The original drawings of this boat appeared in Chapelle's "American Small Sailing Craft", and were dated prior to 1888. The MELONSEED was originally a sailing and hunting boat developed in the New Jersey Bay and Delaware River areas. The design was intended to be more of an open water boat, drier, and more seaworthy than similar boats of that era.

It is important to note that although times have changed, the sea has not! Today, computers can design boats that may be fast and streamlined, but they will never improve on the simple elegant beauty of the MELONSEED SKIFF and the other traditional small American working craft of the last two centuries.

It is not necessary to trade off speed for looks with the MELONSEED. We have sailed the boat in a wide range of conditions, ranging from summer zephyrs to small craft warnings in December. Her speed is exhilarating on all points of sail and she will go very well to windward even in a stiff blow. Off the wind you can enjoy the thrill of planing and surfing. The hull is sea-kindly and impeccably well mannered. She has proven so stable in our testing that the sail plan has been generously increased vs. the original drawings. Put quite simply, it is both SAFE and FAST! The wonderfully simple and efficient sprit rig is ideally suited to the MELONSEED, and rounds out the charming overall appearance.

Performance under oars is equally delightful as she is surprisingly swift, tracks very well and carries an ample load easily. Transport and launching by trailer is very simple.

The MELONSEED is built to our usual high standards of quality construction, combining solid structural integrity with a thoughtfully detailed finished appearance. All fiberglass work is carefully done by hand using a combination of woven, matted, biaxial and core materials. The canvas-like texture of the deck is handsomely combined with teak combings, floorboards and woodwork. Spars gleam with multiple coats of varnish. Sail and rigging are dacron. Hardware is bronze, fastenings are stainless and bronze. A proper little yacht!

We have been thoughtful in our reproduction of the design, faithful to the boat's tradition, and have produced a wonderful blend of performance and appearance.

We can't all afford to own a big boat, but we can own a good boat!!

That's the point of all this. A well designed and built small craft can

let you become intimate with the real and simple pleasures of boating.

If you have found interest in what you have read here, we urge you to contact us so that we may share more information and photographs or video with you, describing the remarkable MELONSEED SKIFF.

SPECIFICATIONS:

LOA  13’8”

Beam   4’3””

Draft  6” to 2’6”

Displacement 250 lbs.

Sail area  62 sq. ft.

Cockpit length 6’ 1”

Spars (3) length 10' 0", and all equipment, will stow inside the boat

COST COMPLETE WITH STANDARD EQIUPMENT

$9,500.-

Includes: Solid fiberglass hull, mechanically and chemically bonded to a fiberglass deck (cored construction).  All work done by hand lay up.  Teak cockpit combings, rubrails, floorboards, rudder and tiller. Hand rubbed oil finish is standard on all teak.  Solid Douglas fir spars (mast, sprit and sprit boom) are beautifully varnished. Dacron 62’ spritsail in choice of Tanbark (rust red). Egyptian/linen (off white) or White.  Dacron rigging.  Bronze hardware: bow eye, oarlocks, eye straps on aft deck, mast hardware, rudder head and sheet block, pintles and gudgeons.   Deck cleat on bow available at n/c if desired.  Centerboard model w/PVC board is standard.  One pair of seat/rowing/flotation cushions included.

Standard hull colors: Dark green, Black, Blue, Cafe ‘au Lait, Ivory, White

Standard deck colors: Beige, Ivory, and Gray

OPTIONAL ITEMS

Mooring cover (waterproof & covers the complete deck) $500 

71/2’ standard straight blade oars $125

Boat name (Script lettering) and pinstripe of gold mylar tape on the hull sheer line, just below the rubrail $175

Sikkens Cetol Marine finish on teak woodwork $500

Leathers (chafe guards) on sprit and boom $50

Ensign and teak flag staff on rudder $100

Galvanized boat trailer custom fitted to hull $900

Ritchie compass (hand bearing @ $45 or combing mounted @ $80)

Lifting bridle & hardware for launching with dockside crane or davits $400

MS half model to match your boat, mounted on a teak backboard $300

Custom hull or deck color….priced on request

Payment Schedule

Approx. 50% with order.  Balance due upon completion.

Prices and specifications are effective January 1, 2008 and subject to change without notice, and are F.O.B. Marshfield, MA

Nationwide fully insured shipping is available at reasonable rates.