More on Blue Moon

Blue Moon

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The original Blue Moon, Thomas Gillmer’s own boat to the design, is now in the collection of the Seattle Center for Wooden Boats.

However, for many years she belonged to my friend Mike Goodwin. Whenever he writes about her, there’s always a hint of regret that lets you know he misses her still. When you see his pictures, you may begin to see why.

Blue Moon was designed by naval architect and author Tom Gillmer for his own use in about 1950, and was built in Norway in 1954.
She’s 23ft on deck, and displaces 9000lbs.

Gillmer based her design on the Falmouth quay punt of the 1880s. These boats, which were 20 to 30 feet long, with a long keel, a low mast, and a long gaff, were built for use as a kind of water taxi, carrying people and goods to and from ships off the port of Falmouth, and were reckoned to be fast and seaworthy.

Center for Wooden Boats (check their boats for sale page, btw, if you like Bill Garden’s more nostalgic-looking boats):
http://www.cwb.org/

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8 thoughts on “More on Blue Moon”

  1. Dear Gavin,

    I friend found me this site, as my interest in Blue Moon is that I am currently completing a new build of her in Brisbane, Australia and will be launching her in a month. She has been modified with a slightly wider hatch allowing more head room below, but hopefully losses nothing for it. If this is of any interest I would be happy to send some relevant photo's to date and of her launching.

    Regards

    Mark

  2. DEAR MR.PYE

    We are two friends from Istanbul/Turket. We want also to build two sister ships Blue Moon. I find out some photos of this beautyfull boat. Unfortunately there are all the old ones.

    We are at the stage of making final choice between 24' FROM pAUL gARTSıDE & BLUE MOON.

    I hope your Blue Moon is already launched since your postage date on 24 Mar 2007 at 10:18 pm1

    Pleas kindly send me maximum photos of your Blue Moon in order to give us some orientations about her comfort and practical use. If possible please give us also maximum informations about your buiding methodes and used materials and…. also your esteemed budjet.

    Thank's in advance

    Bast regards.

    M. Cem GUR

  3. Dear Mr.Pye

    Please find below the messages ın WOODEN BOAT FORUM

    Re: BLUE MOON

    ——————————————————————————–

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by classicboats turkiye

    Dear Rufustr

    We are two friend and we want to build Blue Moon. Do you have any sailing photos? Do you have any sailing performence notes?

    Thank's in advance

    Best Regards.

    As noted on the Blue Moon thread the owner of the boat it taking care to get everything right before her sails her.

    I will post some sailing photos to the forum as soon as I get some.

    If you order Issue 1 of the Boat Design Quarterly the Blue Moon is talked about there.

    Best of luck with your plans to build the boat.

    I have decided to build another boat, as I need a bit more internal room.

    Rufus.

    —————

    ıf you have also some sailing movies they will be appreciated.

    Best regards

    M. CEM GUR

  4. Dear Mark,

    I have been a long time Thomas Gilmer fan and own the Blue Moon plans but have not yet built her. Please post some photos or tell me where I can see her. I am in Canberra but will travel a long way to see a living example of a stunning boat like Blue Moon or Calypso or the 30 footer (can't remember what it was called)

    Ta

  5. I just picked the BLUE MOON form Dick Wagner at CWB and is in my shop on Whidbey Island WA. I will start the restoration soon. I will post pictures on my site as we go. Thanks Brad

  6. Update, summer 2015
    Gillmer’s own Blue Moon is no longer with Brad Rice on Whidbey Island, but across Admiralty Inlet at the Northwest School for Wooden Boat Building in Port Hadlock, WA, where she’s already being worked on. I’ve spoken with them because I now own my dad’s Blue Moon, “Katie & Ginny”, live in Port Townsend, and moor her in the marina in Port Hadlock. I’m sharing my collected articles, photos etc. with them and as incentive for hard work, expect to provide field trips on my boat!

    1. I have been searching for this Blue Moon as I sailed her as a teen ager out of Portsmouth VA with then owner Michael Goodwin. I just bought a home in Sequim WA and hope to see her again.

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