For Sale: [SOLD!] 28' "Lobster boat" in the San Juans

Henrietta's hull was built in Astoria, OR, in the 1940s as a Columbia River gillnetter (Port Orford cedar planks on white oak frames). She was thoroughly overhauled and repowered at Philbrook's Boat Yard (Sidney, BC) in 2004-2005. She's been lovingly maintained and improved ever since.

In the engine box is a John Deere 4045T diesel with only 600 hours on it.

Henrietta runs like a top and is a real head-turner. Perfect for picnic cruises, crabbing and island-hopping in the San Juans. Located at West Sound Marina on Orcas Island (WA). Asking $28,500; open to offers.

Here are more photos, specs and contact info.

She's been like a member of the family for 8 years, but we recently acquired a GB 32, so lovely little Henrietta must go. ~Craig

Beautiful boat Craig.

Most built reciently are too wide for my taste. Henrietta isn't.

Thank you, sir.

I believe her hull does have mighty fine lines, with a graceful shear, a bit of tumblehome in the stern, proud bow and slender beam.

Of course she can get a bit tippy in a crossing sea, but she has a staysail that improves stability. It also helps keeps her bow to windward when she's on the hook or mooring buoy.

Beautiful boat. Just wondering what makes her a "Lobster Boat"?

While I do not dislike the boat nor can I certify that she would be a true lobster boat whatever that is, I would point out that on a head on comparison with many of the boats on the Downeast form she would not rate as a beauty. Perhaps more of a mean business workaday design. I base this only on my long standing love affair with Downeast boats and my previous experience boating in southern New England.

I agree it is a beautiful boat. I am just wondering what makes it a Lobsterboat?The reason I ask is that it has a huge engine box amidship. I have seen many lobsterboats in my time and have never seen this configuration. No pictures of the hull. Is it skeg built or built down?

Howdy, Sailor.
Henrietta's hull lines, as a Columbia River gillnetter, are remarkably similar to traditional Maine lobster boats, and her current cabin placement and design were inspired by those classic "downeast" working craft.

Here's a photo of a 29' "lobster yacht" designed by Ralph Stanley, a Maine builder of the traditional wooden boats used by the region's lobstermen. It bears more than a passing resemblance to Henrietta (or vice versa), don't you think?

The Maine tradition has also inspired a number of "downeast cruiser" luxury lines that can be found on both coasts (and worldwide), such as Sabre Yachts, Grand Banks Eastbays and numerous others.

Henrietta is an example of the simpler, more modest working-boat tradition. Admittedly, though, she's something of an east-west hybrid, with a trawler-style mast and boom. Glad you like her.

I agree she looks like a lobster boat. She even has rub rails on the side of her hull where traps would be pulled aboard.

Her bow, a little more plumb than a Maine boat, and the line of her house remind me more of a Novi lobster boat than a Mainer.

One side of her house is shorter than the other as well. This would be the side the traps would have been pulled over.

HopCar said:

I agree she looks like a lobster boat. She even has rub rails on the side of her hull where traps would be pulled aboard.

Her bow, a little more plumb than a Maine boat, and the line of her house remind me more of a Novi lobster boat than a Mainer.

One side of her house is shorter than the other as well. This would be the side the traps would have been pulled over.

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Agree the house appears large and on the bulky side and pushed forward more like a novi. While it still is interesting and has similarities to DE lobster boat there are many if not most that have a more pleasant house and overall good looks. This may not be evident to those not familiar with the DE but pretty obvious.

Couple more photos to further this interesting discussion. First is a photo of Henrietta hauled out a few years back, with mast removed. Second, the view forward into the cabin. Third, for fun, a WB magazine cover shot of a restored lobster boat in Maine.

Henrietta's cabin is indeed "pushed forward" a bit compared with the Maine working originals. Engines in the originals were located in the cabin forward of the helm, as one can infer from the placement of the exhaust pipes. I'm no expert, but I assume this was to maximize the open working area aft of the helm. But you didn't want to put the engine too far forward, for reasons of balance, stability, drive shaft length and angle, etc. So the helm, i.e., the raised portion of the cabin, was located approximately amidships, allowing the lower forward cabin to be longer (I assume for equipment storage and room to work on the engine).

By contrast, Henrietta's engine is in a box aft of the helm (where it makes a nice place to sit and/or enjoy a picnic), which has the effect of pushing helm and cabin farther forward. But at least anyone napping in Henrietta's vee berth doesn't have to share the space with a diesel beast.

As I've said, she's a humble hybrid. Purists (and those with much bigger budgets) may find fault, but she does attract many admirers wherever she goes.

Btw, the 8' inflatable dinghy shown in the haul-out photo comes with the package, if the buyer wants it, along with a Minn Kota trolling motor, a deep-cycle battery and oars.

Thanks for looking!

Price reduced

Have just lowered the asking price to $27,000 (obo).

Pics and info available here.

She's a great little boat!

Sold. Farewell, Henrietta!

In the wooden boat pic I'll bet the sail may be more of a ballancing act for the very high bow. While he's fishing a ballanced helm is probably a very good thing.

Eastsounder said:

Sold. Farewell, Henrietta!

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Congratulations! Nice looking boat, and I hope that the buyer enjoys (and appreciates) it as much as you obviously do.

I took the liberty of changing the thread to SOLD.

Thanks, John.

Henrietta has had an interesting and varied life since her hull was built 73 years ago, in the same year her new owner was born. He had a plastic Albin but sold it because he missed the character of a wooden boat.

Henrietta will be a vessel of nostalgia for him. (Once upon a time he worked next to his father as a shipwright.) I think he'll enjoy just visiting her at the yacht club and tinkering. His eyes lit up when he saw the John Deere diesel. He got a pretty good price for the engine alone.

Henrietta is beautiful! I am very fond of her as you can probably understand from my boat choice. Using eyschulman's description, I personally prefer her "mean business workaday design" over most of the modern and quite sterile choices that dominant the boat market today. I would have seriously considered Henrietta if I was in the boat market, but I am admittedly leery of wood boats and the maintenance associated with them--particularly in warm Florida waters. I don't know how many yards in my area are willing to work on wood hulls.

Anyway, enjoy your GB and thank you for sharing the additional information on Henrietta! I sincerely enjoyed viewing the pics and reading about her.

manyboats said:

In the wooden boat pic I'll bet the sail may be more of a ballancing act for the very high bow. While he's fishing a ballanced helm is probably a very good thing.

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Eric, I think the riding sails on lobster boats were to keep the bow into the wind. This is both for hauling lobster traps and at anchor.

Eastsounder said:

Henrietta will be a vessel of nostalgia for him. (Once upon a time he worked next to his father as a shipwright.) I think he'll enjoy just visiting her at the yacht club and tinkering. His eyes lit up when he saw the John Deere diesel. He got a pretty good price for the engine alone.

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Perfect! And I think he got a good price also.