The Launch of the Zephyr
Posted: Jun 04, 2010
Last week we launched Zephyr, a little Haven 12 ½. At only 16’ on deck Zephyr is the smallest boat built to date by Zimmerman Marine. You might think that after building a 56’ Bruce King designed ketch, a knockout Zimmerman 46 powerboat, and a number of the well travelled Z36’s, that a little sixteen foot daysailor would be somewhat of a minor event, a footnote perhaps. But for me nothing could be further from the truth.
First and foremost, Zephyr is a little gem. She has perfect proportions and was built flawlessly in wood. If boatbuilding had a curriculum, building a Nat Herreschoff design would be a required course. Add to that the hand and eye of gentle soul like Joel White (son of E.B. White) who modified the design for a centerboard, and you have a rare tapestry of talents and artistry.
Somehow this design has the look and feel of a larger yacht. Everyone reacts to it the same way – with a smile.
When we were completing the project we had the mast and sails up inside our shop. Everyone who visited the yard had to come in and have a look. Zephyr looked like a museum piece on display.
The name Zephyr was chosen because of the wonderfully illustrated book, The Wreck of the Zephyr by Chris Van Allsburg. In my office I have a print of one of the illustrations from that book hanging on the wall. The print shows a boy lying on a hillside, watching sailboats sailed so skillfully that they magically glide through the air above the water. For me, after three decades of building boats, they still have that magic. How you metamorphose from a two dimensional drawing on piece of paper, to a heavy immobile structure on land, to something that you can push with one finger once launched, remains wonderfully mysterious to me.
Steve Zimmerman,
President
Photos of Zephyr under construction can be viewed in our Custom Boats section.
Category: Blog Posts
« View all news.