21' Hodgdon-21 Class Sloop (1958) - CAMILLE

CAMILLE came from Craigslist—a bargain boat I couldn’t turn down. I’ve always admired the Hodgdon 21 and think she’s the best of the several short-ended one-designs that came from the Boothbay, Maine, region during the era. For some sailors, and I’m fast beginning to join them, she’s a little uncomfortable from having no seats; you stretch out on the cockpit sole. But being down low brings you closer to the water as it rushes by, and you have wonderful all-round visibility unrestricted by the sails. Having the jib on a roller makes getting underway and putting her away such a speedy operation that going for a half hour sail makes sense—so I use her a lot, both alone and with a guest or two. Because she’s fair all the way to her extremities, without a knuckle where the keel intersects the hull, she’s like a sculpture when out of the water, looking as fine or better than afloat.