Source: Wooden Boat Foundation • http://www.woodenboat.org

Pia


Olympia, Washington / United States

Vessel description

Designed by the famous Danish marine architect Aage Utzon, Pia was built in Denmark in 1938, but was not commissioned until just after the end of WW2. She was imported into Victoria, BC in the early 1960s along with five other 38 square meter Klasse Spidsgatters, including Port Townsend vessels Eio, Da Capo and Doxy. The word “Klasse” in Danish has the same meaning as the word “class” in English.

Alerted by Da Capo owner Scott Swantner, I found Pia at anchor in near-derelict condition in 1992 in Cortez Bay, Cortez Island, BC. I found her owner, negotiated her sale and took her to my shop in Oregon City, Oregon for an intensive two year repair, including new deck covering, cabin top, eyebrows, rails, cockpit, rudder and tiller, aft end of cabin, companionway, both forward and companionway hatches, skylight and the entire interior including engine beds. The hull, floors, framing and deck beams were in excellent shape and entirely original.

Pia’s construction, while typical in Denmark, is unusual in America. She has single sawn frames on station, taken from naturally shaped grown timbers with two steam bent frames in between. Her frames stop well short of the keel and are bolted to massive grown floor timbers, shaped from the crotches of trees, whose ends, rather than being cut flat, reflecting the crotches they are taken from, are shaped to follow the frames well up the sides of the hull. The planking is tight joined, like a barrel. She isn’t caulked. Instead, a strand of cotton was twisted and laid on the plank edge before the next plank was installed. Frames, backbone and beams are all oak. Hull, deck, cabin top and spars are Danish pitch pine. Aside from the powerful construction, these are no doubt the main reason for the Klasse Spidsgatter’s noted longevity. All but two of the original 26 38 square-meter Klasse Spidsgatters ever built arestill accounted for and sailing.

The Klasse Spidsgatters were also built in 20, 26, 48 and 55 square-meter classes. The classes, rather than being described by tonnage, LOA, LWL or name, are described by sail area.

Vessel details

In WBF Festival:10,09,08,07,06,05
Boat captain(s):Ahoi J. Mench
Type:Sail
Construction:Wood
Wood hull:Yes
Engine:Diesel
Year built:1938
Builder:Knudsen
Designer:Aage Utzon
LOA:26'0"
Beam:8'6"
Draft:4'6"
For further information contact
Wooden Boat Foundation
info@woodenboat.org
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