ways. Twenty-five feet one inch over-all, nineteen feet eight inches on the 

 water, she had a beam of seven feet three inches, with three foot eleven 

 inch draft. Area of the working lowers is 258 square feet. Though she may 

 appear a mite thin to American eyes, she is a good compromise between 

 reasonable room below and good performance. With the short steep seas 

 of the Baltic a beamier small boat would have been stopped when beating 

 into a chop. With plenty of water, draft was no problem, so the stability 

 of the deep keel was practical. Outside ballast weighs some 2200 pounds, 

 and with a hull weight of 4750, the weight-ballast ratio runs around 47 

 per cent. With good winds the sail area could be kept to a modest size 

 that is easily handled. 



"Plans called for a type of construction that would be economical in 

 small one-at-a-time yards, or in series in the larger shops. Thus, the lapstrake 

 planking, copper fastenings, and transom stern. 



"There is more than economy behind any successful class boat. Scandi- 

 navians are great sailors and they have found her an ideal all-around sloop. 

 For summer afternoon races, she is handy and quick and provides good 

 sport for a two or three man crew. During vacations she will sleep three, 

 or even four ( in some intimacy ) for pleasant 'longshore voyaging. Naturally, 

 with her deep keel and short rig, she is no ball of fire in light air though 

 responsive enough and fun to sail. But when the wind begins to whistle and 

 the water climbs the tree, the Folkboat begins to sparkle. Clawing oflF a 

 lee shore into a sharp chop is her cup of tea, and she eats up the distance 

 in a most satisfactory fashion. Off the wind, with a slop of a following sea 

 she has a tremendous sense of security and knowing. Though no boat can 

 be called foolproof the stout, well mannered Folkboat can withstand a lot 

 of foolishness from an inexperienced helmsman. She's also a safe trainer 

 for the spouse or the growing hands in the family. Her performance in 

 last summer's Trans-Atlantic attests to her seakeeping qualities." 



The Folkboats are not all built to a standard, though the different ver- 

 sions have much in common. Since many are homemade and built in Eu- 

 rope, no reliable figures can be given as to their number. However, one 

 authority estimates that there are about fifteen hundred in Europe, three 

 hundred to four hundred in the United States— close to two thousand in all. 



George B. Walton (4th St. and Severn Ave., Eastport, Annapolis, Md.) 

 has "evolved" a Folkboat for the American market, which is called a Nordic 

 Folkboat. The cabin has been enlarged and a large forward hatch added. 

 There are two berths in the main cabin and two forward, a galley, toilet, 

 icebox, etc. Auxiliary power is also provided. The lapstrake construction 



CRUISING CLASSES 257 



