16’ Friendship Catboat
1925 Design
Built from lines taken at Maine Maritime Museum in 1979

The “Friendship Cat” was originally designed and built for one-design pleasure sailing in Friendship, Maine. With a relatively simple hull design, this boat is a good candidate for boatbuilding education programs. Throughout the process, notes will be taken, patterns will be made, and molds will be retained to facilitate future boatbuilding programs to build similar boats with college students and communities. Likewise, once complete, this boat can comfortably hold two or more people, a student and teacher, or a small sailing crew. With a simple rig with one sail, the boat will be a wonderful platform for sail training and will serve two educational purposes, boatbuilding and sail training. The intention for this boat is to be used as a prototype and ambassador to develop educational and community programs, and to participate in sailing events and art exhibitions. This boat will be built using lines taken from an original Friendship catboat at Maine Maritime Museum in 1979. Taking cues from a 2014 build at Buzzards Bay Yacht Services in Massachusetts, this boat will incorporate modern plywood construction in its hull while sporting many classical elements, including a traditional gaff rig..

Please watch this space as the “Friendship Cat” comes to life.