23' Louchard Truant Gaff Sloop (2000) - SELKIE

The Truant class fantail gaffer is built by the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding in Port Hadlock, Washington. Designed by Ed Louchard as a weekender/daysailer in the classic tradition, she is comfortable and seaworthy and shows a good turn of speed. She was created to deal well with chop and tide-rips while still being fast, especially in light airs.

The Truant’s full keel, ample beam and generous topsides give her the presence of a much larger boat. Her cockpit can accommodate up to eight sailors, making her an ideal boat for sociable racing and daysailing. A “tent” can extend over the entire cockpit for protection at anchor, alongside or when overnighting. When traveling under power the ELCO EP-12 Electric Motor and Dakota Lithium batteries keep everything quiet and maintenance to the bare minimum.

Planking is one-inch western red cedar from the forests of the Pacific Northwest on bent white oak frames with a backbone constructed of Douglas fir. Her western red cedar deck is covered with Irish felt and canvas. Spars are Douglas fir. Rigging is traditionally served and seized galvanized wire. Fastenings are silicone bronze. The ballast keel is lead.

We think Ed Louchard nailed it when designing the Truant. We also believe that the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding put together a beautiful sloop worthy and equal to the best in the boatbuilding trades. The Truant sails easily in light airs and can handle ocean swells with aplomb. She is a sweet little yacht that brings an internal smile while one feels the lift of the fantail on a following sea without any strain. Selkie slides, doesn’t pound and slips through the water with grace and speed. We love this little sloop and spend many days sailing and caring for her.

A favorite past time at the dock or at anchor is to read aloud to each other passages out of favorite books like The Curve of Time by M. Wylie Blanchet. We love spending the day and nights too soaking in the timeless sense of something beyond ourselves. In the fast pace of the techno age we feel a bit closer to the natural world instead of separated by a high sheer line and plastic walls. With only a boom tent to protect us, we can snuggle up staying warm all the while listening to snapping shrimp and the lapping of water.

Selkie is not a large boat, but perfect for us. She easily fits our lifestyle and our ability to maintain her without hiring help. We like it that way doing the work ourselves and the satisfaction it provides.