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down south by Jay Coyle
It's a typical busy afternoon on the water in Fort Lauderdale. Go-fast boats rumble down the narrow channels past the trendy dockside eateries while rakish megayachths jockey for position on the facedocks of Pier 66-the last place you'd look for simple yacht. Ghosting through the masses is an apparition of sorts that inspires satisfied looks on the faces of the knowledgeable, and blank stares from others. In this town where folks have seen virtually every variation of nautical fantasy, this yar little 26' vessel seems to take all by surprise. Her owner, Alex Rogers, eases her single diesel into reverse and follows with a few turns ahead. The little Maine-built lobster yacht eases along the dock. In a world where making a personal statement has changed the face of yachting to the extent that boats no longer look like boats, Rogers and his boat are truly an enigma. Rogers, 35, with cellular phone grafted to his ear, might seem an unlikely candidate for such a vessel. Rising through the ranks as a professional yacht captain, he has experience that includes a stint on the tournament official circuit, as well as the command of a number of intracoastal cruises. In all, Rogers estimates that he’s logged over 12,000 miles of sea duty between New England and Mexico. For the past eight years of Rogers has worked as a yacht broker with Allied Marine Groups Hatteras of Lauderdale. Nurtured by Allied’s product education programs, "Allied U.," as it is fondly referred to in-house, Rogers has gained a solid knowledge of yacht construction that compliments his sea experience. His passion for traditional water craft is an affection acquired early in his youth. Rogers roots are in New England, Amesbury, Mass., to be exact, and while growing up in his Dad’s marina he developed an appreciation for the efficient, purposeful lines of the commercial traffic boats working the area. Last year, he decided to pursue his dream of conditioning such a craft and followed his instincts back home in search of the perfect boat. As any true waterman will tell you, to find a "real boat" you must head Down East until the climate is barely tolerable and the natives cast a wary eye on those not attuned to the local dialect. This, of course, places you squarely on the coast of Maine. It is here that natural selection seems to have graced the land with more than its share of nautical woodchucks. Almost every home has a vessel in some stage of this repair protruding from the barn or aground in the driveway. If not, chances are the residents are "pulling traps." Over the years, evolution has seen to it that a number of these artisans, through their skill and ability, have earned respect of their peers. The boatbuilder Roger selected was Joe Sharpe, owner of J.S. Boatworks Inc., on Bailey Island. Rogers saw a video of a 26 footer finished by Sharpe and he was hooked. His arrival in Maine in late January was accompanied by a nor’easter with freezing rain and sheet ice. Failing to negotiate a particularly challenging portion of Route 24, Rogers planted the bow of his Hertzmobile firmly in the snowbank. Near freezing and lost, he was recovered by rescue party from the yard. A short while later, Rogers and Sharpe were discussing the details of the project in a local tavern. Roger’s vision was of a simple craft. As a captain he had his fill of scrapping and brightwork and wanted a low-maintenance exterior that could be refreshed with a hose. For work, he needed a boat they could comfortably accommodate clients on luncheon cruise on the waterway and for play, served as a weekend platform for fishing and diving in the Florida keys. The arrangement would be a Spartan and efficient. An open deck house with a simple home station and a trunk cabin forward. The single diesel would be easy on the wallet and the 20-knot cruise would be ideal. Rogers remembers that Sharpe seemed accommodating until he explained his intention to carry a personal water craft in the cockpit and queried Sharpe as to the strength of the Mast and boom. "Round here we use the mast and boom for lifting tuna or towin’ scallop drags," snapped Sharpe. As the night wore on, somehow the issue was resolved and by morning the two had reached an agreement. The boat Rogers feel for was a Spencer Lincoln design. Lincoln is, of course, a Maine native and for the past 17 or so years specialized in a variety of power and sail designs that he describes as "traditional." Included are a range of pleasure and commercial vessels from 16' lobster boats to 72' series. Still Lincoln mostly enjoys the design of smaller vessels. Early lobster boats were essentially work boats with low horsepower, a soft turn at the bilge and a rounded run to suit speeds in the 10 to 12 knot range. As high horsepower gas and diesels became available, boat speeds increased and designers tended to straighten the water lines and buttocks to accommodate planing. Lincoln’s 26 footer is a hybrid of sorts, designed for both speed and comfort. She has a soft bilge forward and a fine entry. A hard chine aft rises forward, forming a spray rail. Following tradition, she has a moderate keel that fully protects the running gear and her sections are virtually flat so that she is easy to drive in capable of turning hard on a trap. Committed to the design, Rogers and Sharpe contacted Webber’s Cove in Blue Hill to acquire a hull and superstructure, which Sharpe would then finish off with appropriate mechanical interior detail. Matt Cousins and his father, John, run Webber’s Cove, which Matt’s grandfather, Cy, started 40 years ago. The company began building wooden utility and patrol boats for the Navy and then, in the early seventies, John took over in the company and became one of the first down east builders to switch the fiberglass. Since then, the company has built more than one 1,000 vessels and today offers 22', 26' and 29' models. The 26 is popular in both the commercial and pleasure markets and 30 have been built in the last year in half.
Rogers opted for a slightly higher version of the superstructure, which allowed him to step the sole beneath the House. The 5" step eliminates the need for an engine blocks and satisfies the ergonomic requirements of Rogers 5' 7" frame. Standing or seated, Rogers has a clear view both forward and aft. He left the traditional cut-away house side to starboard (designed to provide lobstermen quick access to their traps) because he sees it as an advantage in singlehanded docking. Two commercial hatches is in the cockpit provide access to the 4' x 9' "fish hold,", which J & S adapted for storing a collection of gear and water toys. Both hatches can be dogged down. This feature as well as the oversize cockpit scrubbers where a must for Rogers, who almost sank a large sports fishermen while backing down on a fish. The interior layout is simple with V-berths forward and an enclosed head. The galley area is fitted with a refrigerator and space for a stove which Rogers, always striving for simplicity, has yet to install. To reduce weight, J&S used prefab vacuum-bagged balsa cored fiberglass panels for bulkheads, berths and countertops. In a brisk Maine climate, the 26's deckhouse and trunk cabin are designed to protect the crew from the cold. Rogers requested a slight modification that makes the design practical for South Florida waters. Two 12" x 12" hatches fitted in the deckhouse overhead provide for ventilation while under way. Below, a 24" x 24" hatch, solar fan and opening ports allow for ventilation at anchor. At dockside where the breeze is less dependable, a 9,000-B.T.U. MarineAir air-conditioning system takes up the slack. Final touches include a portable cradle composed of PVC pipe designed to secure Rogers’ 450-lb. SeaDoo, rod holders and outriggers. After three months at J.S. Boatworks, Joe Sharpe and his partner Paul Noon, swung open the shop doors and in a ritual that has been repeated again and again along Maine's rocky coast, the little craft was ushered down to the sea by small gathering of townsfolk. A brief launching ceremony was followed by impromptu sea trials. The single Volvo Penta TAMD41 (200 hp) that, according to Rogers, was selected because "it fit in the hole, and in his budget " cranked up immediately. The 2:1 gear and 18" square three bladed wheel produced the magic numbers. A top speed of around 24 knots and a rock steady 20 knot cruise. Handling, including backing, is superb thanks to the oversize ruder and hydraulic steering. With her two 50-gal. aluminum fuel tanks Rogers estimates he can run 300 nautical miles at cruising speed. While Sharpe put the craft through the paces, Rogers recorded the event from dockside with a video camera. A local chap standing near cleared his throat. "Ahhha... new boat?" "Ahhh... yup," Rogers responded. "Gee, ain’t she a corka,", the Mainer said. Indeed she is, and the name struck.
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A conventional solid 1.5-oz. mat and 24-oz. woven laminate is used for the
hull, which averages from 3/8" to ½" in the bottom. Superstructure and decks
are balsa cored and structural bulkheads are plywood glassed in place. Two full-length
spruce stringers are covered with fiberglass and all exterior surfaces are
gelcoated.