Sixareen

The Sixareen and its use:

Till the end of the 19th century the open boat design of the Sixareens was used by the fishery within approximately 60 miles from the shore.  At the fishing grounds thousands of yards of fish-line and hooks were reeled out to catch leng and haddock.  A single luggersail propelled the boots and six oars were regularly used during unfavorable wind conditions.

Norwegian influences played an important role during the development of the Sixareen.  Originally the boats were built in Norway and sailed to the Shetland Islands for delivery.  Later on the wood was imported from Norway to build the boats themselves.  However the Norwegian influence on form and building method remained and are undeniably present in the current models.

Our new design:

The  premise of our design was the wooden Sixareen “Vaila Mae”, which was newly built by the Shetland Museum and launched in June 2008.  Because our boat is mainly designed for sailing we have adapted the design lines to optimize the sailing characteristics.  We made the boat wider and filled in the transom below the waterline marginally.  We raised the lower freeboard near the mid-ship, necessary for rowing, to make the boat more seaworthy.

Similar to the original design our boat has a shallow keel with a rotating lead ballast centerboard instead of a stone ballast centerboard.  Another reason for lead ballast instead of stones is that fishermen would discard the stone ballast when their fish catch  weight increased.

Different from the completely open Sixareen our boat has front and rear decks and about 16 inches wide gang boards.  Underneath the decks and gang-boards we installed stowage room and buoyancy containers.

The centerboard remains below the floor level to keep the cockpit free of obstacles.

Instead of eight wooden lapped sections our boat has five aluminum sections per side.  The joints of these sections are welded in ship-lap manner.

Instead of having a original single Lugger-sail our boat is rigged with two masts.  The main mast has a gaffed mainsail and a jib.  The stay-less mizzen mast has a triangular sail.  Without disturbing the sail-balance, we believe this user friendly handsome rigging is easy to adjust to changing weather conditions.

In order to propel the boat an out-board motor can be placed in a bun or a small in-board motor can be placed under a wooden enclosure in the cockpit

Possibilities for use

Primarily our Sixareen is designed to be an open boat that is also safe to sail open waters during less favorable weather conditions.  For example in the Netherlands we imagine the waters between the barrier islands called “Waddenzee” and the lake called “Ijsselmeer” which is enclosed by a dam between the Eastern part and the Western part of the Netherlands.  For example abroad we imagine the coastal regions the Baltic  Sea and waters of the British Isles and Chesapeake Bay in the USA.

Because the retractable center board of the Sixareen drafts only 21 inches, sailing in shallow waters is effortless.  Due to the stretched keel we expect that the boat will sail well to the wind even when the centerboard is partially raised.  In deeper waters, when the center-board is completely lowered the counter weight will be maximized and enhance the sailing experience.

In our eyes the Sixareen is perfectly suited for long tours.  The spacious cockpit floor surely offers room for four adults to sleep comfortably and the under the front deck and gang-boards there is sufficient dry storage space.  During the overnight stay in the cockpit it should be covered with a canvas tarpaulin/tent.

During day-trips the Sixareen can comfortably sail with 10 passengers.  The benches are approximately 10 feet long and placed on both sides of the cockpit.  The benches offer plenty of seating room.  The liberal free board and deep cockpit floor enhance the safety when children are on board.  Not to mention that an open boat has more elbow room than a cabin boat with the same dimensions.

Specifications

  • Length across the deck 30,48 Ft
  • Width 9.25 Ft
  • Draft 1.8/4.9 ft
  • Sail ready weight about 3200 lbs
  • Counter weight about 880 lbs
  • Sail are 360 ft2

General pricing information

  • Hull € 18,650
  • Sail ready without engine €34,250

Prices include Value Added Tax VAT.