Skipjack Builder Page 1

Super Skipjack

Ray Berringer, GA

Our first Super Skipjack Builder Photos! It's always satisfying to get photos from our builders, but it's a special thrill to get the first shots of a new project built by someone else! Mr Berringer has done a really nice job building his Super Skipjack: It looks like he used aluminum tubing for the spars instead of the modified windsurfer masts in the plans, nice cockpit details, and a great finish to the whole boat (nice looking deck!) Mr. Berringer describes his boat a bit below...

Our thanks to Ray for his photos and kind comments and we look forward to seeing more of his boat in the future!

I have really enjoyed building this boat. I usually built kayaks and racing skulls but this boat caught my interest about three or four years ago when you posted the pictures of the boat but didn't have the plans together yet.
The rings around the holes are African Mahogany, the keel was made from clear tight grained cypress and the tiller arm is mahogany as well. The sails are made from a white tarp (about $25) and the mast, gaff and boom from aircraft aluminum tubing, thick walled and very strong. Peter has good suggestions about modifying the trailer which were very helpful.

The boat tracks well and goes to weather better than I expected. I cannot believe that the tracking is so good without a weighted keel or a dagger board. You have designed the boat well.
My friend will be talking to you soon. He will build the Weekender and we ordered the cypress for the keel today. One
of the things that I appreciated most about this build was the patient support that I got from Peter when I would call with a problem that might seem simple to him but was Greek to me.

Dave and Toni Freehling, CO

"As you can see there was very little wind, but this my gaff rigged skipjack. Wind Sunday prior proved the boat worthy of a fast sail, but on this July 4 -- nothing!
This was the boat gifted to me by Tim Rinkevich of Denton, TX. I had to rebuild mast, boom, clubfoot, gooseneck, and re-rig. We are having fun!"

This Skipjack was one of the reasons we decided to build the new, gaff-rigged SuperSkipjack. We loved the look of the gaff rig instead of the lateen (although the lateen worked great on the older Skipjack, the SuperSkipjack has a bit more power and a lot more style!)

Hector Muñoz, Guadalajara Mex.

This Skipjack was built by a sailing club in Guadalajara. They certainly seem to be having fun, which is EXACTLY the idea!

Thanks!

Skipjack built by a college student in her apartment.

Lester Haley, Chula Vista, CA

Mr. Haley's Skipjack is on the left, in the back. In the foreground one can see our original Skipjack prototype modified a bit by Bill Stevenson (he changed the rig; Bill always enjoyed experimenting with sailing ideas!) and our 3-In-1 in the middle!