21' Reeves Crabbing Skiff (2022) - BOX HEAD

Reeves 21’7” crabbing skiff. designed 1909. From Chappelle ‘Chesapeake bay Crabbing Skiffs’.

Box Head was built on the Central Coast NSW Australia in 2022. Within a few months of launching it was towed and ferried across three states to Tasmania, where it was sailed northwards up the D’Entrecasteux Channel to Hobart for the Wooden Boat Festival – a journey of three days and if you time it right you arrive at Constitution Dock in the company of a dozen tall ships and hundreds of smaller wooden boats.
Because of the vast distance, the boat was left in an apple orchard on the Huon River and relaunched to repeat the trip two years later.
The Reeves skiff is highly able with a deep forefoot and high stern. Midships is almost flat bottom.
The deep forefoot is a challenging part of the overall build . Traditionally, it was adzed from solid – ‘chunk forefoot’. I choose to cold mould the tight transition, knowing it worked well for Billy Budd – another skiff from Chappelles book.
It would be easy to describe this boat as a plywood or “modern wood build. The fact is masses of hardwood go into such a build . Stem, keel, keelson, case, plate, floors and transom are all substantial hardwood scantling.
These boats don’t feel like plywood kit boats.
Box Head is back in its home port of Hardys Bay. on the Central Coast, where it can be occasionally glimpsed sailing across Broken Bay past its namesake.