34' Hess Falmouth Cutter (2023) - AARDA

The boat was built by Channel Cutter Yachts of Ladysmith, BC. A one man shop, run by owner/builder Bryan Gittins. A traditional looking boat with manual windlass, manual water, gravity fed diesel heater, kerosene cooktop, along with the more modern pressure water, lithium batteries, led strips, aerogel fridge insulation and synthetic rigging. Composting toilet, not sure if that’s modern or not?

The hull and deck are glass. The teak deck was laid over the glass, glued and temporarily fastened down. Once the glue cured, the fasteners were backed out and the holes epoxy filled. So though the bungs make it look fastened, there are no fasteners left in the deck.

Mast and boom of Sitka Spruce, the bowsprit of Fir. The rest of the exterior is all teak; deck, coamings, trim, etc.

The standing rigging is all synthetic, of Colligo Dux, with custom cast bronze thimbles. This was done more from a practical ease of installation and splicing standpoint, as opposed to trying to reduce weight. The bowsprit whisker stays and bobstay are served, as is the lower 10′ of the shrouds.

Sails are being built by Northwest Sail and Canvas of Clipper Canvas, a cream colored polyester cloth often used on traditional vessels.

Restored 8′ Fatty Knees dinghy. I don’t think you can legally own a Lyle Hess BCC, or F34, without a Fatty Knees dinghy.

All bronze hardware, most of it cast at Achinback in Vancouver then machined and finished by Bryan. A few pieces from Port Townsend Foundry. All exterior fasteners are also bronze, and anything visible on the interior is bronze or in some case brass, but stainless fittings were used behind the scenes.

A few modifications were made from Bryan’s standard exterior layout, but the interior is completely custom, as it is for all his boats. The interior is of quarter sawn white oak cabinetry, spruce ceiling, white painted yellow cedar slats, and western walnut for the cabin sides and saloon table. Raw teak flooring, galley and head counter tops of a paper resin composite.

Both settees double as sleeping berths, and the quarter berth is a tight double. The interior was designed for a family of three, along with a guest in the pilot berth. But if pressed, it could sleep seven.

Exterior finish is Tonkinois Original varnish, the interior is finished with Tonkinois Bio-impression oil/sealer.

This is hull number 5 and as Bryan is retiring, Aarda may be the last F34 built.