29' Hurricane Island Ketch Pulling Boat (1970) - PB 8, KATE & RAFE PARKER

This boat was decommissioned by the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School in the late 2000’s. I have owned it for about 6 years. These boats were designed in the 1960’s for Outward Bound by Cyrus Hamlin, a designer of some renown (Clearwater, Controversy Sloops, as just a few). The design was required to accommodate up to 15 souls (2 or 3 instructors and 12 students), and the requirement was that this crew could sleep aboard!! As crazy as it seems, it worked, and still works, as many of the over 20 of these boats built to this design are still in service doing exactly what I just described. I had the pleasure and honor of sailing on these boats for many years from 1992 until 2000 as an instructor. Most challenging and rewarding work I have ever done (and fun!), and in eventual retirement, I hope to do it again.

As the boats have aged several have not been approved by USCG inspectors, and so were sold out of service. The boat pictured is one of those. While this is Pulling Boat #8, I have given it the name “Kate and Rafe Parker” in honor of the intrepid couple who were Early leaders of the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School. I have been privileged to have befriended them in my life.

This boat has been repaired by me, and set up as a day sailer. Who knew it would be so much fun to sail these boats in that way? I’ve made a custom mount for an outboard motor, and also, this year experimented with an electric motor with an innovative installation.

On the photos, some are of sister ships and some from Outward Bound Courses — You get the picture!!

If anyone reading this is interested in having one of these to mess around with, I know where some may be found.