I have heard from a couple sailing friends, Eddie of the Sooty Tern UNA and Steve of the Navigator Arwen, that Roger Barnes is a very well-known and respected small boat sailor. They both speak very highly of his book The Dinghy Cruising Companion, saying it is an excellent primer on small boat cruising.
While I still disagree with his thought that the lugger is in some ways outdated (keep in mind he also said the designer "got a lot right" and called it a "truly groundbreaking design"), I don't discount his knowledge, abilities or experience. In fact even before hearing from Steve and Eddie I had looked up his book on Amazon and downloaded the free kind sample. Just those first few pages, excellent information on small boats mixed in with stories of this own journeys, caused me to add the book to my reading list. I very much look forward to reading the book.
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As for luggers, I'll copy and paste the comment from Kent. He and his wife Audrey have owned the lugger ONKAHYE, above, since 1982. And it is worth reading their article about the design in Small Boats Monthly. Kent's comment to this blog....
John Watkinson specifically mentions four criteria for the boat he would design: It had to be easy “for the family to handle on and off the trailer,” have “first-rate seakeeping qualities,” be a “good motorboat for fishing and pottering under power,” and be “lively enough for me to enjoy a good hard sail once I had put the family on the beach.” We don't think the Lugger is outdated either, having owned one since 1982, and considering they are still being built in the UK. A great boat for a mess about. I think the Pathfinder has many of the same criteria.
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And lastly I came across this very fine Navigator under construction in, I think, Australia.
You can find it at the Little Fish blog, which is an interesting mix of boat building and, well, I don't even know how to describe it. Take a look and you'll see. Nice boat, Suzy!
1 comment:
We saw a lovely Drascombe Lugger in Cork Harbor, Ireland two years back. When I remarked what a great boat it was, my host said (in his wonderful south Ireland brogue): "Ya, it's for soldiers. They go downwind then call the Gardia to come save them." Being that said host had just taken us for a great sail on his Thistle, I kept my mouth shut. But seems to be a real prejudice against Yawls in general and Luggers in particular in Europe. Too bad....
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