There was a time centuries ago when sailing and rowing raids meant boatloads of ax-wielding warriors prowling coastlines and inlets in shallow-draft boats, sacking towns and villages along the way. Today’s popular recreational “raids” also involve shallow-draft boats sailing coastlines, but the rest of the activities are much more socially acceptable. They can be anything from a leisurely multi-day nautical tour to an all-out racing competition.

Raid boats are usually of more-or-less traditional design and powered only by sail and oar. A wide variety of opinion exists about what constitutes a dominant raid boat, and the final answer is yet to be determined. Much depends on conditions of wind and water; some favor boats easily rowed, others, boats that carry a lot of sail.

A style of boat that has done well in Class 4 of past Everglades Challenges, an event similar to a raid but more extreme, is one with a cat ketch rig. This rig keeps the center of effort low to minimize heel, and the shorts masts and no stays make rigging and unrigging quick and easy--an important consideration when the race course includes passing beneath a low bridge--as they often do. One such boat that is a likely candidate for this sort of sailing—and one that should make an excellent camp-cruiser—is the Sam Devlin designed Seaswift, a 19-foot, spritsail cat ketch centerboarder.

To compete in the Everglades Challenge, every boat must be carried or dragged from the high-water mark to the water for launching. Seaswift, at 720 pounds empty, is probably near the upper limit of what two persons can move. Once afloat, though, her inertia can be beneficial. Seaswift, at 19’ 3” has reasonably adequate camping room for a crew of two. Approximately sixteen inches of flat sole on either side of the centerboard trunk, combined with increasing width from hull flare, allows sleeping under the three thwarts. The available room might be better utilized if the crew sleeps head-to-foot.

Seaswift’s nearly 16-foot waterline length and relatively narrow 5’ 5” beam implies a good turn of speed under oars or conditions of light air, while a 1” X 3” keel aids tracking while rowing. Seaswift can be rowed from any of three rowing stations.

No jig or strongback are needed to build Seaswift. The stitch-and-glue construction method is employed in which hull panels are held in position with wires stitched through small holes along their edges. All joints are then glued together with epoxy resin, and when the glue sets, the wire stitches are snipped and removed. Fillets are created along all seams using epoxy thickened with various fillers such as hardwood sawdust. Finally the entire exterior is covered with fiberglass cloth saturated with resin. Stitch and glue is easier, faster and more forgiving. Properly done, the end result is a sturdy structure of usually lighter weight than boats built using “conventional” methods. Indeed, some would argue that stitch and glue has become the conventional method.

If you think you’re going to build a Devlin design, you can save a few bucks if you order the catalog, boatbuilding book and boatbuilding video as a package. The cost to build Seaswift, including sails should be under $3000. Or Devlin will build you one for $11,190 with sails.

Seaswift Specifications:

Visit the Devlin Boats Web site at: http://www.devlinboat.com

Order plans at the Web site for $65 and $8 shipping, or from:

Joel Mill
3010 12TH AVE NE
Olympia, Wa. 98506
Phone # 360-790-0577

•SCA•