SKYE -  a 28 foot gaff rigged sloop

Designed by Robert Henry and built by the Oxford Boat Yard (Oxford, Maryland) in 1946. In 1947 she was shipped to Seattle Washington as deck cargo on a freighter. SKYE was rigged as a 7/8th Marconi sloop, and was one of 30 Oxford 400's produced. Construction was of 7/8" Honduras mahogany over oak frames, bronze fastened.


SKYE was re-rigged as a gaff sloop, with a solid fir mast and spruce gaff and boom. Traditional lignum vitae blocks were used throughout. A number of frames had to be sistered, and I built a new interior of Honduras mahogany and Sitka spruce tongue and groove paneling, with a bit of maple and teak thrown in. A Dickinson diesel range was used for cooking and heating.


Back in the 1980's I lived aboard in Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island, and commuted to Seattle by ferry.

There is more about the name Tatoosh here, and  now there is the 40 foot cutter PEREGRINA.


There were others - the little 26 foot wooden Alaskan built schooner “Old Salt” I convinced my dad to buy when I was 14.  


Old Salt was sailed throughout Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands in Washington State, sometimes with both parents, three younger sisters and a collie aboard. 


Then there was the 23 foot MAHDI which I rebuilt and sold making enough for the down payment on SKYE.

After moving to New England there was TATOOSH - a 30 foot Nantucket Clipper from England.

Latter there was TATOOSH2 - an Ericson Cruising 36 designed by Bruce King.