Duke was designed and built as a northwest fishing troller in 1947. Designed by Ed Monk Sr and built as hull #1 of Cummings Boat Company of Tacoma. The owner, Ad Cummings, built many work and pleasure boats that are still at work and at play here in the Northwest. After her launch in April of ‘47, she spent 8 years trolling out of Sitka, Alaska before moving to her home for many years; Eureka, California. Here she worked a few fisheries; crab, salmon and tuna. She would fish out of Humboldt Bay until 1994, when she moved back to the Northwest. She would finish her career as a workboat in 1998 when owner Prentiss Bloedell had her converted to her present arrangement, a comfortable live aboard and cruiser.
I love this boat. I bought her in 2015, lived aboard her for five years and cruised from South Puget Sound to the Gulf Islands. She’s never let me down and we’ve done well by each other. I met my wife on this boat. I see myself not as the owner but as the caretaker, making sure the boat is ready for the next caretaker, and the next generation of wooden boat owners. I have seen her through two major repairs in 2022 and 2023, and countless other projects. She is in good condition, and the next caretaker will be blessed with a great boat that turns heads, is a joy to cruise and will require vigilant maintenance.
Duke is Douglas fir on steamed oak frames. She has a queen size bed in the after, or main cabin which also includes a nice library. There are two access points to the cabin; from a door to the aft deck and a hallway to the wheelhouse. In the hallway is the head which includes a vaccuflush toilet and a full bathtub and shower. The wheelhouse contains the galley, which features a propane range and DC top loading refrigerator. Plenty of storage in handsome built in cabinets. A settee and table that fits four. The wheelhouse remains as traditional as when Duke was a workboat, with radar, depth sounder, AIS and dual VHF radios. The forecastle, accessible through a hatch in the wheelhouse, contains 4 bunk beds and a small closet and shelving unit. At the after end is the engine room door. The engine room is very spacious for this size vessel. 360 degree access to the engine is a huge advantage. Large workbench on the port side over the battery storage. Detroit 671 engine, in place on Duke since 1981. New heat exchanger and exhaust manifold in 2016. Engine runs very clean and the vessel cruises at 7 knots at 1250 RPMS. Automatic bilge pumps, alarms for high water, fire, low oil pressure and high water temperature.
500 gal freshwater capacity in 2 stainless tanks
350 gal diesel capacity in 3 steel tanks
Dickinson Alaska diesel stove for heat in main cabin
Furuno Radar, depth sounder, twin VHF radio, autopilot, laptop with GPS chart plotter. AIS B, large spotlight mounted on the wheelhouse. Hydraulic steering
Navigation lights, automatic anchor light
PTO powered hydraulic windlass
60 ft chain, 100ft rode
30 amp SmartCord
3 8D house bank batteries, 1 isolated start 8D, all 6 years old
12v Electric winches on mast mounted boom to hoist dinghy
Federally documented
Major rebuilds in 2022 and 2023
This is my favourite. All the things that I hold dear: Converted fishboat, traditional lines, 6:71 Detroit, dry stack exhaust. perfect profile with the add-on accomodation and dinghy a-top.
John Marks, Australia.