Thanks Gary! Wasn't really my favorite, but the one they picked. I guess I've gotten spoiled! So used to having peaks like that all around us, here in Port Townsend, I forget, how they blew me away too when I first moved here from Southern California, nearly 30 years ago. That's Mount Baker, second biggest in our State. I have skied there. If my good friend who took this pick had swung the camera to the right, toward the east, you could also see Mount Rainier, highest in the continental, United States! And in the opposite direction, to the west...
Very very nice! I have a glued lap Melonseed Skiff in the show now. Have talked to Vivier a couple of times. Once when he wanted some feedback from me about a sweet small cutter I owned, Sam Devlin's earlier "Eider" with an unusual but effective two foot draft fixed keel. He did include it after our talk in one of his slightly larger cutters. Another time when I was hoping to go to Britany and he actually offered to loan me a boat, while there. So amazingly generous! Unfortunately, I had to cancel last minute from the France part...
So wonderful to see your Bart designed 16 ft Melonseed. Looks like you did a beautiful job on her.Also looks like we have similar tastes. I too have been thinking about building a small sharpie or crabbing skiff with a cuddy next! But right now I'm still totally in love with my current 13.5 Melonseed. "La Vida e Bella". Thought you might especially appreciate seeing her (if you haven't already). She's listed here. She was actually built by Barto himself in glued lap, in only three months, almost 26 years ago, at O'Connell's Wooden Boat Shop, in Chestertown, Maryland. And...
Seeing your boat, just made my heart skip a few beats! I owned, an identical Van Dyne Pinky, that as far as I know still is the only one on the West Coast. Her name was (maybe still is) "Tradition". If you've ever received a copy of Small Craft Advisor Magazine, you may have, still can see her past cover shot of her. Josh Colvin, my friend and publisher liked her so much, she's still on the subscription card in every issue. I. loved her so much that after I first found her on her side in a cow pasture...
Hey Lee, So good to see your lovely and familiar, "Opus" here! I've always admire her and you, yourself, of course! Not sure if you know, I retired finally on at the end of December. Also, I bought a very wonderful little, 13.5, glued lapstrake, Melonseed Skiff that was built by Marc Barto himself, the guy who drew the lines plans of this boat for Woodenboat Magazine. He finished her in only three months, at O'Connell's Woodenboat Shop in Chestertown, Maryland, in in 1995, and she still doesn't leak a drop and looks nearly new! I improved her sail plan...
Great to see your Melonseed. Soooo vet interesting to see what you did with what looks like a bass violin head as the stem. Especially because I've said many times, about my much beloved Melonseed Skiff, in trying to describe what she's like to sail. I've said, "she's like sailing a floating violin"! So looks like you, my kindred spirit will truly understand! My 13.5 ft Melonseed, was not only drawn by Marc Barto, but actually built by her, and he reportedly did so, for her first owner, in just three months! The paperwork I was given, indicates he built...
Thanks to Nate, and others who helped me get the snags out in the listing. Looks quite wonderful and I'm really pleased and grateful to you all; for everything you've done for all of us and the wooden boat world we all treasure so much. Anyone, wondering about Bella's larger rig. I've explained thoroughly how that came about and how great she sail now with it. You'll find that, and some other pics, if you click above (and to the right) where it say's Lister's Profile. I'll be very happy to tell you anything more you want to know about...
Great to see your beautiful Melonseed Skiff. Sorry I didn't know of you, when I had a great time visiting Ireland, researching my ancestry, and hoping, but failing to go sailing on a Hooker while there, in 2019. I did see a couple up close and made some contacts but was told, they'd just finished their last race of the season, about three days before I got to Galway. I was very fortunate to have a chance to purchase a gorgeous glued lap Melonseed, called "La Vida e Bella" (by her last owner). She was built by Marc Barto, himself,...
Seeing your vessel really had my heart pitter patting! My parents' first wooden boat when I was a teen was a nearly identicle, Far East Marine built H28, called "Amante". We lived in Huntington Beach and were lucky enough have a slip behind our house, so starting about 17, my Dad trusted me enough to start single handing her, in and out of the slip, round the harbor, and eventually to Catalina. It was really all I knew then, and didn't realize how fortunate I was then, but sooo grateful now. Thanks so much for showing your's and if you...
That long Ro looks like it could put out a lot of horsepower. I had one on my earlier Sam Devlin 16 ft "Eider" and it worked quite easily, and with a tether to the cockpit floor attached to a small peg it was nearly self feathering and easy to use with one hand while I steered with the other. Way better than oars in a marina; not banging into other boats or the dock when entering a slip! I've wanted to try making one for my current boat, just a bit bigger and heavier, "Koan", a Flicka 20, about...
22′ Vivier Stir Ven Sloop (2019) – LAURA ANN
Thanks Gary! Wasn't really my favorite, but the one they picked. I guess I've gotten spoiled! So used to having peaks like that all around us, here in Port Townsend, I forget, how they blew me away too when I first moved here from Southern California, nearly 30 years ago. That's Mount Baker, second biggest in our State. I have skied there. If my good friend who took this pick had swung the camera to the right, toward the east, you could also see Mount Rainier, highest in the continental, United States! And in the opposite direction, to the west...22′ Vivier Stir Ven Sloop (2019) – LAURA ANN
Very very nice! I have a glued lap Melonseed Skiff in the show now. Have talked to Vivier a couple of times. Once when he wanted some feedback from me about a sweet small cutter I owned, Sam Devlin's earlier "Eider" with an unusual but effective two foot draft fixed keel. He did include it after our talk in one of his slightly larger cutters. Another time when I was hoping to go to Britany and he actually offered to loan me a boat, while there. So amazingly generous! Unfortunately, I had to cancel last minute from the France part...16′ Marc Barto/John Brady Melonseed Sailing Skiff (2014) – RIVUS
So wonderful to see your Bart designed 16 ft Melonseed. Looks like you did a beautiful job on her.Also looks like we have similar tastes. I too have been thinking about building a small sharpie or crabbing skiff with a cuddy next! But right now I'm still totally in love with my current 13.5 Melonseed. "La Vida e Bella". Thought you might especially appreciate seeing her (if you haven't already). She's listed here. She was actually built by Barto himself in glued lap, in only three months, almost 26 years ago, at O'Connell's Wooden Boat Shop, in Chestertown, Maryland. And...21′ van Dine Crotch Island Pinky (1972) – ROSS G. LEONARD
Seeing your boat, just made my heart skip a few beats! I owned, an identical Van Dyne Pinky, that as far as I know still is the only one on the West Coast. Her name was (maybe still is) "Tradition". If you've ever received a copy of Small Craft Advisor Magazine, you may have, still can see her past cover shot of her. Josh Colvin, my friend and publisher liked her so much, she's still on the subscription card in every issue. I. loved her so much that after I first found her on her side in a cow pasture...19′ Oughtred Wee Seal (2003) – OPUS
Hey Lee, So good to see your lovely and familiar, "Opus" here! I've always admire her and you, yourself, of course! Not sure if you know, I retired finally on at the end of December. Also, I bought a very wonderful little, 13.5, glued lapstrake, Melonseed Skiff that was built by Marc Barto himself, the guy who drew the lines plans of this boat for Woodenboat Magazine. He finished her in only three months, at O'Connell's Woodenboat Shop in Chestertown, Maryland, in in 1995, and she still doesn't leak a drop and looks nearly new! I improved her sail plan...16′ Barto Melonseed Catboat (2020) – PLUG
Great to see your Melonseed. Soooo vet interesting to see what you did with what looks like a bass violin head as the stem. Especially because I've said many times, about my much beloved Melonseed Skiff, in trying to describe what she's like to sail. I've said, "she's like sailing a floating violin"! So looks like you, my kindred spirit will truly understand! My 13.5 ft Melonseed, was not only drawn by Marc Barto, but actually built by her, and he reportedly did so, for her first owner, in just three months! The paperwork I was given, indicates he built...14′ Melonseed Skiff (1995) – LA VIDA E BELLA
Thanks to Nate, and others who helped me get the snags out in the listing. Looks quite wonderful and I'm really pleased and grateful to you all; for everything you've done for all of us and the wooden boat world we all treasure so much. Anyone, wondering about Bella's larger rig. I've explained thoroughly how that came about and how great she sail now with it. You'll find that, and some other pics, if you click above (and to the right) where it say's Lister's Profile. I'll be very happy to tell you anything more you want to know about...13′ Fisher Melonseed Sailing Skiff (2020) – SAND $
Great to see your beautiful Melonseed Skiff. Sorry I didn't know of you, when I had a great time visiting Ireland, researching my ancestry, and hoping, but failing to go sailing on a Hooker while there, in 2019. I did see a couple up close and made some contacts but was told, they'd just finished their last race of the season, about three days before I got to Galway. I was very fortunate to have a chance to purchase a gorgeous glued lap Melonseed, called "La Vida e Bella" (by her last owner). She was built by Marc Barto, himself,...30′ Herreshoff H28 (1966) – TAYLOR ROSE
Seeing your vessel really had my heart pitter patting! My parents' first wooden boat when I was a teen was a nearly identicle, Far East Marine built H28, called "Amante". We lived in Huntington Beach and were lucky enough have a slip behind our house, so starting about 17, my Dad trusted me enough to start single handing her, in and out of the slip, round the harbor, and eventually to Catalina. It was really all I knew then, and didn't realize how fortunate I was then, but sooo grateful now. Thanks so much for showing your's and if you...30′ Edo Water Taxi Replica (2003) – CHOKKIBUNE
That long Ro looks like it could put out a lot of horsepower. I had one on my earlier Sam Devlin 16 ft "Eider" and it worked quite easily, and with a tether to the cockpit floor attached to a small peg it was nearly self feathering and easy to use with one hand while I steered with the other. Way better than oars in a marina; not banging into other boats or the dock when entering a slip! I've wanted to try making one for my current boat, just a bit bigger and heavier, "Koan", a Flicka 20, about...