Herroshoff Haven 12 ½ and Mike Broome’s 20’ Day Sailer ‘Cirrus’

Photo from Sillette Marine Propulsion website - see link below


I was trawling through the links in the boats section of the Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy’s website when I came across a familiar day sailer that I had seen at Burnham-on-Crouch. In fact I had posted an article* to this Blog about her on 13th September, 2010. The name ‘Cirrus’ and the wonderful craftsmanship rang a bell. Here was the very boat I seen and touched. From the Academy’s website I learned she had been designed by Mike Broome, an instructor at the Academy, and she had been built there by Bob Hinks.

At Burnham-on-Crouch


When I wrote my Blog about ‘Cirrus’ I believed she had features similar to Nathanael Herreshoff’s Haven 12 ½ day boat which in fact had an overall length of 16’. Joel White’s interpretation of the design with a shallow keel had similar overall measurements. Mike Broome’s day sailer is 20’ from bow to stern. Instead of being rigged with a gaff mainsail, she has a tall Bermudan sail set on a metal mast. I hadn’t realised she was powered by an electric saildrive because I had assumed she was equipped with a small, lightweight modern diesel engine.

Graceful transom

I was enthralled with the Mike Broom day sailer because she was so well built, and her lines were a joy to my eye. I knew in my heart that I would never own her; indeed I would never have the pleasure of sailing her. If I allowed myself to covet a boat I would surely want her. Congratulations to Bob Hinks and any who had a part in building this fine day boat, and of course, well done to her designer who has captured the spirit of Herroshoff’s Haven 12 ½ by creating a vessel with similar endearing features, especially the sloping wineglass shaped transom and the fine curved bow.

Cleverly designed lifting rudder



Links


*Day Sailer

http://bills-log.blogspot.com/2010/09/day-sailer.html


Day Sailer designed by Mike Broome, an instructor at the Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy

http://www.boatbuildingacademy.com/students/cirrus-bob-hinks.


Sillette Marine Propulsions including saildrives. The site has photos of ‘Cirrus’

http://www.sillette.co.uk/gallery.html


Joel White version of Herreshoff’s Haven 12 ½ built by John Watson

http://www.boatbuildingacademy.com/students/studentprofilesmarch09/herreshoff-haven-john-watson.htm


Building a Herreshoff Haven 12 ½ by Joel White – being built by Alastair Gary Thompson at the Lyme Regis Boatbuilding Academy

http://herreshoffhavenbuild.blogspot.com/2011/01/moulds-are-now-set-up.html


Haven 12 ½ by Howard Boats – stripped planked + double diagonal veneers and GRP sheathing

http://www.howard-boats.com/links.htm


Landing School Boat’s page on the Haven 12 ½ - good photos

http://www.landingschoolboats.com/Haven.html


Specification of a Joel White Haven 12 ½

http://www.schleiffboatworks.com/haven.htm


Herreshoff Haven 12 ½ for Sale Gatsby Yachts $50,000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/intron/225672613/