Used Boats for sale by owner since 1983. BoatsFSBO™
1963 Marshall Sanderling Catboat
Contact Information
Joe
617-254-7007
The catboat-as most of us know it-came to life in 1962, when Breck Marshall did something few boatbuilders had yet done-he began producing catboats in fiberglass.
His first design was an 18-footer he called Sanderling after the New England shorebird.
Sanderling was based on a wooden prototype designed by Pop Arnold in 1941.
Marshall wrote: "The original was not a pretty boat.
She had a flat sheer with a kind of tumblehome ram bow in her.
She had a square house and a marconi rig."
After a long time modeling the boat-there were no drawings from which to work-Marshall and his foreman constructed what they thought looked like the perfect catboat.
The new fiberglass Sanderling had a strong sheer, crowned cabin and an underbody more modern than most traditional catboats.
The neoclassical Sanderling was born.
Marshall wrote that they built a couple of Sanderlings-in New Boston, New Hampshire-and "got one ready just in time for the boat show in February, 1963."
We were fortunate on our review sail to experience a variety of wind conditions-from nearly dead calm to a steady breeze.
The slightest push kept the Sanderling moving along, and it's no wonder-she shows 253 square-feet of Dacron above a 2200-pound displacement (For comparison use the 2000-pound Cape Dory Typhoon which carries 160 sq. ft.).
Remember that catboats were originally designed to function without the use of auxiliary power.
Owners claim Sanderling is a light-air champ.
You'll get no argument from us.
The extreme beam and high-quality construction are enough to inspire tremendous confidence in the Sanderling.
Like most small boats she was designed for near-shore work, but in this arena she's certainly well equipped-and let's face it-time tested.
Marshall clearly takes pride in the construction of their craft-and they should.
The traditional nature of the design means there is slightly more wood to keep an eye on, but quality and durability are first rate.
The heavily-glassed hull and deck are glued and through-bolted with stainless bolts at the mahogany rub rail.
Everything looks and feels solid.
It's a tired cliche, but the Marshall name really has become synonymous with quality.
