Norwalk Islands Sharpie 23 for Sale

Yesterday I had a chance to personally inspect a Norwalk Islands Sharpie 23 (N.I.S. 23) that is currently for sale in Cocoa, Florida. I've read about these Bruce Kirby designs for years, but had never seen one, as they are rare in the U.S. and even rarer on the used boat market here. When Dave Lewis, the owner contacted me to let me know it was for sale, I planned to pass the information along to my readers here. As it happened, I had an opportunity to get involved with a big teak deck job for Boatsmith a bit farther down the coast, so I was able to stop by on the way home and meet Dave and have a look at the boat in person.

An experienced sailor who has explored lots of remote parts of the Bahamas in shallow draft boats, Dave has been impressed with the N.I.S. 23 but is now ready to downsize to something more suited to quick and easy launching for local daysailing.  Considering the cost to build a new boat this size, never mind having it professionally built as this one was, I think this trailerable cruising sharpie could be a good deal for the right person.  The boat has been stored indoors and comes with an excellent trailer that Dave had built after he purchased the boat from the original owner. The entire package is in good condition, as you can see from the photos.

Here are the particulars Dave provided, along with his contact email for anyone who wants to know more about this unique wooden boat:

She is a 23' Kirby Norwalk Island Sharpie(N.I.S.); has a free standing cat ketch rig.  Masts are carbon fiber.  Have two suits of sails: one white, loose footed; one tan bark, fully battened.  All running rigging leads to cockpit.

Professionally built 1996 by Sea Island Boat Works, Charleston, S.C.  Hull is epoxy coated inside and out; hull exterior sheathed in glass cloth.  Two settees (adult bunks) provide comfortable sitting headroom with main hatch cover closed.  No amenities except cockpit cushions and interior cushions for bunks.  Standard horizon VHF.

LOA 23' ;  Beam 7'-5" ;  LWL 22' ;  Disp. 1900# ;  Draft 4.5' board down;  8" board up.

I've enjoyed sailing the boat in the Indian River here in Cocoa.  The boat has always been dry sailed.  It currently resides on a single axle aluminum trailer in my garage.  This combo tracks well with a medium vehicle.

This vessel is easily single handed and makes a great daysailer, weekender. 

Dave Lewis, delewis59@yahoo.com

New Photos of Reuel Parker's Schooner, Ibis

Reuel Parker recently sent me a new selection of photos to post on his Ibis blog, which I will do in the next few days.  Here are a few shots of Ibis afloat, some taken from his Bahamas cruise earlier this year.  This vessel is also for sale, and Reuel will be relaunching her this fall when he returns to Florida from Maine.  Details can be found below the photos.  Here's one taken at the dock shortly after launch:

At anchor somewhere in the Bahamas:

Somewhere off Andros Island, Bahamas:

Reuel Parker, designer and builder at the helm:

A couple of interior shots that show the spacious accommodations in this shoal-draft sharpie schooner:

 

 

Here you can see just how shoal-draft this vessel is:

The following is taken from Parker's description and "for sale" ad on his website:

 

IBIS is the new prototype MAXI-TRAILERABLE cruising sharpie schooner. Construction is complete and sail trials have been made in the Bahamas. IBIS felt safe and comfortable during both Gulf Stream crossings as well as several other open-ocean passages. She exceeded my hopes and expectations, and proved to me beyond a doubt that properly designed and built sharpies can be seaworthy and seakindly. IBIS is presently hauled out for the summer. I will re-launch her in November of 2010. She will be available for inspection and sail trials during Fall and Winter.

IBIS is for sale for $179,950.

IBIS is 51' 4" LOA, 10' Beam, 2' 6" Draft (7' 8" Board Down), 42' LWL. Her displacement is 14,500lbs and her empty trailer weight is 12,000lbs. She has a box keel containing 2,500lbs of lead, an additional 500lbs of internal ballast, and carries an incredible 250 gallons of water in integral central tanks for an additional 2,110lbs ballast. Her lead-filled steel centerboard weighs 1,350lbs, and is raised by the same 12v winch as that used for raising the masts. The winch is mounted on the foremast tabernacle, and uses dedicated batteries charged by their own solar-charger. Fuel capacity is 80 gallons, providing over 110 hours of motor time, for a range of over 850 miles.

Sail Area is 753 sq ft in three self-tending sails (gaff schooner). Her masts are tabernacled using an electric winch and permanently installed A-frame. Her bridge clearance is 35'; With masts down her bridge clearance is less than 10 feet. She is powered by an Isuzu 3LD2 3-cylinder diesel, which powers her to a speed of 8 knots, consuming only .75 gallons per hour. This makes her more fuel efficient than most large pickup trucks! IBIS has a stern boomkin not shown on the drawings below. The boomkin supports the main traveler, boom gallows, flag-staff and GPS antenna.

IBIS is based on the Washington State halibut fishermen of the San Juan Islands in the 1880's. These were double-ended sharpies intended for use in all seasons. Construction is composite wood/epoxy/fabric, with hollow Douglas fir laminated masts and main boom (bird's-mouth method). There are five water-tight bulkheads making this vessel as unsinkable as possible. She can be sailed or motored to safety with any compartment flooded.

More details and additional photos can be found at Parker Marine Enterprises.

Reuel Parker's Ibis Sharpie Nearing Launch

Reuel Parker is in the final stages of his 45-foot sharpie schooner project, Ibis.  Here are some photos taken by David Halladay during a recent visit to the build site in Ft. Myers.  It's not everyday that you see a flat-bottomed, shallow-draft vessel of this length.

This is Parker's concept of a "maxi-trailerable" sailing vessel.  While Ibis is not something that you would trailer down to the lake for a daysail, she is a vessel that could be trailered if necessary, for off-season storage or maintenance at home, or for reaching distance cruising grounds in a hurry.  To trailer this much boat, you will need a substantial truck, like one of David's work trucks parked alongside in the photo below.

Here's a close-up shot of the stern, showing the balanced rudder and how it is hung on the narrow stern.

The mast is mounted in a substantial tabernacle.  Reuel Parker describes the advantages and the design of these in his book:  The New Cold-Molded Boatbuilding: From Lofting to Launching.
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This view of the bow shows the bowsprit and samson post, as well as a custom A-frame that is used to assist in raising and lowering the mast.  When not in use for this purpose, it will be fixed in position at the correct height to form a bow pulpit rail.  This is a brilliant example of multi-functional equipment incorporated in this simple vessel. 

Designed for cruising the in the tropics, Ibis is equipped with plenty of opening deck hatches and opening portlights.  The cockpit is also shaded by a bimini.

Down below, the interior has a spacious feel with white paint and light-colored wood trim.  This vessel is designed for a simple style of cruising and living aboard in out-of-the-way places like the Out Islands of the Bahamas.

Ibis is based on the smaller 36-foot San Juan Island Double-ended Sharpie, described in detail beginning on page 141 of his definative work on the type:  The Sharpie Book