17' Chase Drake Touring Rowboat

For offer is my Drake Rowboat designed by Clint Chase. You can see complete information on the design here..

https://www.chase-small-craft.com/drake-rowboat-17

I built this boat about 5 years ago to compete in the Blackburn Challenge – an open water rowing race in Maine. A chronic lower back issue has those plans scuttled (no pun intended).

The boat is 17′ 4″. Built out of 1/4 inch 1088 meranti marine plywood with a supporting cast of fir, mahogany and spruce. Epoxy glued. All structural fasteners are silicon bronze. The enclosed pictures are a combination of build time and current, but I have just finished refreshing all surfaces meaning everything has been sanded, sealed and freshly coated. The color scheme is the same and I have left over paint for touchups. The outside hull paint is semi-gloss, varnish is gloss and the interior low-sheen off-white for glare reduction.

I adapted a Concept 2 rowing seat with pad to the fixed seat (I was going for fixed seat class). The middle seat can be easily removed for flexible seating and other rowing configurations in the future. It is currently set up for solo rowing. The boat comes with 8ft sitka spruce Barkley Sound flat bladed oars. If the fixed seat arrangement is not your thing, it can be adapted to a sliding seat with some research, basic skills and additional equipment. The boat can also accommodate an “off the wind” lug sail – a free and fast downwind ride home. The boat does not have a centerboard nor is it intended to have one.

The Drake was designed as a fast open-water rowboat. It has a reasonably long and narrow waterline – it is slippery yet maintains reasonable stability for carrying loads or a guest.

This is a beautiful design. Its appeal is that it not only excels in flat conditions, but will support you when the weather comes up.

Happy to discuss the boat over the telephone with those interested.

Thanks for reviewing the ad, Steve