Launching and Sailing "POCKETSHIP" - HD 1080p

Chesapeake Light Craft's PocketShip is a 15-foot sailboat with berths for two that's surprisingly nimble under sail. Amateur boatbuilders working from kits or plans have assembled PocketShips on six continents. In 2014 we rigged up the well-traveled PocketShip #1 with cameras and went for a sail. Designer John C. Harris walks us through rigging and launching the boat, and a variety of on-water maneuvers, including a spinnaker set and a reef in the mainsail. For more on the PocketShip design, including videos, photos, and drawings, see www.clcboats.co...

[@danlazer8762]

I grew up sailing on South River with my dad. Thousands of hours spent on that river in various small sailboats from the mid 1970s through to about 2005 when life, and kids, and jobs and other things took up more and more time until sailing was cast aside. I miss him tremendously now. I've watched this video many times and can see him and me sailing up and down that river, ducking into Harness Creek for lunch, and sailing under the bridges; I can smell the salt and feel the hum of the centerboard cable when everything was tuned just right. And when the day grew long, our skin warmed from a lot of sun, I clearly remember heading back to the dock or ramp to wrap up the day's memories. Thank you for sharing this awesome design and for all of the fantastic video under sail.

[@malloott]

This video is so chilled, so is the boat and its creator!

[@neillambton3275]

What a stunning little boat, sails very well, and excellently handled.

[@mikebetts2046]

Your video might be the best I have seen of a pocket cruiser. Very informative and nice footage. Excellent coverage of all your maneuvers. Also, a very nice looking craft.

[@timothyboles6457]

I can't watch and like this video enough. The Pocketship is one of the most beautiful small sailboats ever. One day I might be able to get one and build it

[@bentackett6299]

This was playing in my head while watching... "So hoist up the John B's sail See how the mainsail sets Call for the Captain ashore Let me go home, let me go home I want to go home, yeah yeah Well I feel so broke up I want to go home" Nice boat and video! 🙂

[@RandomButtonPusher]

What a sweet small sailboat. Nice sailing by the narrator/skipper, too.

[@Lee-70ish]

It reminds me of a small Cornish Crabber. Well done mate a lovely craft and it looks very sea kindly with really good free board.

[@Sandpipercom]

Good launching and sailing video, a way to have lots of fun. CLC boats are well known. Micro Trailer sailboats are a great way to explore many waterways that bigger keelboats cannot. We have trailered our Sandpiper all over and have and sailed in Ontario, Quebec, and Michigan.

[@erichammons2323]

A great looking 15' boat with a Jib and a spinnaker. Man that looks like a blast! I could spend the rest of my life just doing that.

[@rubenmejias2503]

Great Vid. Really showed Pocketships sailing characteristics. I'm just learning how to sail. But a mini cruiser like this is perfect,

[@elvisslo]

Just beautiful! I like the Pocketship more and more every time I see it!

[@stevenhs8821]

I like the way he raised that spinnaker from the cockpit. That's a boat made for single-handing. I've never sailed one, but I imagine that they are nice unpretentious sailors, no racer but competent. Pretty, honest boat. I bet that they are economical also, and could be trailered with a compact SUV or such (at least off Interstates). They should be popular

[@snowstrobe]

Great boat for learning the art of solo sail. Instant feedback and nice speed as reward.

[@daveevans8256]

What a lovely boat , well handled by you too skipper. Great video 👍🇬🇧

[@bveracka]

My favorite kind of sailing; small wooden boat in a calm bay with a steady breeze. I helped my father a bit with building his CLC kayak, which went together and came out great. As much as I'd love to, I know I couldn't build this without lots of help. All the same, it's a _beautiful_ design, and it looks easy to handle. Cheers from Cape Cod!

[@jadams3427]

A truly clever design, and it is clear that all the small details are very well designed too. Very impressive ! (comment from Flight Marine designer).

[@richardcerone7650]

Tyvm for this video..I just purchased a 20ft pocket sail . I'm a first time sailor this video taught me so many things I didn't have a clue of I thank you again. I'll be looking forward to future videos

[@ResoluteGryphon]

I know next to nothing about sailing but I'd love to have a little boat like this. One of my great hopes in life. Great video!

[@bisherie48]

About to buy and build one of these soon 🙏🏽 seems perfect for a first boat .. Plan on getting it set up for some serious offshore cruising! This company is a blessing for making sailing affordable 💕

[@artsmith103]

Love how you emphasize not using an outboard. I have a San Juan 21 that has a similar feel. Usually don't need an outboard.

[@howardbull9001]

That is a very clever design. Great looking boat as well.

[@alexwild4350]

The design reminds of what was called The Winkle Brig made in the UK during the late 1980's early 90's. That boat also gained a following of happy owners.

[@andreabeltramini5207]

At first glance it seemed to me that the sailing center was too far forward but seeing it in navigation it was well balanced. The speed is also quite good. Well done Mr. John C.! 👍Grating from Italy. 🇮🇹

[@camloff]

Carlos Loff Fonseca, Lisbon. Just a marvellous nice small sailing boat well designed and built. My regards.

[@rogergregory5981]

That's a very nice boat really impressed great family craft

[@jabjab1010]

I had a Pearson Ensign that was raced, but the huge spinnaker was sewn in 1970, and was mint, but old. I had a sailmaker friend recut her as a code zero. . .10 knots of wind or less only. . .what a fun sail in light air!

[@quinnliberatore7218]

Congratulations, great little sailer there! Excellent design for ease of launching.

[@Norwegianwoodworker]

Fantastic. I am thinking about making a "first time" build, and this just seems to check off all boxes. Love it. Thanks for the high quality video and information. That the plans come in metric too is a big selling point. Hope to be you customer shortly. TR

[@stevenhs8821]

What a great little boat. And this guy really can sail.

[@hejianbomail]

Hi ！I'm the Chinese guy bought pocketship’s building plan last year. Now I am back to China, just bought a WETA. We will start to build pocketship soon!

[@MedievalMan]

I'm just curious, but have you been able to build that pocket ship within the last six months since this message on this video?

[@hejianbomail]

+Chris VeeDubyu HelloH, Chris We are still waiting a friend to join the team of building pocketship. He's professional, works in a sailboat factory. And he had built a boat similar to pocketship. Now We are preparing a workshop and tools, will let you know when we start.😄

[@Ogsonofgroo]

Yes, yes, a few years behind... oi. Nicely done little boat, its very nice design and seems very well thought out too. It moves well and seems quite stable, everything is easy to get at, and when you're tired there is a place to snooze and snack. I'm willing to bet that with a bit of water/stuff ballast, and a few more feet of sail area, that would simply fly! Me like!

[@SloMo2723]

Coming from a Compac 19 owner, that is a sweet little sailboat! Nice job on the video . All the best

[@karlallspach5309]

Great boat! Spent allot of time I the Chesapeake sailing my dad's Hampton growing up. It was most fun to sail by yourself so i really enjoyed the jockeying of lines. Thanks for the vid.

[@donlaight5943]

What a cool craft. A great display of technique on your different points of sail too

[@donnakawana]

I'm in Baltimore Maryland wud love to see this in person. It's a stunningly built pocket sailer .. I adore it.. enjoyed your episode an subbed✌🏻💗😊❣️

[@ChesapeakeLightCraftBoats]

Thanks for watching!

[@3tosea968]

Awesome little boat, that looks like so much fun! Owning a larger boat is nice, but also a bit more involved to actually sail. Some times I wish I had something small and simple.

[@mikeg.1374]

Wow! What a great video, what a great boat! Not only did you design and build it yourself, you've got others doing so, too! Best of all, you left that motor off the boat, and showed excellent solo sailing skills. Fair winds and following seas, sailor! Somewhat related, now that I'm retired, I'm traveling more and am always looking for opportunities to sail small boats under 18' on inland waters. But, it's almost impossible to find boatyards or marinas that will rent any, at least in the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, or western inland lakes. The reluctance of insurers to provide coverage for rentals seems to be the problem, but informed waivers could solve that problem, even in CA, whose assumption of the risk laws are not as absurd as they once were. There's a lot of money to be made in short term rentals - heck, even a Sunfish or Laser would do! - and I'm surprised that more people haven't come to realize - and profit from - this fact.

[@RobMacKendrick]

Brilliant little ship! Seems a boat that size would row well. I had a 22' Cape Ann sailing dory I rowed for miles when necessary. (I hate outboards too.)

[@alext9067]

I like the lines on that boat. Like a little toy. Like some small tugs, I've seen. Excellent job.

[@briandineen7857]

Thanks John, beautiful boat. I still row regularly my clc Oxford shell. 25 years and going strong. Thanks

[@ChesapeakeLightCraftBoats]

Right on!

[@jcuvier135]

Brother, I only watched the first few minutes and had to stop so I could jot down an idea! You may have just made my life with my little Buccaneer 18 about 1000x easier! Currently, I jam the mast foot into a pocket in the bow and under a "mast partner" which holds the foot more or less in place while I muscle the 24' mast from horizontal to vertical, pushing as I walk from the aft end of the cockpit to the mast foot. With a bad shoulder, this is challenging. But, getting anyone who hasn't done it before - which is apparently 99.9% of the population or more - is worse. Best to just have someone take the forestay after I've stepped the mast and just keep things vertical while I pin the stays. BUT - I believe I could rig some sort of removable fulcrum somewhere in the boat like what you've got (except yours is a permanent part of the boat) and make this job much easier!

[@realnutteruk1]

Odd to see a gaff rigged boat flying an an asymmetric, but your logic for doing so is perfect... So nice to see the spars fit into the boat's LOA, just like the original Mirror.....

[@ThatGuy-dj3qr]

Love the quick setup!!

[@carmelpule6954]

It is a beautiful boat well balanced in every manner. For its length the rocker is just right and at speed the hull fits perfectly in the wave, showing the ease at which the hull moves along. That rudder is big enough to make up for the deadwood at the back. the protection is great and I would not mind sailing her in heavy seas. For its size I do not think one could do better, for a family cruising/ performance boat.. Congratulations.

[@rick64015]

I am designing my own boat right now, making small physical and digital 3d models. Your boat is a beauty and an inspiration :D

[@FedericoLucchi]

She's absolutely gorgeous!! Really nice filming and editing too! Love from Italy!

[@erictwickler4247]

Enjoyed your video very much. You have a good little ship design. I was the second owner of Eddy and Duff Stonehorse Hull #15 "Patience" back 30 some years ago. Your spinnaker is more like the "Drifter" I had made which was a 3 oz. nylon 200% jib flown from the masthead with a loose luff. It was a Godsend in light air. I usually left the staysail up. I had a pole for it and could go wing on wing on a calm sea. I kept her for many years a Crocker's Yard in Manchester, MA.

[@ChesapeakeLightCraftBoats]

PocketShip's spinnaker is cut quite a bit fuller than a "drifter," but it's flatter than a symmetrical spinnaker. (Not that a drifter wouldn't be nice to have, too.) You can carry it up to about a beam reach, roughly. The sailmakers seem to agree that this is an "asymmetrical spinnaker."

[@ille.b.8508]

Bravo. Amazing boat and video too!

[@JonDunnmusician]

Beautiful in every aspect

[@christopherstevenson9737]

Great video and sailing skills! This design has some Friendship sloop looks to it... my fave classic of all time! A spinnaker job solo!!! And no head knocking by boom!! Thanks for a good video! Putting this on the list of option boats!

[@brianskinner5711]

This was great. What a sweet boat on pleasant waters. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@rosswalker3457]

She's a little beauty John ! 👍👌🇦🇺

[@multitalent8]

Looks like a fun little boat. Excellent and informative video. Thanks for sharing.

[@craigmonteforte1478]

She is a good looking Vessel On and off the trailer I especially like that on her small footprint you have the cabin which is fairly large for what it is Pocket ship wont be my first Wooden Boat build but i do hope it will be one of mine in the near future ! , Unfortunately in the moment i have too many other projects ahead of it but thats just life in general

[@lambertodgr8]

I had a Cal14 for many years I should never have sold it and kept it as a second boat .it was similar in many ways .I sailed it on rivers lakes Dams and Open ocean.

[@blinkinbaboonbiskit]

one of the coolest videos ever.

[@reallynotpc]

Pretty boat! and nicely handled.

[@Crazeerooster]

Nice Trailer sailer, lots of them down here in New Zealand . Love the design.

[@zabeca]

Excellent. I like it. I wish I had one of them to sail here in Piriapolis, Uruguay.

[@jackdodsworth6077]

I've been a small boat sailor on the chesapeake bay my whole life and I don't have much interest in larger boats. My ultimate dream is to find one of those really nice Ted brewer designed yawls (Rob Roy 23 or Nimble 20/24), but I am absolutely taken with this pocket ship. I'm not much of a handyman, nor do I have a lot of money to my name right now, but it could be really rewarding to try building a boat yourself

[@jimmcdonald9244]

Beautiful little boat. A credit to you.

[@neighborhoodbasketballprogram]

Thank you you've increased my knowledge base!

[@lorrynortheastguy4787]

A beautiful little boat the youth in me wished I had, scratch that I'm 57 and want one

[@NaughtyGoatFarm]

Beautiful little boat.

[@SteamboatWilley]

Good looking, handy wee boat.

[@Nostrildomus]

What a show , I know nothing of it . It's always fascinated me though . But at seventy years old with nothing but powered experience only a fantasy lost to time . Thanks be

[@philippsturzenhofecker7212]

congrats to this informative inspiring and sympathic video...you nailed it bro'...right now, age 46, i am am more on the level of larger sailboats...but believe me..in 15 years...that's something to think about...and can i tell you?...your fuckin' nutshell is pretty fast...looks like real fun...one buddy with you, some beer and sandwiches....riding circles around the "big ones"...keep on what you are doing...you inspire a lot of us...thanxxx for that..👍

[@stephenrichie4646]

Charming little boat!

[@seanmiller5377]

Great video! Some great tips I'm looking forward to borrowing next summer.

[@jonnythepartisan]

This is the boat of my dreams

[@salimufari]

If you're attaching to the fore stay can you call it a Spinnaker? Assuming it has more area than the main naturally. Thought that made it a Jennaker or Jennoa. Love that you have a stepped main for varied wind speeds.

[@admiralvibe]

This is a beautiful sailboat!

[@Helliconia54]

VERY NICE.I am comparing it to my Hartley TS16.NO comparison.Yours is MUCH easier to sail

[@sightflimmer3278]

Lovely! I have an A-Class catamaran, but this looks much more relaxing 😄

[@Merinis]

so i have a potter 19, but I never realized that the water going over the keel was why i had to wait a moment to get closer to the wind..so thanks for passing me that info lol

[@josephhunt2478]

nice job nice little boat I have a montgomery 15 love it

[@ChesapeakeLightCraftBoats]

I loved my Montgomery 15, too. It was the inspiration for PocketShip.

[@catnhat13]

That is awesome. You do make it seem very simple and easy to do.

[@joesoap9385]

Wow! Pretty boat

[@richardhoepfner1633]

Sweet little boat. Putting a motor on this beauty is a sacrilege.

[@jaidyn424]

Wish I knew how to sail. This looks awesome.

[@jeffmegalops4000]

Excellent video. Love the sailboat, and I don't even sail.

[@honorharrington4546]

Sailing is easy, just watch what everyone else is doing wrong... and don't do that. :) Find someone with a Sunfish and get them to take you out for an hour or three. If you like speed find someone with a 16 foot catamaran. :D

[@Happ465]

when i get to old to sail big boats I’m going to go to Chesapeake, build one and bring it home! Cape Lookout is only 8 miles away. Great overnighter with a cooler and a lantern!

[@mattloeffler6441]

That is just beautiful

[@hermingarcia4122]

very beautiful indeed, great video, man, thank you very much

[@markgallagher1376]

Beautiful little boat. I will probably build one someday.

[@ndhazen606]

Beauty! It's perfect for a solo day sailor

[@petermirow]

Very nice video. Lovely boat.

[@troyreynolds4520]

What a cool little boat.

[@adpancera]

Nice boat!

[@neleabels]

That's a beautiful and cute little boat. I'd like to sail that in my home waters of the Netherland's lakes, the Ijsselmeer and the Frisian coastal areas. It must be great fun! But, alas, I've got too little money... :(

[@vetrex4348]

jammer man! echt een super ervaring

[@dspondike]

That jibe was wonderful. I laughed out loud!

[@skellingtonmeteoryballoon]

Awesome ⛵ I love it

[@grahamcliffe8672]

I definitely need one of these in my life

[@jamesa702]

Thanks for sharing. Wonderful.

[@ourtinkerlife7973]

Nice little boat!!

[@papajeff5486]

This is such a beautiful and successful boat. Have you ever taken her to blue water, capsized her, maybe even on purpose? I’m interested in how she would do away from land, in big seas. Do you mind to mention maybe a range of cost I need to consider to build her? I live in Portland, Texas, near Corpus Cristi. Texas

[@ChesapeakeLightCraftBoats]

The design brief for PocketShip was that she be capable of making the crossing from Miami to the Bahamas on a good weather report. You could take her to sea for short trips, given an experienced crew.

[@ChesapeakeLightCraftBoats]

The all-up, on-the-water, ready-to-go construction cost including sails and a trailer seems to average around $8500.

[@jamesacoe2579]

Best presentation: Appreciated your mentioning Crocker however his name is spelled: If you would do a mix of an Alberg and your style, many more than I would jump on it. Thanks for what you do!

[@dm5374]

Nice boat and video, thank you! The spi looks more like a gennaker though if I may say so -

[@calbackk]

What a nice little ship. :)

[@keithmassie]

That was awesome. Didnt understand half of what you said but it was fun watching