Bought a 29 foot cat-ketch low tech boat

[alansmith]

My people....I bought a 29 foot cat-ketch old wooden boat today. Masts are 29 foot tall. They weight approx. 50-60 lbs each. Hoops on mast that you hank on. There is literally nothing high tech on this boat except some LED running lights. It is a trailerable boat and weights approx. 4000+ lbs. With trailer I approximate that the boat and trailer are 6+K lbs. I can step the masts. Draft is 18 inches centerboard up and 7-8 foot when down.

Sitting room only in the very small cabin. Two sleeping berths for singles. Will put compost head in it. Has an old wood burner stove in it. Have no idea how to work that. Room for some sort of portable camp stove.

She has lovely lines and will work well for her intended use of sailing in the Delta area in San Francisco. If not familiar with this area it is where the Sierra mountain drainage makes it way down through Sacramento and empties into San Pablo Bay...which is an ear off of the San Francisco Bay. Several rivers combine to form an area known as the Delta. Will also trailer her up to San Blas islands, Channel islands, and Sea of Cortez. I am super stoked.

Her name is "Egret". Her history of design....She was designed to run mail from the packet ships over the Biscayne Bay sand bars into Miami. The big ships couldn't cross the bar. Many boats of that day were poorly designed to cross the breaking seas over the sand bars until this design came along. She is a double ender.

She has a 4 hp motor that has no reverse. But there is a canoe paddle for reverse....smile.

Enjoy the photos and welcome our newest sister. Steady Hand thank you for finding this sweet wench.

[Tayana42]

What a classic beauty! A bit like Miss Hepburn.

[alansmith]

CF, some more photos for 'ya. Can you tell I won't sleep for a week?

[P26OD228]

Looks fantastic Alan! What part of the Delta are you on? My Pearson 26 "Infinity" is in Stockton.

[alansmith]

P26, I live in Vallejo. These pics are from previous owner. I can't wait. This boat is registered with the San Francisco Maritime Society. I am just learning about the wooden boat sailing group she hangs with. Seems like there are a fairly active group of fellows that have wooden boats who make trips all over California in these boats.

[brownoarsman]

Congrats on a beautiful boat!

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Soton]

A sharpie they are wonderful boats for inshore sailing. I was part way through designing one of those until my wife got fed up with me spending all my time on the computer and told me to go out and buy a boat. Lovely boat I am quite emvious.

[Celestialsailor]

Hi Alan...Absolutely stellar! My house is in Elk Grove and frequent the Delta. One of the pics look like Antioch. I had "Joli Elle" there for awhile. Have fun with your new girl...

[redhead]

This boat takes my breath away. I am in love..... I know you will enjoy every moment. Congratulations.

[fatherchronica]

Is that a Munroe design ? I feel you did really good. That would be a really cool boat to have in the Sea of Cortez. There are hundreds of spots you could anchor and walk ashore and a lot of places you would have mostly to yourself.

[uncle stinkybob]

What a beautiful boat! I hope you post more pics, I'd really love to see the cabin and deck/rigging pics! Now the you are a wood boat guy, you should really check out the Port Townsend wooden boat festival, incredible if you love wood boat's!

[cacalack]

She's a beautiful thing, alright. Congratulations!

[Cheechako]

Cool boat! Maybe a flat bottomed dory?

[Scout 30]

Very cool! We sailed a cat ketch sharpie for 10 years & it was a lot of fun. We also had a third sail we could fly between the main & mizzen similar to what you show but inverted. Called a yankee it's easy to tack with but strictly a light air sail. Here's a pic of one on a bigger boat.

[alansmith]

Ha ha, thanks "use " guys for all of the kind remarks. I feel like when I got my first kiss from a girl. Excitement is just off the scale. I will attach a pdf file from the gentleman who owned the boat. It was his write up for Craig's list. As I stated before, my deepest respects to Steady Hand for finding her an posting her up.