When I happened upon a Caledonia Yawl II at the 2019 WoodenBoat Show in Mystic, Connecticut, it was love at first sight. The original Caledonia Yawl, a rugged 19′ 6″ double-ended beach boat designed by Iain Oughtred for clinker plywood construction, has four strakes; this second iteration has seven, and was originally commissioned by a customer in Germany in 1999. The new design proved more stable for sailing while possibly sacrificing some rowing efficiency. Iain based his design of the Caledonia Yawl on the seaworthy double-ended working boats of the Hebrides, Scotland, his adopted home.
I had built a Lumber Yard Skiff in 2017, a very simple 16′ design for first-time boatbuilders, and it was a major confidence-builder in my decision to take on the Caledonia Yawl II. That said, I don’t think previous building experience is a prerequisite; my skill level is at best described as a capable handyman around the house. Also, there are many tutorial videos available online that became indispensable during my project.
The plans arrived with 17 pages of notes and 10 blueprint-style sheets of drawings, including full-sized patterns for the molds and stems. Lines and offsets are also included with ample information to loft the boat, although lofting is not required. I purchased CNC-cut molds and planks from Hewes & Company of Blue Hill, Maine. The planks are delivered in 8′ sections and must be carefully scarfed together.
Donald SullivanThe Caledonia Yawl II has plenty of room for sailing with the whole family, especially with the open configuration. The decked version limits the cockpit area but provides covered storage areas and built-in flotation. The side benches provide a place to secure inflatable flotation like boat rollers or, in this case, a collection of fenders. The kick-up rudder blade is an option that makes beaching easy.
I built my boat to Iain’s specifications, which are impeccable in detail and readability. For a novice boatbuilder, the exquisite plans can eliminate many frustrations along the way.
The plans include options for the open-boat design or the decked-boat design, which adds built-in compartments in the bow and stern for storage and flotation. I chose the open-boat model, which has a real workboat look in keeping with its ancestry, and ample seating on three thwarts and two side benches. And while the plans call for the side benches to be 8″ in width, I would recommend adding an inch, or even two, for added comfort. The open-boat design requires adding flotation as an afterthought as it is not called for in the plans. The underside of the side benches provides a nice location to attach inflatable beach rollers. The sealed storage areas in the bow and stern of the decked version serve as its flotation.
Details for the oars—length and construction—are not specified in the plans, but Shaw & Tenney, a longtime supplier of oars for the Caledonia Yawl, provided recommendations, and I purchased my 11′ 6″ oars from them.
The plans come with three sailing rig options: a balance-lug yawl, a gunter yawl, and a balance-lug sloop. I chose the balance-lug yawl; it is a very popular rig for these small sail-and-oar boats, and I had once owned a yawl and love the way a boat lies head-to-wind with the mizzen sheeted in.
Michael LonsdaleThe Caledonia Yawl II tracks well under oar. The 11′ 6″ oars are long but a good length for the boat’s 6′ 4 ½″ beam. Shorter oars would be easier to stow, but would elevate the handles too much during the drive of the stroke.
The plans arrived August 2019, and by January 2020 she was ready to launch. Our first summer with the Caledonia, christened SPARGE, was a time of learning.
For rowing, once I get a head of steam, the Caledonia Yawl II rows and tracks amazingly well for its size. However, when against both wind and tide, it’s a lot of boat for a solo rower, and I’m guaranteed a workout. For sailing, I had to get used to the Norwegian tiller, which passes to one side of the mizzenmast.
Because the luff of the boat’s rather large lug main is not attached to the mast, and the rig has a large yard, the sail can become unruly as you raise and lower it. We have found the quicker we raise and lower the main, the better it behaves. And the luff must be taut—very taut—for the best performance, especially to windward. I added a second block on the downhaul to create more purchase and tension.
Once we overcame these teething troubles, my wife Dawn and I enjoyed many good day sails and picnics on the boat, but we shied away from going out when the whitecaps appeared. On a warm August day in our first season, in 10 to 15 knots with a double-reefed main, we capsized. A large gust pushed the lee gunwale under the water, and before I knew it the boat was on its side and we were in the water (when back on the beach I was told that the sudden blast of wind had come out of nowhere and sent most of the umbrellas flying). Fortunately, the mainmast, with its hollow bird’s-mouth construction, had enough buoyancy to keep the boat from turning turtle.
Patrick SullivanThe Caledonia Yawl’s beam and full midsections stand up to the press of the sail in a good sailing breeze.
I had seen videos on how to recover from a capsize, and I was able to right the boat by standing on the centerboard, but with no built-in flotation the gunwales were at the waterline and the sea was breaking in with no hope of bailing. We were towed to a nearby beach by a good Samaritan and recovered there. The incident revealed the need to have the right amount flotation to keep the boat high enough to be boarded and bailed out in the event of a capsize.
In retrospect, I can point to our inexperience with the Caledonia Yawl and several mistakes that contributed to our capsize. First, my wife was comfortably sitting on the lee side of the boat; second, after reefing I did not sufficiently retighten the downhaul on the mainsail, making the upwind tack more difficult; and third, I don’t recall if the mainsheet was cleated or not, but I clearly did not react quickly enough to release the sheet in those conditions. Since then, I have human ballast only on the windward side except in very calm conditions, I never cleat the mainsheet, and I always keep the downhaul really taut.
That whole experience got me thinking about the alternative three-sail gunter-yawl rig: jib, main, and mizzen. I thought we would benefit from having a jib, which would allow me to drop the main altogether and sail happily on jib and mizzen when unexpected weather arrives. During the off-season I took almost all the steps necessary to convert the rig, including new boom, yard, mainsail, and jib. I elected not to move the mast partner aft for the gunter rig as shown on the plans because I wanted to be able to go back to the lug rig easily if desired. I do not think the gunter rig suffered any performance issues as a result.
Michael LonsdaleThe gunter-yawl rig, one of three rigs detailed in the plans, provides several reefing possibilities when dealing with building winds. While this rig and the lug rigs have similar total sail areas, some may find it easier to manage the 108-sq-ft gunter main than the 136-sq-ft lug main. However, the forestay, shrouds, jibsheets, and two more halyards add a level of complexity that isn’t necessarily compatible with simple trailer-sailing.
We sailed the entire second season with the gunter yawl and enjoyed the benefits of the three-sail rig. I believe the boat pointed a bit higher than with the lug rig, and most important, she sailed quite well and balanced under jib and mizzen alone, which we enjoyed often when the weather presented itself and the wind piped up.
I also added the recommended flotation that winter, which should ensure the centerboard trunk opening is above the waterline after righting the boat in the event of another capsize.
What wasn’t obvious at the beginning of this conversion was how many additional parts and pieces I was adding to my boat. This list includes a forestay and two shrouds (the balance-lug rig requires no shrouds, just a free-standing mast), a peak halyard, a throat halyard, a jib halyard, a kicking strap, and two jibsheets, all detailed in the plans. If my goal was to simplify sailing in rougher weather, I sure created a lot more lines to worry about, and an additional 10 to 15 minutes of rigging and de-rigging time at the ramp. By the season’s end I was very happy with the new rig, its appearance, performance, and versatility, but I could not stop thinking about the less-complicated lug rig and suspected I had not given it a proper chance.
Patrick SullivanThe lug main is a powerful sail but doesn’t require the standing rig that the gunter uses, so it’s easier to set up at the launch site.
For season three, I reverted to the simpler balance lug rig and set out to master it. I sailed alone in all kinds of weather. I added an outhaul on the mainsail, which, in addition to the highly tensioned luff, allowed the balance lug to perform at its peak. I now was sailing unreefed comfortably in up to 12 knots of wind. The balance-lug yawl rig is self-tending, so I need not touch a line when tacking. I go to a double reef in the main at about 13 knots and sail there comfortably up to 18 knots for pleasure. I can add a third reef if needed but have not yet had to; all three reefpoints are in the plans. The Caledonia Yawl is an amazingly dry boat, and other than inadvertently dipping the gunwale into the sea, I don’t believe I have taken on more than a teacup of water over the bow. And, I can confidently say that with my renewed effort to conquer the lug rig, I am regularly weathering gusts and seas in rough conditions without issue.
I have now just finished season four, and my Caledonia Yawl II is one of the fastest, prettiest boats on Long Island Sound. I often hit 8 knots on a broad reach, 6.5 knots on a close reach. And while it might have taken a while, the boat now exceeds even my wildest dreams. I trailer her from the same garage she was built in. I can rig and de-rig her at the ramp in 20 minutes, although it often takes longer as I take time to talk with interested bystanders who inevitably ask about the boat.
And while my bones are a bit too brittle for camp-cruising, something I did 25 years ago, four-to-five-hour gunkholing excursions and short-tacking up creeks are a delight with the Caledonia. The Norwalk Islands present many opportunities to go either by sail or by oar where many others cannot.
Building SPARGE was one of the great joys of my life; 500 hours of sheer pride, dedication, and pleasure, and it has become a vehicle for clear thoughts, enjoyment of these natural surroundings, and appreciation for the genius of Iain Oughtred. For anyone looking for these qualities in a boat that you can build yourself, I can’t recommend the Caledonia Yawl highly enough.
Donald Sullivan and his wife have sailed extensively throughout their 45-year marriage. They have owned a mahogany-planked 20′ Pennant Sloop, a 28′ gaff-rigged wooden sloop, an 18′ Drascombe Lugger, a 22′ Pearson Ensign, and a 1966 Hinckley Pilot 35. The boats each served a purpose well in their time, but at 71, Donald enjoys the simplicity of trailer-sailing, the performance of a great design, and the beautiful looks of a traditional boat.
Caledonia Yawl II Particulars
LOA: 19′ 9″
LWL: 16′ 1″
Beam: 6′ 4 1⁄2″
Hull weight: 450 lbs, all up 650 lbs
Displacement WL: 1,090 lbs
Sail area: 164 sq ft
Plans for the Caledonia Yawl II are available from The WoodenBoat Store for $291. Plans for the original four-strake Caledonia Yawl are available from The WoodenBoat Store and Oughtred Boats.
Is there a boat you’d like to know more about? Have you built one that you think other Small Boats readers would enjoy? Please email us.
Donald – well done! Boat looks great. I am really pleased to find someone that has sailed both the lug and gunter version. I opted for the gunter on my CY and am preparing for my first season. One question: It looks like your boom on the gunter is on a gooseneck. Is that the case? If so, which one did you go for?
Cole,
I went with the “jaws”, as drawn on page 5 of 10 of the plans called Sail Plan II. They’re just a series of laminated pieces, and it worked very well with a cord and some parrel beads.
You will be very happy with the Gunter rig.
Cole,
I misspoke above, I was mistakenly referring to the laminated jaws on the yard. I also did jaws on the boom (much simpler) by just cutting out a shape on 3/4 marine plywood and gluing to the boom. I can send a pic if you’d like. Also closed this jaw with cord and parrel beads. A jaw in this application is nice because it slides up and down, some goosenecks are rigid. Sorry for the confusion.
Very lovely! Beautiful job; beautiful design. Ian will be sorely missed.
I was interested in your experiences with the two different rigs. I had a 12ft skiff that I first rigged with a lug rig, but found that tensioning the luff to give decent windward performance would cause the mast to bend substantially, due the compression load, which would then allow the luff of the sail to sag away again. I changed the rig to gaff; then the mast bend acted to flatten the sail in stronger winds, rather than get fuller as happened with the lug rig.
Andy,
The birds-mouth construction of my main mast makes it amazingly stiff, so I haven’t had that problem, although I understand what your saying . . . a sagging luff on a lug rig can be very debilitating, whatever the cause. Sounds like you made a good solution.
A loop of parrel beads would help hold the lug’s yard against the mast. This is a common solution.
You did a beautiful job on your boat. I have owned the plans for 20 years or more, and now that I am past my mid 80s, I fear I may not get around to building. I do scan the classifieds from time to time hoping one might show up. I would be quite content with the 4-plank hull as opposed to the 7-plank one. I see some CYs with outboard motor wells, but it looks like your situation allows you to depend on oars; it;’s always nice to dispense with the stinky noise makers.
David, thanks for your note, I recommend offcenterharbor.com, they have a boats for sale section which often has one or two Caledonia Yawls in it.
And you are right, no outboard for me. However, I have seen folks add lightweight electric motors on nice simple brackets, something I may think about as well as I get older.
Nice boat. I also have a Caledonia II rigged with a balanced lug for simplicity and ease of set up. I have not added a mizzenmast yet but am interested in trying it to see how much difference it will make. I, like you, love cruising in it.
Wayne, I think you should try the mizzen, it will give you two wonderful things. First, with the mizzen sheeted in tight, she will keep the boat head-to-wind while raising and lowering the mainsail. And two, just slight adjustments to the mizzen will eliminate any weather helm and keep the boat very balanced. It’s also very good-looking.
Donald, interesting that you have tried both lug and Gunter versions. I built Oughtred’s Sooty Tern, which is a narrower version of the CY.
On another matter: I too will be sailing on L. I. Sound. I noticed no CT registration number. I don’t really want to mar my boat with 3” numbers, but wonder about compliance. Any sailboat over 19’6” is supposed to have a vessel registration. Furthermore I worry that I’ll have to have a USCG inspection with possible annoyances like requiring built-in flotation. What’s your thinking on this?
Malcolm Meldahl
Deep River, CT
Don’s Caledonia finished shorter than the designed LOA and fell just shy of requiring registration.
—Ed.
Malcom, in addition to Chris’ comment above, I did add inflatable boat rollers under the side seats as floatation, which more than covers the Connecticut requirements.
Hi Don
We seem to have some common experiences with the CY2. I built mine in 2019 (see AUDREY JAMES in the April 2020 Small Boats). A very fun and delightful open-air driveway build. Once it hit the water the discoveries started. I also have the balanced lug with mizzen. I have since fabricated a short bowsprit for a roller jib. This has been a great improvement in handling and sailing abilities. I sail with 1 reef 80% of the time due to the southwest breeze kicking up pretty quickly here in Narragansett Bay, RI. I keep the mizzen reefed also. The jib makes up for the reefed main with less sail aloft. I have a double block downhaul and mainsheet. I put a single block purchase on the main halyard to ease the load while setting and striking ( have one hand free to grab the sail & yard). My small electric motor didn’t quite do the job so I have a 2.3 hp to keep me out of trouble. The motor also allows me to enter areas I normally wouldn’t go. No capsizes yet! I camp-cruise Narragansett Bay and some of the larger CT & RI lakes and salt ponds. Considering the Connecticut River this year. Perhaps we’ll cross wakes.
Nice work!
Marty Casey
Marty – can you share more information on how you set up your balanced lug/mizzen with the bowsprit/roller jib? Contemplating different riggings for my build, and this is an interesting addition without going full change to gunter yawl rig?
Thanks!
Jason
Marty, thanks for your note . . . your boat looks beautiful. If you have a picture of her under sail with the bow sprit and jib, please post.
No pics with jib set. Stay tuned…early lauching soon.
Great story, beautiful boat. I’m playing with boats on the other side of the Sound.
I also had a 20′ Pennant Sloop, loved that boat.
I have found it a pleasant pastime to build scale models of the boats I like. My first was a solid wood model of an H28 (Herreshoff ketch) that appeared in one of the boat-building magazines. (I heard that GIs returning from WWII fell in love with that design). I built that instead of studying at my desk while in college. Later I built a Ted Brewer 22′ ketch designed for plywood construction, and planked it up with thin red cedar that I cut on the table saw. Have done the same with a John Gardner Swampscott dory, a Bolger double-chine outboard skiff, and also a 9′ round-bilge pram in Chapelle’s Small Boats. For that one, I lofted the lines and built a mold frame just as you would in building the real thing. Lining off the plank shapes for this lapstrake dinghy was an interesting task. As I was trying to bend in tiny ash frames, I got frustrated when the frames almost instantly cooled off from the teakettle steaming. That’s when I tried bending with dry heat; it was winter, and I was standing next to a hot stove pipe, when I got this inspiration. Oh, also did a model of a Bolger outboard skiff with a double-chine hull. All of these smaller boats I did at a 1″ to 1′ scale, just to simplify the math.
Though I made my own “lumber” on the table saw, hobby shops often have extremely thin plywood that should work very well.
I recommend anyone contemplating building a boat to build a scale model first. It should take you hours, or at most days, instead of months or years. You get to see what the 3-dimensional boat will look like, and can also deal with complications and dilemmas that might intimidate you on the full-size vessel.
I miss the days when boat-building magazines featured plans you could build from, though of course they wanted you to buy the actual blue prints from the designer. These included “Sports Afield’s Boatbuilding Annual,” “How to Build 20 Boats,” “Boats You Can Build” and “MoTorBoat’s Ideal Series,” which consisted mostly of Billy Atkin’s designs. One of his most intriguing is “Pocahontas,” a 12′ gaff-rigged, teak planked (lapstrake) sloop of 1400 lbs. displacement (!). Haven’t tackled that one yet, but it is tempting. It is really a little ship, with actual deadeyes instead of turnbuckles for the standing rigging.