It was a tough gig.

A week out before his death, which we all knew was imminent, he stood with me as we prepared for the first sail. The boat rode at her line at the end of a wharf, back when there was water in the lower lakes of the River Murray in Australia.

The boats flag strained out flat, such was the wind. The bright storm sun caused the off white creaminess of the boat, and its teak and fittings to glow wildly against the brooding, scudding sky.

Frank had had a good life with many achievements, especially in the business world. We looked at the boat together, and, anticipating the kick as the wind caught the sails, we mused silently on the look of the boat.

Frank turned to me, and said, ..'this past three years, building this boat, have been the best of my life.'

She looked perfect.

We slipped the wharf, hauled on the sheets. She flew; in that stiff breeze we were passing 6 knots on the GPS really quickly, main fully reefed, both boards down, running before, as if the gods were urging her on.

Complete control.

We sailed all that afternoon.

Frank went below and had a short nap, then came back out again.

'It's the perfect boat for me Robert.

I love the chuckle under the lands; I love the stiffness of her, l love that I know she looks so beautiful to the world.

I am a happy man.'

Eun Na Mara is that kind of a boat. A cruising boat of your dreams.

He added an extra strake on top which has the effect of making his look a little finer than some of the standard to plan ones I have seen. (It's now incorporated into the drawings)

Peter has an outboard motor on his, hung on a bracket to one side of his own design and manufacture. It works, but for me the jury is still out on that one. He got Don Lucas to do the sails in traditional materials, and it looks truly majestic. I had a very happy day sailing with Peter and his friend and mine, Ronald Jesche (who has built a very good 'Shearwater' and a Bruce Kirby Norwalk Islands Sharpie 31 and most recently an Iain Oughtred Grey Seal) a couple of years ago.

I took a video camera and made a small film which we have since sold a couple of dozen of to interested builders around the world. Peter's boat also has featured on the cover of Australian Amateur Boat Builder, accompanying a two page colour centrespread on the building and sailing of Selkie. My impression was of an easily trailed and surprisingly roomy boat with real sea capability and a wonderful pocket cruiser for two people, four people day sailing. Selkie moves in the slightest breeze and stiffens nicely when the wind pipes up. Best of all, like all her sisters, she makes a wonderful chuckling sound as she moves, with the tickle of water under her lands. We recently saw Wee Seal with a small inboard motor; fitting it seemed to be the work of Houdini but, apart from the fact that it was a petrol motor, it seemed to point to the ideal solution for auxiliary powering of this vessel.
Now Andy Cianchi is building one from a kit in Hobart. These are available as either a Yawl , Gunter Sloop or sloop rig.

Wee Seal is a well proven, straightforward building project, a very capable small pocket cruiser. There are several in Australia, Europe and North America.

Kotik will add to that reputation, with the greater speed and more comfortable sea keeping that results from the added length. For only a little more work and materials.
The Wee Seal has an optional yawl rig. Kotik could also be yawl rigged.

The yawl rigs reduce component weight for rigging before and after trailing, and also permit the handling and self steering potential that these rigs are well known for, quite apart from the appeal of their jaunty looks.

6.75 m - 22' 7"
2.21 m - 7' 3"
0.55 m - 1' 10"

1100.00 kg - 2600 lbs
1250 hours
4

the grey Seal is the only one of Iain's boats which are truly designed for open water, in every sense of the word.

Like the Wee Seal, there a several rig options. Plain Sloop, Gunter Sloop and Ketch/Yawl. Both boats are improved by SMALL diesels under the cockpit rather than tricky out board arrangements.

There are also several underbody options, including fixed keel, and centerboard.

6.75 m - 22' 1"
2.33 m - 7' 7"
1.04 m - 3' 4"
24.63 sq m - 265.02 sqf

1000 hours
4

The first Roan Mhor is being built by Albrecht Frank in Austria, and hopefully another, traditionally planked, in BC, Canada.

Grey Seal is a well proven, straightforward building project, a very capable small cruiser; There are several in Australia, Europe, North America and many other countries.

Roan Mhor will add to that reputation, with the greater speed and more comfortable sea keeping that results from her added length, and the additional work and materials will not be great.

Grey Seal has options for Gaff, Gunter sloop, Gaff Yawl and junk rigs. While the Roan Mhor, like Kotik, has a slightly offset centre board for much simpler construction without loss of effectiveness, and you will not have stones and mud getting jammed in the case.

7.49 m - 24' 7"
2.47 m - 8' 1"
1.04 m - 3' 4"

1950.00 kg - 4300 lbs
1000 hours
4

She has delightful performance and handling as is well balanced and responsive. The Islander is a great weekender andis easily trailerable with all the spars fitting along the portside within the cabin.

These are boat-builder's plans which are for experienced builders (not detailed for amateur construction). However, a determined builder of limited experience could certainly build one.