Building Maggie B » Covey Island »

Experienced mariner wants seaworthy boat with personality!

Frank Blair was looking for a boat to sail around the world with his son after his graduation from college. Several factors steered him to Covey Island, including his awareness of the 70ft. (LOD) gaff schooner Tree of Life, launched in 1991, and largely crewed by Outward Bounders on her first circumnavigation. Another factor was a visit to the yard with a friend (during construction of the friend's 47ft. shoal draft motoryacht Nancy Lakin) when he saw the frames for Bristol Channel design prototype PaPa going up in yard president John Steele's shed. He also had a correspondence on the project with Nigel Irens, whose long list of design credits includes the Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter-inspired Westernman designs built by Covey Island.

After considering and visiting a number of yards, Frank chose Covey Island as best able to build a seaworthy boat with personality. Covey Island Boatworks builds hand-crafted yachts, power and sail, ranging from 30-80 feet in length.

Covey Island President John Steele on Building Maggie B

Frank not only brought us his dream to create but an approach that took his project out of the realm of “work” to a much more rewarding place where it became a creative team effort.

From the outset Frank made it clear he would not be limited by preconceptions. He invited input from the entire team and made it clear that anyone working on Maggie B who had ideas or concerns would be listened to.

The results speak for themselves. Maggie B is a success because Frank was prepared to push the envelope and blaze a new trail. The combination of his adventuresome spirit and Nigel’s genius has created a unique and fresh new schooner. As Frank calls it a “Fusion” of old, proven ideas, materials and methods with new ideas, materials and methods.

Exciting territory for sure and not without risk. I was concerned about the loose footed fore and from looking at the hull that she was destined to be renamed “Yellow Submarine” after her first off shore passage. Having now sailed her across the Gulf Stream and pushed her hard in the Antigua Classic I am happy to say the fore is a much easier sail to handle than I feared and that she is a comfortable, fast and amazingly dry boat!

Covey Island is delighted to have been asked to make Maggie B a reality.

  posted by Frank | June 2, 2006  

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