Chesapeake Light Craft’s Jimmy Skiff was inspired by flat-bottomed utility boats used under sail and oar for work and transportation on the bay. The design was named not after a guy named James, but after the blue crabs of Chesapeake Bay—the females are called sooks and the males are called jimmies. The original CLC version was developed two decades ago and for almost half of that time designer John Harris has been working on an update to the popular design. The 13′2″ Jimmy Skiff II has the same length as its predecessor, but its beam is up from 50″ to 52″ and the transom has been reconfigured—broader and with less rake—to accommodate a small outboard motor. The space from the transom to the forward bulkhead is 9' 6" long. With hatches to provide access to the enclosed space under the benches and slats to bridge the space between them to make a sleeping platform, the Jimmy II could do some overnight cruises.
Christopher Cunningham
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As the proud builder/owner of a Chesapeake Light Craft Peeler Skiff kit I can attest to the high quality of their designs, kits, and customer support. They are a fine company and John Harris is an effective combination of architect, engineer, artist, and businessman. If my wife would let me, I’d be building a new CLC kit every few years.
Is there any way to put a reef in that sail in case the wind comes up? perhaps wrapping it around the mast?
I am building one of these. I have rigged the sail on land now but have not yet been on the water. Still lots of sanding and painting to do with the hull!
I don’t see a way to reef the sail. I think if you had another eyelet sewn into the sail to make another clew a bit higher up, then it would be possible to run the sail at a lower (smaller) position and reef the foot a bit, but it would be awkward since the boom is in the middle so there is active sail above and below the boom.
I’m interested to see if others respond with a solution!
Jim Michalak has a very nice discussion of reefing the leg-o’-mutton sail.
Chris Cunningham
Small Boats Magazine editor
Can you use a Nor’easter dory balanced lug on the Jimmy Skiff II?