FILO is a winsome gaff-rigged sailing dinghy reminiscent of catboats first seen along the New England coast in the 1840s. At 11' LOA, with a 5'0" beam and 8" draft (daggerboard up), this beamy daysailer—designed for protected waters—combines characteristics of a Cape Cod cat with elegant features of the classic Whitehall. She is charming and graceful under sail.FILO’s saga began when her owner, Tom Darnton, replaced his old, leaky waders with a new pair, seeking comfort during the annual spring ritual to install the dock at the family cottage on Lake Charlevoix in northwestern (lower) Michigan. Snug against the elements, he stood hip deep in frigid water, as a zephyr skimmed the surface under azure skies—a beautiful day to sail. Gazing across Oyster Bay, he imagined himself tacking a small wooden daysailer with traditional lines, a boat that he could put on a cart, roll to the water’s edge, launch, and sail alone.After considering various designs, Darnton was smitten with designer Charles Wittholz’s 11' catboat dinghy, with its round bottom, nearly wineglass transom, sweeping sheer, gaff rig, eye-catching details, and versatility under sail, or, unrigged, under oars or outfitted with a small out-board engine. Relatively large for a dinghy, with fine lines despite a broad beam, she is a throwback to a simpler time in America. She is ideal for Lake Charlevoix, with its rich maritime heritage. Over a century earlier, the lake teemed with wooden schooners and steamers carrying passengers and freight along the shore.
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Designed as a pretty displacement boat for heavy loads
– Ply boats that plane sailing upwind need minimum curve in the lines while maintaining stability.
– Raid boats encourage this.
Love the design and I would like to build it. I don’t have facilities or ability to do cold-molding. Would it be possible to built it with strip planking? Since retirement I have successfully built 8 small boats as gifts to family and friends. Great hobby. Eager to receive your reply. Was a charter member of WoodenBoat, now subscribe to Small Boats.
Thanks,
Ron Wood
On the WoodenBoat Forum I see that a couple of builders strip-planked the dinghy. A photograph of a cold-molded versions shows laminates curving sharply from the hull to form the skeg. A different approach would be needed for strip-planking.
A friend and I built this boat from Douglas-fir peeler veneer. We bought the veneer from the plywood mill down the road from my house and they sold us a pickup load for something like $80. (In 1993) It ended up slightly heavier, slightly thinner and bomber strong. In addition to the hull, all keel and knees were laminated from those veneers. We had so much veneer that I’m surprised we didn’t make the sail from it! We did go up to Puget Sound to buy some spruce for the spars and I had a fantastic time making those. All in all, it was a very do-able project. Don’t be put off by cold molding. Just read, get setup correctly, and do a little practicing before you start on the boat if you are unsure. (We went directly to work on the boat and it went fine, though we did experience something of a learning curve along the way.) Our target was “an excellent boat, but not magazine quality” and I think we achieved that. We still have it and trade it back and forth every few years. A good boat which we are both still proud of all these years later.
I built these boats in glass from a cold-molded boat I built from plans. I am retired now. Thank for sharing your pictures. Your boats are ❤️.
Richard Wilcoxen
I love that boat. I am from the UK originally where on the Solent they have Yarmouth Scows (ours was a Bembridge Scow) designed by an American, I think. I learnt to sail back in the day when they were all clinker mahogany, ours still with a cotton sail and a steel center plate.
They were virtually uncapsizable but probably 200lb.
The sound of the ripple as they sailed was amazing. I am looking for a retirement project but realize I may not have the skill for the cold molding so I’m going to have to look for a professional to make that crucial part.
Thanks.