De-Keeled!

I've been away much of the last month preparing for and traveling in China to unite with our newly adopted daughter. We are back home and starting to readjust. Getting back to work has been a challenge. But we got the keel off of Frolic! My brother-in-law, Hank Osborn, is a 'get-it-done' kind of guy, which is just what I needed to jump back into the projects. We have a blog for Frolic at:

www.flyingfifteenfrolic.blogspot.com.

Frolic is a 1950 vintage Flying Fifteen under restoration at Clint Chase Boatbuilder. It is co-owned with a family member and will be restored and sailing by summer. She'll join the family fleet of ff's in Gouldsboro, Maine.

A lot of activity at the boat shop!

Carbon oars are in style at Clint Chase Boatbuilder! These are a pair made by Clint's students. They can made at any size, shape, and part of any length oar. They make most sense on 8' or longer oars where outboard weight must be kept to a minimum.

On the Dory design front, the lines are complete. To learn about my design approach, click here.

Other news: coming into the shop will be a vintage Flying Fifteen the building of which was supervised by Uffa Fox himself in the ate 1940s. Photographs will be forthcoming. The plan is to give the boat a total restoration. Everything is orginal: oak spars, Egyptian cotton sails, laminated mahagany hull (varnished).

Quite a few inquiries into Shellback Dinghies have been coming in with one order in place. If interested in this great boat, please let us know!