Haven 12 1/2-Footer

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The Haven 12 1⁄2 was inspired by the history and tradition of Nathanael G. Herreshoff's renowned Herreshoff 12 1⁄2, a class of keelboats just under 16′ long (with a waterline length of 12 1⁄2′-hence the name). Long known for their seawor­thiness, their charm, and their fine turn of speed, the Herreshoff 12 1⁄2s—or Bullseyes, as the marconi-rigged versions came to be known—have carried sailors young and old since 1914. The elegance of the design is timeless.

Marconi sail plan

The Haven 12 1⁄2 was born when our friend Sam Neel found himself in search of a good small boat for his use on Squam Lake in New Hampshire, where he has a summer cottage. Sam had owned a Herreshoff 12 1⁄2 for some years, but he needed a boat that he could haul and launch conveniently by himself, since there is no boatyard facility nearby. The draft of his Herreshoff 12 1⁄2 made her too deep for this or easy trailering, but Sam still had a classic ­looking, seaworthy boat in mind, this time with shallow draft and a centerboard. Yet, there was no design we could recommend which incorporated all the attributes Sam wanted, and, after some discussion with him, we decided to create a new design.

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