26' Brownell Bass Boat (1970) - SPIRIT II

SPIRIT II is a sturdy, reasonably sized boat originally designed for striper fishing which delves comfortably in chaotic waters with surging gullies of foaming water. She has a full keel, a big cockpit, dual controls, an aft tiller, a powerful engine and has the “heft to handle the breakers”. She is a remarkable design “developed to pursue and bring to bait the striped bass”. This design served as a standard for New England bass boats for two decades. Designed by the Eldridge-McInnis Firm and built by Fred Brownell of Mattapoisett, MA . Brownell would become more well known by his hydraulic boat trailers and boat stands. Fred Brownell built 18 of the 26′ Bass Boats, locally referred to as the Cuttyhunk Style offshore Bass Boat. We believe this to be hull number #14 out of the 18 built. Originally built for Mr. Huntress , named “Initram”. Many of the great legendary bass & blue fish charter boats captains from Cape & Islands used the 24′ and 26′ Brownell boats. Still to this day the biggest record Striped Bass was caught off a 24′ Brownell built boat. An article in Nautical Quarterly would describe the 26′ Brownell as a boat designed by a fish. All these pluses make for a great all around family boat.