"Yawl" – a two-masted sailboat in which the rearmost mast (mizzenmast) is aft of the rudder post… a classic example is Olin Stephens' Dorade…
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| Olin Stevens' Yawl Dorade (52' [15.9 m] by 10' 3" [3.2 m]) |
(Canoe) "Yawl" – a two-masted large canoe-shaped sailboat popular in the late 19th century such as the Iris…
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| Yawl Canoe Iris... |
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| Iris lines... |
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| ...and Specs. |
(Source for Iris information above -- scroll to bottom of this linked page.)
"Yawl" – a four or six oared small boat used as a tender for large sailing vessels (A small ships boat, usually rowed by four or six oars. (Webster's dictionary 1828))
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| HMS Victory Yawl Boat |
The term “yawl” (in rowing craft) is rather loose in modern usage, often interchanged with Wherries and Whitehalls. Rowing versions of “yawls” are typically characterized by ‘round’ bottom lapstrake hulls with ‘wine-glass’ transoms and vertical stems. Given the wide meaning of the term “yawl”, following are some examples of various yawls that could be oar cruisers.
Modern Adaptations:
CLC’s Chester Yawl"Boats like the Chester Yawl were used as working craft in 19th-century. Efficiency was critical in these human powered craft, so they evolved easily driven hull shapes. Working watermen weren’t immune to good looks, either, so these “livery boats” were often beautiful. The most famous of the type, the “Whitehall” boats of New England, are still considered a touchstone of small craft elegance. The Chester Yawl is based on the Whitehall and adopts its distinctive plumb bow and “wineglass” transom." (From CLC writeup)
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| Chester Yawl from CLC: 15' (4.6 m) by 42" (1067 mm) |
This would be a very effective and beautiful kit-boat oar cruiser… I’d add SOF decks fore and aft and provide for temporary shelter such as these.
Selway-Fisher's Dronheim Yawl
This is a large ‘yawl’ for at least two rowers. |
| Selway-Fisher's Drontheim Yawl Lines |
Specifications...
- LOA 21'8" (6.6 m)
- Beam 6' (1.8 m)
- Hull Mid Depth 2'1" (0.64 m)
Commentary from the write-up...
The Drontheim Yawl was designed for the Causeway Coast Kayak Assoc. - this is a traditional Irish open yawl and we have been asked to model her on the computer and develop the 9 hull planks for stitch and tape construction plus frame shapes only - guidance is available for those who need construction details, or we can draw up plans to suit.
The following are not true 'oar cruisers', but rather sail boats using oars as auxiliary power. (For purposes of this blog, we define an 'oar cruiser' an oar powered boat with (optional) sails as auxiliary power.)
Selway-Fisher Canoe Yawls
Selway-Fisher has two ‘canoe yawl’designs. The first is the 15’ (4.6 m) Lillie The second is an 18’4” (5.6 m) version of Lillie called Jim Canoe Yawl.
Description of Lillie from Selway-Fisher
This lovely craft was commissioned by Tom Dunderdale after reading the series of articles in the Classic Boat magazine on the 13’ strip planked canoe yawl Ethel. The idea was to produce a canoe yawl of similar style to those of the last century used by Baden Powell and MacGregor and which formed the basis of modern canoeing today but using modern ply/epoxy construction methods with computer generated plank shapes. Her length is based upon the maximum length of plank that you can get out of 2 sheets of ply and we have increased the beam a little over the original Ethel design which allows more extensive cruising and even the ability to sleep on board. She uses 6 sheets of 6 mm and one of 9 mm ply in her construction. The standard set of plans show details for stitch and epoxy construction using 7 planks per side to give a beautiful round bottom hull shape and details are given for her to be fitted out in classic style with a lug yawl rig. The plans include mould shapes and construction details for her to be made using the strip plank method. Tom reports that up to a force 2 she will sail herself both before and into the wind hands off allowing the helmsman to drink his beer in comfort. Above that, she handles herself with grace and she rows very well with excellent tracking.
Specifications...
LOA 14'11" 4.53 m
Beam 4'8" 1.43 m
Hull Mid Depth 1' 5" 0.43 m
Draft 8"/2'1" 0.2/0.63 m
Sail Area 106 sq.ft 9.84 sq.m
Approx. Dry Weight 353 lbs 160 kg
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| Selway-Fisher's Lillie lines... |
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| ...and Sailing |
Iain Oughtred’s Caledonia Yawl
(Click on Catalog>>Double Ended Beachboats>>Caledonia)Specifications...
- LOA: 19' 6" (5.95 m)
- Beam: 6' 2" (1.88 m)
- Sail Area: 170.01 sqf (15.8 sq m)
- Weight: 330 lbs (150 Kg)
Description of Caledonia Yawl from Iain’s website…
I first saw one of these sailing with the gunter yawl rig in Tasmania about 8 years ago. It was a very cold, windy day, white topped waves whipping down the Derwent toward Constitution Dock. The Caledonia Yawl, with it's crew of five, looked very at ease in the unwelcoming Derwent, and I had the feeling that they could have taken much more.
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| Iain Oughred's Caledonia Yawl... |
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| ...and Profile. |
Yawls are beautiful boats and in smaller sizes, make outstanding row boats that are fast and seaworthy.
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ReplyDeleteI could write a book about the Chester Yawl I built a while ago, The predominant sensation I get every time I take her out, is one of smoothness. I use a good pair of spoon spruce oars from Dan Fancy in Nova Scotia, and the entry/exit is very slick.
ReplyDeleteMy 17 year old grandson went out in it for the first time this year. He is a tall, string bean type, whose favorite sport is long distance running. He took some practice strokes a couple of yards off shore while I held a line to the transom and coached from shore. Then I cast off. It took him a bit to synchronize and go straight, be soon he was down at the far end of the lake.
On return his comment was "that's very relaxing!" Hardly the response I ever expected from a 17 year old.
The Chester Yawl rows from a stool; there are no thwarts. That means by putting the stool aside, you have a nice flat deck (floorboards) to take a nap; strangers often come over to see why the small boat is drifting with nobody aboard. With a Conestoga tent it would be a perfect place to sleep. What it really needs is a Bimini top. Distance rowing on a sunny day is a recipe for heat exhaustion.
This would be a great boat for a trip for some or all of a trip from Plattsburg NY to NY city, in part via the Champlain Canal.
The Chester Yawl is one of my favorite designs for all the reasons you give... beautiful, easy rowing, built-in sleeping platform... and for a kit, reasonably priced... Thanks for the input.
DeleteMerry Christmas!...Tom
I love the mizzen on my little Welsford Rogue! I read in John Leather's "Sail and Oar" a quote from Herbert Warington Smyth about using a mizzen to row with a weather oar miles to windward in a lump of sea that most boats wouldn't go out in. It seems true so far, although I'm way more conservative on what I will go out in. It is great for keeping the bow into the wind and then crabbing across and upwind by rowing with one oar and letting the mizzen do a little lift as the boat tries to turn from the thrust of the oar. Also fun to lock the rudder in position and play the mizzen and main sheets for balance and steering. Also a nice bit of shade occasionally and another tent pole to rig an awning or tent. Thanks for your great blog!
ReplyDeleteScott, I agree with you concerning the mizzen... for oar cruiser's, I'd see it as a great auxiliary sail.... can be rigged for downwind sailing (had not heard of the rowing/sailing option... sounds very doable) and most important, keeps head into the wind when anchored or hanging off a 'drift anchor'...
DeleteHave a safe and wonderful Christmas! Tom