Yacht Tender 10′ 5″ 42″ Beam Rowboat
The Spindrift 10’5″ rowing dinghy is both stable for beginners and easy to row. She is a lapstrake design with 8 planks in lap and perfect proportions. The rowboat is not beamy at only 42”, but she is long and sleek for her 10’5″ length. She makes a great yacht tender, being elegant and handsome with her decorative varnished trim. She handles well, rows exceptionally, and carries 2 passengers. This yacht tender will take a 2 HP motor if desired and I recommend 7′ to 7.5′ oars. The hull on the rowboat is made of hand laid fiberglass and all work on the hull is done by hand.
This dinghy rowboat was originally built during the 1930’s on Shack Island in Nanaimo. I cannot remember the name of the owner that gave it to me, sadly, and he passed away in 1996. He told me that the rowboat had been used for cod fishing in the 1930’s. The cod was traded for meat, vegetables or money, and made the hard times less so. The boat I received was water logged, and weighed about 600lbs. With great effort, 3 friends and I carried the rowboat up the dock, stopping every 100 feet for a rest. We finally got it to the truck and home. I braced it up to stop it from sagging and waited for it to dry out. One year later the rowboat was dry and weighed about 80lbs. I smoothed and faired the hull and was soon able to make my mold. The original is a fine example of our Pacific Northwest coast history. She shows how the wood was used and the quality of the workmanship that went into her.