The Seductive Annas Discors

   The Teal is considered a very attractive small sailboat.  It can be built in a variety of different ways, though generally it is an open cockpit, including in front of the mast.  It can be built plain, or it can be souped up, well in fit and appearance, to be so much more than a boat to mess about in.

   Enter the Annas Discourse:   Andrew Linn, a fine boat builder, built a basic Teal hull, then passed the hull onto his friend Pat Pattson, who created an absolutely (to me) beautiful craft.  It has some elements (coamed and closed in cockpit) that would not lend themselves to a car topper (which mine will be) but the little bits and details make this craft stand out, or at least make me say "I want one!"

Andrew Linn with the Annas Discorse.  Sharp eyed readers can pick out the variants from the Teal design, but on the whole, that's what she is.

A look inside the cabin shows a daggerboard housing (no fiddling with lee boards) and the bow air box/storage.  You can also see the decking/coaming, which appears to be 1/4" plywood. 

    Now, who wouldn't want a boat like that?  Come on, I dare you.

    I think the key to a boat like this, isn't to build a copy of it, but to see what the results are of fiddling with the fit and finish of a craft.  I remarked to James once that it seemed like some of the boats that were at the Homebuilt Boat Show at the Seattle Center for the Wooden Boat http://www.cwb.org/cwb-seattle  were more exercises in craftsmanship than efforts to build boats.  However, I think now I see the point of that, as what is put into a boat in the build phase is a visible declaration of your skills, whether you keep the boat or give it away.

 

The rudder looks pretty much like a run of the mill pop-up rudder with a bungee cord hold down.  Note the cut off stern, which looks to simplify rudder mounting.  This boat has a push/pull tiller.

    So, while some may see the Annas Discorse as overworked Teal, and the Teal an under worked whatever (the Teal declaimed by those who want to carry a large crew or go really fast, I guess) I think it's much better than that.  On some boards, the Teal is poo pooed, but I consider it a valid craft and one reasonably well suited for single man sailing.  I suppose I might have the urge to have more folks in my boat, but honestly, I think I will be enjoying sailing as a solitary endeavor---not a party.
 


   Andrew Linn has a really neat website, which really showcases the various things he's built (and no, I probably won't come close to emulating him).  Still the page that shows off the rest of the appointments of his and Pat's work is here http://www.andrewlinn.com/080807_teal/annas_14.htm .