Design - Northeast Harbor Fleet

Part Three

Part Three - Jock Williams, owner and founder of John Williams Boat Company shares some background history of the classic sailboats. Jock’s love of the boat comes from his years of racing IODs, restoring many of the boats, and building six fiberglass versions for the Long Island Fleet. John Williams Boat Company, located on Mount Desert Island, Maine, has been caring for almost half of this fleet for several years. The hard work of their crew helps to keep these beautiful boats alive and well, and preserve a part of their history.

International One Design - Northeast Harbor Fleet

Part Two

PART TWO - International One Design fleets are actively raced in twelve locations around the world. Representatives from each fleet compete annually in a World Championship, the venue of which rotates between the fleets. The Northeast Harbor Fleet is expected to hold their next Worlds in 2027.

As with most early one-design boats, the conversion to fiberglass hulls occurred for the IOD fleets in the ’60s and ’70s. Of the twenty-seven IODs from the Northeast Harbor Fleet, almost all are original wood boats.

International One Design - Northeast Harbor Fleet

Part One

PART ONE - Designed in 1936 by Corny Shields and built by Bjarne Aas, in Fredrikstad, Norway, this World Class One Design has a rich history, attracting competitive sailors over many generations. The IODs’ first shipment from Norway to America arrived in 1937. In 1938, the Northeast Harbor Fleet received their much-awaited order of fourteen boats from a Norwegian freighter that anchored off the island of Mount Desert, Maine. Today there are twenty-seven boats in the Northeast Harbor Fleet most of which race every season. John Williams Boat Company cares for many of the International One Design boats and I was fortunate to produce three videos for the yard about the care and attention they give to this wonderful fleet. During the winter, it was like opening a box of chocolates every time the shed door rolled open.

WHIRLWIND II

Part Three

Phase Three completed and her lines are stunning. It is so mesmerizing for me to watch and film these true artisans at work. The crew at Artisan Boatworks meticulously finish the interior, coaming, and deck of WHIRLWIND II. She is a re-creation of the Gil Smith Catboat, MARIAM, his personal boat which he built in 1897 and named after his wife.

Watch and follow the WHIRLWIND II website for more.

WHIRLWIND II

Part Two

With Phase Two of WHIRLWIND II’s build now complete, her catboat lines show that distinctive Gil Smith shape. The hull is planked, faired, and glassed and the keel ballast is put on. WHIRLWIND II is then rolled over and awaits the next phase. Watch and follow this beautiful craft being built by Artisan Boatworks in Rockport, Maine.

Watch and follow the WHIRLWIND II website for more.

WHIRLWIND II

Part One

WHIRLWIND II, the Gil Smith-inspired catboat, takes her skeletal form. The stem, centerboard trunk, transom, and frames are erected using a centerline and grid carefully laid out on the shop floor, in conjunction with a rotary laser level. The keel is laminated in place atop the frames and then the whole setup is faired with hand planes and long battens in preparation for planking. Built by Artisan Boatworks in Rockport, Maine.

Watch and follow the WHIRLWIND II website for more.

WHIRLWIND II - Catboat

Introduction

Why Build a Gil Smith Catboat?

“For me, the idea of sitting in the Gil Smith boat with my great grandfather is a dream, but as a designer I’m equally fascinated with how the boat was designed and built and what challenges Gil and his team had, and how they came up with answers.” — Yarrow Thorne

Yarrow Thorne has a passion for Gil Smith catboats and has created a talented team to design and build this one-of-a-kind boat. Watch and learn about Gil Smith and the build of WHIRLWIND II at Artisan Boatworks - whirlwind2.com

Gil Smith of Patchogue, New York was one of the most prolific boat designers and builders on Long Island, perhaps crafting more than four hundred small boats from 1876 to 1936. He built inexpensive, shoal-draft boats for the oyster and clam tongers of Great South and Shinnecock Bays on Long Island. He placed the masts in his boats extremely far forward, and tucked the rudder under the counter, rather than hanging it off the stern. Also, unlike other catboats, the beam on Smith’s boats was narrow, less than half the length. The curved topside planks were thicker aft and carved to shape and the upper two strakes were longleaf yellow pine. The lowest point of the sheer was well aft so the waterman could haul aboard his heavy harvest handy to the tiller. - Written by Art Paine for Maine Boats Homes & Harbors.

This is a special project for me to be involved with, both in historical content and the beauty of the design and craft. WHIRLWIND II is a Gil Smith inspired catboat is 26’ and is being built in stages at Artisan Boatworks. Stay tuned for more images and videos over the next couple of years.

For more information, and to follow the build in detail go to whirlwind2.com

Megunticook Rowing

Neither of my children are sailors, which is fine by me. Let them find their own passions. My daughter has found hers and I think it’s just so wonderful.

The mission of Megunticook Rowing is to create the opportunity for the sport of rowing in Mid-coast Maine, to educate participants in rowing technique and the lifelong benefits of the sport of rowing. In the 10 years since Megunticook Rowing’s inception, hundreds of rowers have enjoyed getting on the water with us. We continue to realize the dream of our founders, value the significance of our stewardship of Megunticook Lake, and appreciate the lifelong benefits of rowing. Megunticook Rowing is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. https://www.megunticookrowing.org/

Cruising Club of America

This past summer, I was approached by the Cruising Club of America to create a video with the mission to bring awareness of the club to a broader audience and encourage younger membership. The CCA is an international organization of over 1,200 members/sailors who adventurously voyage the world oceans and who embody superior seamanship, promote safety at sea, and practice good stewardship for the environment. For as long as I have known about the club, I have always had a great admiration and respect for their members and mission. I was honored and excited to work with them.

I immediately teamed up with Pedr Seymour, the co-editor of my MARILEE film, and together we created three short videos with the idea of profiling different members of CCA, thereby letting their stories and their passion for CCA deliver the message.

NY40 MARILEE Full-Length Documentary

"NY40 MARILEE: Restoration of a Herreshoff Classic" is a 38-minute documentary which follows the story of MARILEE's meticulous and unique restoration by French & Webb in Belfast, Maine, and her ambitious racing program throughout New England. 

Thanks to the generosity of MARILEE's current custodian, this film has been made available to the public.