A unique boat for the Bay
June 14
A small motor launch, originally designed as a work boat, is under construction to yacht standards by Keith Nelder at Big Pond Boat Shop in Martins River on Mahone Bay.
Nelson Zimmer designed the 21’3” launch to ferry passengers and supplies to and from a Canadian north woods fishing camp situated on a large lake. The sea kindly design, which is published in “Fifty Wooden Boats” from WoodenBoat magazine, caught the eye of some Mahone Bay boaters and they commissioned Keith to build them a recreational version. Instead of a heavy slow turning engine the boat will be powered by a modern Yanmar YM 15 diesel. The full displacement hull is meant to cruise easily and quietly in the 6-7 knot range. The finish is to a very high standard with varnished mahogany cabin sides and coamings, and teak cockpit sole and decks. The cold moulded, epoxy/glass sheathed hull will be watertight, low-maintenance and long lasting.
Passengers and helmsman sit forward of the small cabin which can provide refuge from the weather and easy access to the engine. She should be quite a sight chugging about the bay and we’ll have photos of the completed vessel in a future issue.
