OkoumeFest 2011

The full recap starts here.  Read on for this year's award-winners.
 
Pamela Claggett has been a regular at OkoumeFest since her Chesapeake 18 won a prize back in 2006. Working from plans, she added a CLC SailRig---with a lot of her own design flourishes.
 
Chesapeake and CLC SailRig
 
It took a lot of carbon fiber (and metallic) reinforcement to supercharge the CLC SailRig.  The result is as fast as it looks.  All of the sailing controls lead right to the front of the cockpit.
 
Custom Rigging
 
 
Windex on Custom CLC SailRig
 
Tweaks include electric running lights at the masthead.  (A motorcycle battery in the hull powers that---and an electric bilge pump!)
 
Custom CLC SailRig
 
Another view of the rig.  Pamela sewed her own sails from laminated material.
 
OkoumeFest Awards
 
While her kayak has won before, there was no way we were letting her off without some sort of prize for the custom rig.  John gave Pamela the award for "Best Use of Electricity in a Kayak," which comprised a cheerful red pennant to stream from the masthead and a copy of "Chapman's Piloting" to help in navigation.  


 The judges---John Harris, David Fawley, and Nick Schade---were unanimous that Neil Meister's Sea Island Sport deserved a prize.  As John remarked, "It takes a lot of courage to paint the sapele plywood.  But it works perfectly."  It's hard to get across the Sea Island Sport's beautiful proportions in photos, but the paint really helps mask off the cool shapes.  Neil won Runner Up Best Kayak.
 
Sea Island Sport at OkoumeFest
 
Neil with his goodies.
 
OkoumeFest Awards
 
 
 

 
Paul Plowright won Best Kayak for his Shearwater 17 Hybrid. 
 
Shearwater Hybrid by Paul
 
Paul used paulownia and spanish cedar to strip his deck.
 
 Shearwater Hybrid by Paul
 
Just a really neat design and beautiful execution.  Like many first-time launches, the varnish was still drying on Paul's kayak.
 
Shearwater Hybrid by Paul
 
Another view of the deck, with book-matched grain port and starboard.  The mounting block is ready for a compass.
 
 
 

A brace of Passagemaker Dinghies won Runner Up and Best Smallcraft.
 
 Passagemaker Dinghy: Runner-Up Small Craft
 
Runner-Up Best Smallcraft went to David Peters and a Passagemaker Dinghy named "Woodstock."  A very polished job of boatbuilding, David, congrats!
 
Passagemaker Dinghy: Woodstock
 
 
 

Shawn Collier's Passagemaker Dinghy was perfectly detailed and won Best Smallcraft.  Sailing performance nut John Harris appreciated the NACA foils ground into the rudder and daggerboard.
 
Passagemaker Dinghy: Best Small Craft
 
The rope padding on the rail is a classy touch.
 
Passagemaker Dinghy: Best Small Craft
 

 


 The judges were enthusiastically unanimous in awarding Dan Thaler's Shearwater 17 Hybrid "Best in Show."
 
Shearwater Hybrid: Best in Show
 
The selection of woods, the design, and the execution were all simply outstanding. 
 
Shearwater Hybrid: Best in Show
 
Check out Dan's flush wooden fittings for deck rigging!
 
Shearwater Hybrid: Best in Show
 
Dan Thaler found an old "thaler" coin, which he embedded behind the cockpit for good luck. It worked.
 
Shearwater Hybrid: Best in Show
 
Dan receives his prizes and applause.  Congrats, Dan, and thanks to EVERYONE who brought boats!
 
Dan Thaler: Best in Show Winner
 
Hours later..after the staff carried about 50 CLC boats back up to the trailers, we headed out for seafood and "cold barley soup."
 
OkoumeFest 2011
 
See you next year!
 
Guillemot L