13’4” Melonseed Skiff… a small cat boat with an unstayed rig that evolved from the duck hunting skiffs of early 20th century southern USA. This boat is strip construction, using western red cedar, yellow cedar and Peruvian walnut.
If anyone is considering building this boat, I have a detailed log of every aspect of the construction that may be helpful. Just follow the link to my website.
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Clicking on the link, I realise that I have come across you archive before, probably while Researching the design. A worthwhile resource. Thanks for setting it up, and maintaining it.
I looked up Revus. Lovely. I need to scour this boat show before it is over. I am sure I am missing some gems. I have been busy, but I shall make some time. My interest tends toward smaller craft, mainly because I do not have the time, resources or inclination to maintain a large boat, and I like my life the way it is. I regard large as anything over 20’. I believe, as a general rule, smaller boats get more use.
You’re on the list. Like you I find the older I get the smaller and more enjoyable the boats are. Although my current build at just over 20′ is pushing my limit. http://stevebrookman.com/SjoginIIIa.html
I had a look at your link. That is a fairly substantial project you have taken on. I tell my wife that a few thousand hours in the workshop is cheaper than a few thousand hours in the pub. I’m not sure she has bought the story yet.
Great to see your beautiful Melonseed Skiff. Sorry I didn’t know of you, when I had a great time visiting Ireland, researching my ancestry, and hoping, but failing to go sailing on a Hooker while there, in 2019. I did see a couple up close and made some contacts but was told, they’d just finished their last race of the season, about three days before I got to Galway.
I was very fortunate to have a chance to purchase a gorgeous glued lap Melonseed, called “La Vida e Bella” (by her last owner). She was built by Marc Barto, himself, in just three months time, at O’Connell’s Wooden Boat Shop, in Chestertown, Maine, in 1994. He did such a beautiful job, that she still looks like new! I re-rigged her with a slightly taller and larger sail, 83 square foot, and a sprit boom, with one set of reef points, that reduce her back to Barto’s designed 70 sq. ft. She’s quite fast now and actually more stable, because this sail is better cut, such that it creates less heel and more forward thrust. In really light air, she slips right by Lasers! And probably like yours she’s also really sweet to row, with long and springy spoon blade, Shawn and Tenney oars. I entered her in the show and thought they’d indicated she was approved, but for some reason, is thus far not appearing. Still got my fingers crossed!
Don’t know if you ever travel to the States or BC, but if you do, I live, just south of the Canadian border, across from Victoria, The Gulf Islands and The San Juan Islands, here in Port Townsend, WA. Home of the third largest wooden boat festival in the world.
If you ever have a chance to attend (and if Covid allows us all to do so again), please remember to look me up and I’ll take you sailing. I also own a Flicka 20, and know many of the other larger boat skippers and builders in town.
Thanks again for showing us your lovely boat and enjoyed your website pics of your very impressive build as well!
Hi Kirk, nice to meet you. You live in the perfect spot for a boatie. If I am ever over in the States again that whole area is on my list. I shall keep you in mind.
Regarding appearance here, I posted late, and it took a day or two to appear. Sometimes I think leaving it to the last minute is a good idea. That is an Irish notion that has always worked out for me, anyway.
I scratched my head for ages looking for my latest project, and finally settled on the Melonseed. It is such a sweet looking little boat on the water, I couldn’t resist it. I don’t know how many boats I have left in me, so I can’t be building ugly boats. 😏 I’m very tempted to build the 16’ Melonseed next. Not this year though. If I start another project I won’t get enough sailing time this summer, so next year, maybe.
Hi folks, I only completed construction of this boat last March, and with endless lockdowns and winter, I have only had her out twice so far. I am still tweaking the rig, but so far, very happy. She behaves exactly as I hoped, and expected.
I would be interested to hear from any other Melonseed sailers, especially Europeans.
I am a former two melonseed man. I have a beautiful 16er, designed by John Brady, and built by Carl Weissinger. I also built a cold mold Cortez 16er to Roger Allen design. She is fast and light, but I had to part with her when we moved to be near grands and downsized in Concord MA. I am Boomtent camping as soon as the water warms up. MIKE WICK
Hi Mike. Two would be nice, for company on the water. There are no other small boats In my immediate area. It is a meditation being out alone, but sometimes it is good to see another sail. If I build another it will be the larger one, just for variation.
Wow! Gorgeous Melonseed. Thanks for sharing the finished boat and build with us.
Melonseeds always make my heart flutter a bit… And yours is absolutely gorgeous, Etienne!
Such exquisite attention to detail.
Thanks, John. I put a lot of thought into the look of this boat. It’s great when viewers notice it.
A real beauty! Mind if I add her to the melonseed fleet: http://traditionalsmallcraft.com/Melonseed.html
I built and sail Rivus, a 16′ Barto design. If you love your 13′ you’ll love the 16′ even more, just more of it.
Hi Steve, I would be honoured. My construction log is here…
http://etiennemuller.com/melonseedskiff/index.html
Clicking on the link, I realise that I have come across you archive before, probably while Researching the design. A worthwhile resource. Thanks for setting it up, and maintaining it.
I looked up Revus. Lovely. I need to scour this boat show before it is over. I am sure I am missing some gems. I have been busy, but I shall make some time. My interest tends toward smaller craft, mainly because I do not have the time, resources or inclination to maintain a large boat, and I like my life the way it is. I regard large as anything over 20’. I believe, as a general rule, smaller boats get more use.
You’re on the list. Like you I find the older I get the smaller and more enjoyable the boats are. Although my current build at just over 20′ is pushing my limit. http://stevebrookman.com/SjoginIIIa.html
I had a look at your link. That is a fairly substantial project you have taken on. I tell my wife that a few thousand hours in the workshop is cheaper than a few thousand hours in the pub. I’m not sure she has bought the story yet.
Love this boat, and I love Ireland!
Thanks, David. I pulled out the stops on this one.
Great to see your beautiful Melonseed Skiff. Sorry I didn’t know of you, when I had a great time visiting Ireland, researching my ancestry, and hoping, but failing to go sailing on a Hooker while there, in 2019. I did see a couple up close and made some contacts but was told, they’d just finished their last race of the season, about three days before I got to Galway.
I was very fortunate to have a chance to purchase a gorgeous glued lap Melonseed, called “La Vida e Bella” (by her last owner). She was built by Marc Barto, himself, in just three months time, at O’Connell’s Wooden Boat Shop, in Chestertown, Maine, in 1994. He did such a beautiful job, that she still looks like new! I re-rigged her with a slightly taller and larger sail, 83 square foot, and a sprit boom, with one set of reef points, that reduce her back to Barto’s designed 70 sq. ft. She’s quite fast now and actually more stable, because this sail is better cut, such that it creates less heel and more forward thrust. In really light air, she slips right by Lasers! And probably like yours she’s also really sweet to row, with long and springy spoon blade, Shawn and Tenney oars. I entered her in the show and thought they’d indicated she was approved, but for some reason, is thus far not appearing. Still got my fingers crossed!
Don’t know if you ever travel to the States or BC, but if you do, I live, just south of the Canadian border, across from Victoria, The Gulf Islands and The San Juan Islands, here in Port Townsend, WA. Home of the third largest wooden boat festival in the world.
If you ever have a chance to attend (and if Covid allows us all to do so again), please remember to look me up and I’ll take you sailing. I also own a Flicka 20, and know many of the other larger boat skippers and builders in town.
Thanks again for showing us your lovely boat and enjoyed your website pics of your very impressive build as well!
Kirk Gresham
Hi Kirk, nice to meet you. You live in the perfect spot for a boatie. If I am ever over in the States again that whole area is on my list. I shall keep you in mind.
Regarding appearance here, I posted late, and it took a day or two to appear. Sometimes I think leaving it to the last minute is a good idea. That is an Irish notion that has always worked out for me, anyway.
I scratched my head for ages looking for my latest project, and finally settled on the Melonseed. It is such a sweet looking little boat on the water, I couldn’t resist it. I don’t know how many boats I have left in me, so I can’t be building ugly boats. 😏 I’m very tempted to build the 16’ Melonseed next. Not this year though. If I start another project I won’t get enough sailing time this summer, so next year, maybe.
I hope your submission gets uploaded.
Et.
Hi folks, I only completed construction of this boat last March, and with endless lockdowns and winter, I have only had her out twice so far. I am still tweaking the rig, but so far, very happy. She behaves exactly as I hoped, and expected.
I would be interested to hear from any other Melonseed sailers, especially Europeans.
I am a former two melonseed man. I have a beautiful 16er, designed by John Brady, and built by Carl Weissinger. I also built a cold mold Cortez 16er to Roger Allen design. She is fast and light, but I had to part with her when we moved to be near grands and downsized in Concord MA. I am Boomtent camping as soon as the water warms up. MIKE WICK
Hi Mike. Two would be nice, for company on the water. There are no other small boats In my immediate area. It is a meditation being out alone, but sometimes it is good to see another sail. If I build another it will be the larger one, just for variation.