Design and Heritage
Joel White retained the Herreshoff original’s profile, sheer, stem, stern lines, and rig. From the outset, he wanted the Haven to resemble those early boats.
To make room for a centerboard, White reduced the fixed draft from 2 feet 6 inches to 1 foot 6 inches. He then widened the hull by 3 inches amidships and 1½ inches at the stern to preserve the original’s stability. He also kept the longitudinal center of buoyancy unchanged so the new boat would float and conduct herself exactly as the Herreshoff design did.
The result, according to one Small Boats assessment, is a boat whose sailing ability is virtually identical to her predecessor. White himself wrote that the performance of the two classes seems exactly the same, both off the wind and to windward.
Construction
The Haven was drawn for traditional plank-on-frame construction using the Herreshoff method of framed molding, with a timber mold for each of the hull’s 22 frames. Builders use carvel planking over steam-bent frames. Because the plans include full-size patterns for all 22 construction molds, lofting is optional.
The plans comprise eight sheets and a page of designer notes, and they carry an Advanced skill rating. Full-size patterns cover the molds and critical parts. Owners report that the drawings can also be readily adapted to other hull-building methods, including cold-molding.
Eric Dow, a Brooklin builder who has specialized in Havens for more than 30 years, completed his first in 1987. He built his first ten or eleven boats plank-on-frame before settling into a pace of two or three annually. Dow says a Haven can be completed in fewer than 800 hours, from setup through painting. He recommends the traditional method for amateur builders because that’s what the plans specify.
The design also anchors the Small Boats Course at The Landing School in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Rig and Sailing
The Haven carries the Herreshoff rig, available in either gaff or Marconi form. Each version provides 133 square feet of sail. A lead ballast keel brings total weight to roughly 1,500 lbs.
With the centerboard raised, the boat draws just 18 inches; lowered, it increases draft to 3 feet 4 inches. That range allows the Haven to explore thin water while helping her stand up when sailing.
She’s large enough to sail comfortably with four people but remains easy to singlehand. At WoodenBoat School, mixed fleets of Havens and Herreshoffs are daysailed and often raced together. Owners describe the Haven as a dream to sail, even for a novice.
Cockpit and Intended Use
There’s no cabin: this is a pure daysailer. The open cockpit allows four people to sail in reasonable comfort, and the boat has earned a reputation as a versatile, attractive choice for racing, family sailing, and coastal exploring.
Her modest 6-foot-1-inch beam and displacement of 1,409 lbs keep handling within reach of one person while still welcoming a small crew.
Known Issue
The only documented shortcoming in the supplied plans is the tiller pattern, which owners identify as flawed.
The Verdict
The Haven 12 1/2 is a faithful, centerboard-equipped reinterpretation of a beloved Herreshoff daysailer. It trades some fixed draft for a vastly greater gunkholing range without sacrificing the original’s sailing qualities. The design rewards traditional construction but can accommodate modern methods, and it remains a friendly, stable small-boat platform decades after Joel White drew it.
Pros
- Centerboard reduces draft to 18 inches while providing 3 feet 4 inches of draft when lowered
- Sailing performance matches that of the Herreshoff 12 1/2, according to the designer and a reviewer
- Full-size mold patterns make plank-on-frame construction approachable for advanced amateur builders
- Comfortable for four and easy to singlehand
Cons
- Plans carry an Advanced rating, and the tiller pattern is flawed
- No enclosed accommodation; this is strictly a daysailer
