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<TITLE>A Luders Theory of Evolution</TITLE>
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<P><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">VINTAGE MAINE CLASS TO TRY GLASS BOATS</FONT></B>
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<P><B><U><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">New Dark Harbor 20's to be Built.</FONT></U></B>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The most recent issue of MAINE Boats, Homes & Harbors features an interesting article about the 30-foot long Dark Harbor 20's of Islesboro. This successful local class has been racing since 1934 on this distinctly upscale island. 19 of the original 21 boats remain at the Tarratine Club and have been a popular feature of island racing for over 60 years. The original design came from the boards of Sparkman & Stephens - perhaps with a conceptual assist from Clinton Crane, an Island summer resident and successful designer (though he was mostly devoted to his family's lead business.)</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Shaw Yachts, of Thomaston, Maine, will soon produce new glass Dark Harbor 20s. According the article, the new boats have "a hull, deck, deckhouse and cockpit built of hand laid fiberglass over a foam core. The canvas-patterned nonskid decks are also styled to match the decks on the originals. The new boats will be trimmed in either mahogany or solid teak." The deckhouse and cockpit seats are glass, but will be built "from a vacuum-bagged veneer." The spars will be of clear Sitka spruce as specified in the original plans." Shaw Yachts had previously built a glass version of the gaff-rigged Wianno Senior Knockabout - a class widely popular on Cape Cod.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Several things might be noted here; while the fleet wishes the advantages of glass, they are serious about retaining the aesthetic pleasures of wood.- no small aspect to numbers of sailors. Indeed, as true to the original Luders, wooden cabin sides, seats and masts give a defining feature to the design itself. The impression of quality and visual pleasure is immediate and memorable.</FONT></P>
<P><U><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">And Wandering Closer</FONT></B></U>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">There is no more stellar example of the successful integration of wood and glass than the Mississippi Luders acquired by the Reece twins, formerly of Mount Desert Island. The Elks' Boat Yard, of Bar Harbor, installed a handsome varnished cabin during the extensive refurbishing of a very used fiberglass Luders. The results are stunning. The boat, renamed Andvari, is a show-stopper. People notice this boat. People talk about this boat. People want one themselves. They imagine themselves in it. Quality pays. Importantly, it is true to its original, dated design. There is no compromise, only improvement.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The Luders class has survived remarkably well. Much of this is due to the continuing process of re-invention. Conventional construction was replaced by molded plywood after the Second World War. Later, fiberglass became the fashion and offered new advantages. Successive glass builders attempted to modernize the deck and cabin design. Appearance became secondary to competitive demands. Elegance and fidelity to the period design had little account. The effort to go faster and look contemporary held sway. No Luders have been launched since the four Bermuda-built boats c1984.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">There are new winds blowing now. The rediscovery of beauty of the old wooden boats has emerged - most notably on Mount Desert Island, Maine. Here a significant number of the original 1946-1947 fleet remained unsullied, quietly kept and maintained to perfection. Some had been sold away, but others had been held on to, perhaps for reasons of sentiment, but mainly because they were, frankly, very good daysailers. The wealth of the Island's summer residents insured their preservation. A short season, inside storage and professional care assisted. As racing had ceased, there was no need for the latest in equipment. Who needed adjustable travelers? Why bother with that unwieldy Genoa? Successive classes - Solings and J-24's - came and left.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The restoration of the old molded boats has gained new impetus. It is not cheap. It is not for every one. But some people are serious about it and it has given new enthusiasm to the class. An allusion to the golden age of yachting (1920 & 30s) is not to be discounted. Adding a varnished cabin to the Reece Luders has brought new possibilities. Glass hulls, updated for the modern world, but sporting their showy wood cabins give a new thrust to the possibilities . Ah, the best now of both worlds.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The success of the Mount Desert Island Luders fleet is unmistakable. Revived after a hiatus of 30 years, it is now the largest in the Country and has prompted another on nearby Frenchman's Bay. Here, the vintage wood hulls compete with later glass hulls. Restoration transcends both types. A few years ago few considered Luders restoration and the possibility for new boats was not on the horizon. Now there is exploratory efforts to consider launching new Luders. 2007 marks the 60th anniversary of the founding national championship at Bar Harbor. No small occasion. New boats? Sounds possible, certainly worth looking into…</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Think spiffy!</FONT>
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