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1930s sailing cutter Dr Archie Steele - $34,000
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Fully rebuilt full keel racing cutter designed and built by Nova Scotia immigrant Dr Archie A. Steele in the early 1930s as the first of six boats in all. Dr Steele built 1936 Stella Maris (40ft) which was sold to Dr Jay Conner (Dennis Conner’s grandfather). Later Steele built 1939 Stella Maris II which he twice won the Transpac race with.
Steele is credited with designing perhaps the first full displacement hull that could exceed its hull speed. Two patents with the U.S. patent office for Navy patrol sailboats (1943&1945) describe intriguing designs that precede Mr Hunt’s planing designs (Boston Whaler fame). Steele built Blue Heather at age 71 to test his design for a hull that can exceed hull speed.
Placebo
24.5’ length on deck
30’3” length over all
6’4” beam
52” draft
21’6” water line
2050 pounds of Lead (12’4” long)
The mast is solid Sitka Spruce at 34’6” AND original and stepped in the bilge (of course). It may be that this mast came from the boatyard of Matt Walsh. Walsh, also from Nova Scotia, emigrate to LA the same year that Steele was born, 1898. Matt Walsh is a man with an incredible history in racing and design. Placebo was richly benefited by Walsh.
Strip planked with salvaged old growth D. Fir and bronze ring nails on White Oak steam bent frames. Okumi 6mm plywood X two layers epoxy saturated with 7mm Teak planks. 110 pound Bronze cast rudder (an incredible component).
Purple Heart toe rail caps, Mahogany house, Spruce boomkin and bow sprit.
Keel: new Purple Heart and Iron Bark.
Recast 2050 pounds of lead with new Bronze bolts. Laminate Oak floors secure the bolts to the frames.
Amenities:
Two “stick” births.
No microwave
No head
No heat
No TV
No engine
You get the picture. Placebo is designed for speed, not comfort. The thrills make up far and beyond for the lack of fluffy comforts. A duffle, candles, and other primitive means enable cruising.
“Reflections at Hightide
A.A. Steele Md.”
I collaborated for a dozen years with Dr Steele’s daughter and grandson regarding the yachting years. This book offers
fascinating reading describing the long career as a private practitioner in Los Angeles. Placebo starts the yachting years chapter which includes notable people as Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, amongst others. Placebo has an indirect connection to Amilia Earnhardt. Hollywood types were known to sail on Placebo, Stella Maris and Stella Maris II. On it goes and far more than this ad can contain.
Placebo received a complete rebuild that replaced over 90% of the hull. All new frames, planks, Bronze fasteners, transom, cabin, deck, etc. Over the last 35 years, Placebo was rebuilt to a high standard that may mean the future skippers are not yet born. If Placebo is cared for, then she will outlast us all. Now going on 90+years of age and better than ever.
The latest photo was captured by Benjamin Mendlowitz of Noah Publications (Wooden Boat Magazine). The B&W image is from the early 1930s and shows the original jib configuration. New Spruce and bronze track awaits the conversion back to this jib setup if desired.
A primitive trailer transports Placebo to the boatyard each Spring and back to storage in the Fall. A proper means will be needed to transport over a significant distance.
Again, this ad will be improved in the near future….