Construction Details

Architect: L.E. Ted Geary
Builder: Lake Union Drydock

Sail Plan Specs

Pirate is 40'-3" long when measured from the stem to the end of the boomkin. She is 25'-2" on the waterline with a beam of 8'-6". She draws 5'-6" and displaces 10,850 pounds.

Pirate is classed as an R-class or "20-rater" racing sloop as measured under the Universal Rule. Typical of vessels designed to this rule, her hull has a graceful spring to the sheer line and lovely long overhangs. The hull is built double­planked; teak over red cedar on white oak frames on 10" centers. Repairs to the hull involve replacing seventy broken frames and all the deck beams. The deck is laid teak over double-diagonal red cedar as it was originally. Originally Pirate's hull was finished bright. The ravages of time, periodic repair and refastening have made this an impossibility today. The hull topsides have been painted gloss white enamel and the bottom with copper anti-fouling paint.

Designed strictly for day racing around closed courses, Pirate has no galley, no head and no engine. She has a small 9" tall teak deckhouse, which only slightly increases headroom below. The house has four rectangular deadlights per side, each slightly larger than the one just forward. There are two small opening portlights at the forward end of the house and a sliding hatch aft, centered over the ladder. The original housetop was built in red cedar, double-diagonal planked, canvas covered and painted sally green. Sawed teak beams support the housetop. As many of the original elements as possible have been retained in the new house. The cockpit sole is canvas over red cedar and there is an access to lazarette stowage at the after end of it.

The arrangement below is starkly simple as befits a purpose-built racer. Port and starboard, Pirate has two settees which can be used for sail stowage or spreading a chart for navigation. The cabin sole extends forward to just aft of the mast, the bow left empty except for stowage of light ground tackle.

Some time in the last twenty years, Pirate was re-rigged with aluminum spars. Thanks to a gracious donation, we now have the wooden mast and boom from Ted Geary's famous R-boat Sir Tom. This is re-rigged to the dimensions of the 1935 sail plan.

Pirate was constructed using a mixture of metals that has caused galvanic damage to all her iron fasteners. Most new fasteners are of silicon bronze.