The View from the Helm

Here’s another photo. Pretty hard to take a bad photo of this beauty.

Leslie takes Chuck for a sail.

They say never take photos of sailboats from the windward side- makes them look ugly.

Agree?

This is without doubt the stiffest, fastest, easiest to steer interpretation of Nat’s well-loved design.

The French & Webb modified Herreshoff Alerion/Sadie, with my revised keel and sailplan.

Here is the new sailplan.

We designed Pentimento back in 2006.  She was our interpretation of what Nat Herreshoff might have done at 25′ – 6″ in length. She was lovely, very fast in light airs as you probably can tell, but her builder insisted on fitting a heavy wood mast and boom that were never right for the boat and compromised her performance in a breeze. Along came a new owner who asked what could be done, and I suggested a carbon fiber mast and more slender boom, as well as removing some of the leech of the mainsail so she could be fitted with a permanent backstay. This is the sort of work that I still love to do, for it will make this boat perfect!

The Paine 25- beautiful but not perfect in 2006.

Who’s trimming that jib? Despite our ineptitude, she sailed better than anyone expected.

We sailed Bella Luna late in the day yesterday, Just a zephyr of a dying breeze. But she made the most of it. She’s lovely, perfectly balanced, and worthy of successors. These derivatives of older designs, skillfully improved with new technology, have a long way to run.

Todd French is justifiably proud of his latest creation.

The long awaited launch was yesterday. She is as close to perfect as any design I have ever had a hand in. She’s much stiffer than a centerboard Alerion and sails like a dream in light airs with a feather-light helm. Thanks, Nat Herreshoff- my part in it was minor.

French & Webb’s Herreshoff Alerion/Sadie adaptation has emerged from the shop.

She’ll be rigged today and we plan to sail her this afternoon. Exciting!