Design lineage

16.22 in Boat Plans, design, lineage

As mentioned at the start of this project, the Passagemaker dinghy design is inspired by a traditional Scandinavian sailing pram. Today I received a copy of the out-of-print Sailing Craft by Frank Rosenow. This literary study of Swedish working craft of the 30s and 40s

depicts the lineage of the Passagemaker dinghy. A ubiquitous Swedish working boat, called an eka, is perhaps the father of the Passagemaker. The version that Rosenow describes is slightly bigger, at about 14 feet LOA. But the design influences are unmistakable, with the characteristic snub bow, and lapstrake hull. Some minor differences include the ekas raked stern transom, and a Marconi rig that contrasts with the sliding gunter rig of the Passagemaker. When my own copy of Passagemaker finally takes to water, I will have Rosenows book to remind me of the rich history of its simple, elegant design.