Tuesday, August 11, 2009

The MADIGAN - a Gil Smith Catboat

The MADIGAN is a Long Island Catboat. It is a replica of the original catboat WINWARD built by Gil Smith in 1895. The MADIGAN was built in 1995 by The Apprenticeshop of Rockland, Maine.

In my view it is the most beautiful sailing ship ever designed. The lines are just amazing. A piece of art.

Apparently there is only one such ship in Europe. The COHIBA, built in Finland in 2002. Some years ago it was for sale for 25K euro.

The Apprenticeshop in Maine will build you a new Gil Smith Catboat, identical to the pictured MADIGAN, for 48K USD...... and by God, I am tempted!

www.atlanticchallenge.com

7 comments:

  1. Howdy man,

    That is a very beautiful boat indeed!
    I would love to sail one of those, let alone have one!
    Perhaps we can do that some time.

    I always thought of the "draak" - a popular sailing boat in the Netherlands as one of the most beautiful, but I must admit this one is even more beautiful. The draak is also a Scandinavian design, the dutch Prince of Orange owns a restored one. He got it from his friends though...

    I know that you have a weakness for beatiful design, so please let me know if you can't stand your temptation for this extraordinary example of beautiful design.....

    Not that I want to tempt you (as I myself would be) but sailing for a couple of hours once and a while is great fun as well as we both know, it could be sailing in nearshore Scandinavian waters.....

    Just kidding and teasing my friend - thank you for sharing this!

    Frank M

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  2. Hello !!
    I must admid - you right. I have spent, a great deal of time, - this summer, researching, on the internet, about this boat. I wanna build a copy of this, Iám a skilled boatbuilder - commin from a Danish boatbuilder tradition´s, going generation´s back.What I wanna do, manny people think is despotic, but actually, I have a dream about, this boat, in glasfiber, with a white alu rig, a "decent" hull (cause you can see on the pic, above, that the hull-finish is not perfect) an a PERFECT teak-deck - with the Danish tradition, of a Fish-teak plank. instead of just a "straigth, teak - plank. On top of that, Iám thinking, electric raised sail/keel.....but Mystic Seaport, - who apprearently have the plan´s are not mailing me back, as fast as Iám mailing them, so I´ll wait for a reply, if I can buy the plan´s I´ll need, for this project,- what are you saying about this "Crazy" idea....?

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  3. Hi Danish Anonymous!
    I like your idea for a glassfiber Gil Smith. Not so crazy at all. What makes the ship so beautiful is it's lines. Glassfiber will make it more userfriendly. Easier to maintain, thus more attrractive to use. And your idea of electrically raised sail will make it even easier to use. Apparently these ships are not that easy to sail normally. I think your version of the Gil Smith Catboat sound beautiful and modernized and updated for these times. Great idea! If you want to talk more about this I am more than happy.
    Best regards

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  4. PERFECT Vintage !!!! Great to hear from you !!If we didn´t have this godforsaken economic chrisis, I would´t hessite, building a mold, of MADIGAN ( actually WINDWARD, Gil Smith 1895) ship it to poland, for cheap glasfiber hull production, and assembly, here back in Denmark.
    Right now, it is now the right time for me to do it(just become FATHER 4 month´s ago to my little son Magnus) - but better times will deffently come again - and then "The ULTIMATE Catboat" hopefully is ready..
    Do you know where I could get hold, of all the plan´s needed, for this boat..? I have NO luck, here from Denmark..??..?
    Regards, Brian

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  5. Have you tried contacting atlantic challenge?

    info@antlanticchallenge.com

    They're the people that built the Madigan.

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  6. Yes, no reply..but now I have emailed Lance Lee, so let´s see...
    Brian in Denmark

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  7. No reply, from everyboby, I have contacted, do you know ANYTHING, about these plan´s. How come it is SO difficult , to get in contact with ANYBODY, who have these plan´s...??

    Regards Brian In Denmark !!
    PS:Iám about to completely DROP this project, if I can´t get these plan´s - sadly, cause , through my work, I talke to an investor, yesterday - who liked the idea, an had NO LIMIT, on investing, in the project, deschribed above...

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