An elegant wooden sailing dinghy, the Catspaw is based on the Herreshoff Columbia dinghy or the Columbia Lifeboat. In 1977 renowned Maine boatbuilder and yacht designer Joel White reworked the Columbia Dinghy’s classic lines to create a small sailboat that was large enough to carry a family safely to coastal islands along Maine’s rocky coast. The result is the Catspaw Dinghy, which is a 13′ carvel-planked hull with a sprit rig, copper rivets and a pivoted centerboard.

The Catspaw is built with an oak keel and steam-bent oak frames. The planking, seats and floorboards are constructed with durable Western Red Cedar. Fine detailing is incorporated as structural support throughout the boat including Sepo
transom, inwales, breasthook and quarter knees with cast bronze thwart knees. The spars are made of Sitka Spruce, and unlike the Catspaw’s predecessor, the Columbia Dinghy, there is no leg-of-mutton for the sail.

The Catspaw was designed to be rugged enough to be pulled ashore on sandy beaches for picnicking or island exploring. Whether as a rowing tender or sailing dinghy, the Catspaw Dinghy is a beautiful and practical craft in which to spend time on the water.