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Right from the beginning I suspected that if any part of the process of building this boat was going to tip me over the edge, it would be the planking, and there’s no doubt that up until now each strake has been a complete swine, extracting blood, sweat, and...

For now, LIBELLULE is the largest catboat Arey’s Pond Boat Yard has built, and she’s the latest addition to a résumé of boats that has shown increases in size with each commission.

Almost any mast against a skyline can inspire a poet or painter, but it takes authenticity, the ring of truth, to take the breath away from even the most jaded professional mariner. That such a ship—ready for sea with a crisp and purposeful air—should also be the oldest surviving American square-rigged merchantman only makes the sight more compelling. Such was the CHARLES W. MORGAN in the summer of 2014 during her first venture to sea in more than 90 years.

Norway’s ubiquitous double-ended motor launch, the snekke (aka sjekte, or kogg), evolved from open sail-powered fishing boats. Today, as recreational boats, they have a variety of configurations: Some are protected by wraparound windshields, others have small cabins, and many retain their simple workboat layouts.