I keep thinking I already have a story up here about these boats, but I searched and didn’t find anything really. They are featured in the “cool sailboat” youtube video series I put up recently, but otherwise, nada.
I’ve enjoyed studying this breed of daysailor for a few years now.
It’s a very versatile 16-footer that’s been being built for decades. You can use it for weeklong camp-cruising even. You can row it. People do all sorts of adventures with them. The Wayfarer hero is Frank Dye—he sailed across some major UK open water passages in his and went on other big jumps with a friend. (I showed part of his movie in that youtube series.)
In the link featured here, I find the most fun reading in the Cruising section. A guy named Dick Harrington cruises all over in his, with his pals—and many trips are in Michigan and the Great Lakes. I think he might be the son of an older guy who first encouraged me in cycling—the elderly Bob Harrington of Lansing biked and was in the rowing club and did small boats, too, I recall.
These boats are made today in fiberglass but wood versions are still popular.
I found a couple woodies on Craigslist this fall. Someday…
One was in the Detroit area with a trailer for $1500…
https://www.uswayfarer.org/
