Ranger 28, Swiftsure 33 and the Rhodes Reliant, among others. He actively designed boats for over a half century before his death in 1974. Dad died in 1991, and after my
step-mom died a decade later, I found the plans for the original boat that never got built and decided that one day, I would build it. Fast forward to 2007…I had gone through a lot of the history of the Bantam, remembered that Dad was a past Secretary of the organization, found out Dad wrote an article about the Bantam for the magazine “How to Build 20 Boats” in the early 60’s; and re-established contact with an old rival, and the last Commodore for the Bantam Association, Jim Burlitch. Dad and I had sailed against Jim at Red Jacket, and fondly remember many afternoons listening to his advice on the front lawn of the club. Jim took over for Dick Besse, whose Skaneateles Boat Works was instrumental in proto- typing and launching the Bantam in the late 40’s. Dick was regarded as the titular “Father” of the Bantam Association, and kept it alive for many years as the number of boats declined. Over the long run, a little over 2,000
were built between 1948 and the late 70’s, primarily sailed on the east coast and midwest, but registered all over the world. My saga starts in June 2008, after
receiving a set of updated prints from Jim and Kathy Burlitch, with all the changes and modifications from the original plans and a handy cheat sheet on building the boat. My yellowed set was partially unreadable, but the 507A (507 being Rhodes’ design number and A signifying a replica boat) would be built…come hell or high water. I had to incorporate a few changes into the design, and ended up doing some minor modifications to add floatation (I know, wood floats, so why the extra?) at Jim’s suggestion. I located a good source of wood for construction, and found a great sailmaker (Don Yager at Yager Sails) here in Spokane. I also found out that Jim and Kathy were veritable fonts of knowledge on the Bantam and rigging, as I burned up the internet with questions. In Dad’s belongings, I also found an original specification book and an association handbook from the mid-60’s, which helped immensely in the process.
Change a life. Donate your boat.
D e e
M a r i n
Support local and regional programs for children and young adults through the charitable donation of your boat. The Pacific Marine foundation is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization funding regional programs such as Northwest Youth Services, Sea Scouts, Boys & Girls Clubs, and local public school education foundations. A substantial tax savings and the possibility of a partial cash sale makes a charitable donation a very attractive alternative for any owner who is considering selling their power or sailing yacht.
(888) 443-8262 •
www.pacificmarine.org 1900 W Nickerson #2000, Seattle, WA 98119
Whether you’re here for a vacation or are looking for permanent moorage in a Pacific Northwest paradise, Deer Harbor Marina should be a key waypoint on your journey. Come enjoy the beauty of Deer Harbor throughout the season.
• Winter Rates at $5.00/ft • Slips to 50’
• Guest side ties up to 150’ • 30 amp power at each slip • Pool, showers & laundry • Fuel dock (gas & diesel) • Fresh water & Pump-out
• Free Wi-Fi • Nearby restaurants
• Apparel, gifts, books, maps & charts • Deli, groceries, beer, wine, ice cream, coffee, prep food, DVD rentals & ATM • Whale watching, kayaks and boat rental tours and charters
TEL: 360.376.3037 FAX: 360.376.6091 EMAIL:
info@BellPortGroup.com ONLINE:
www.BellPortGroup.com VHF 78A
48° NORTH, SEPTEMBER 2011 PAGE 53
In a 1962 article for “How To Build
20 Boats”, Dad wrote that “Many experienced skippers have stepped into a Rhodes Bantam, wondered aloud about the room and comfort in its fourteen feet, exclaimed about its exceptional stability and then found a boat with a real challenge to their sailing ability. For all its good performance, the Bantam is an ideal boat for family sailing, one which doesn’t penalize the inexperienced.” He went on to extol the beauty of the Bantam in its simplicity, saying that you don’t have to be a shipwright or have a shop full of special tools to build it. That was the line that really got me hooked. “The Bantam is a strict one-design class where home built boats are on par with factory boats, and there are no gold-platers”, he wrote, “A comfortable chair, a good standard text on boat building and the usual tools of a home workshop combined with patience and care and you’re on your way.” Now, that’s my kind of boat! My wife was skeptical, no, she was
more than skeptical, of my ability to build the boat. Seems comments about my relative sanity and comparisons with “Tim the Toolman Taylor”
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