Fenwick Williams designed 17 catboats from 8' to 30' in length. All of them are legendary, but his first, an 18-footer created during the height of the Great Depression in 1931, stands out as a little gem.Originally intended to be an inexpensive craft for people who couldn’t afford larger boats, Design No. 1 remains popular today because of its perky appearance, comfort, and lively performance. Her stability and ease of handling accommodate young and old, from a software designer escaping the digital world to a traffic-weary bus driver seeking peace and quiet. Retired senior editor of the Catboat Association, John Peter Brewer describes this family of boats with both accuracy and affection:“The catboat is ...an American art form. She was developed, built and sailed with great skill by ordinary men who needed her for honest work. Her origins go back at least 160 years, and perhaps more.
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Had one of these built at the Apprenticeshop, modified design by the late Joe Liener who saw one being built after the war. He went home and built BUXOM LASS of Salem. Mine was GOBLIN with an old-time rig which meant the first reef in at about 10 knots, but I rarely needed the outboard. My old boat is still sailing, now on Narragansett Bay.
Is it really over 3,000 pounds as advertised?
I suspect that I once came across AUNT LYDIA on a launching ramp in Hingham Harbor. This was decades ago but the memory stays with me, despite ownership of a few less memorable cats since. The proportions seemed just right. And, the wood hull brings own wonderful feel to the beholder. Fenwick Williams was a genius.
I would very much to talk to F. Marshall Bauer. I have a Fenwick Williams 18′ from 1955 I rescued and will be restoring (shown as ‘Patchy Fog’ in ‘The Catboat Book.’). Could someone let me know how to contact? Thanks.
Sadly, according to an obituary published on the web, Mr. Bauer passed away in July, 2021.
—Ed.
Thank you for republishing this. Wish I had one. While sailing near Shady Side, MD, last summer I watched a fleet of catboats jauntily sail out of the West River into the Chesapeake and they were a sight to remember.