Jerry Colemore
A 38' 6" Knockabout
By William Atkin
The Stem Head Sloop Jerry Colemore
The name? Well, shipmates, in lasting memory of a young man, a very young man my sons liked, and we liked. A young man whose love centered on an old Friendship sloop, the Irving D. Olson. Born of British army folks, Jerry's family thought it best for him to live in tradition befitting an army man's son; and not in the inclination that led him to happiness and the fragrancies of American yacht harbors, boat yards, and the snug cabin of the Irving D. Olson. And so one day a year or so ago Jerry sailed for England to become a flying officer in the beloved army of his forebears. And all too soon after a telegram came; telegrams are famous for bad news. "In the performance of duty," it read, "cadet Gerald Colemore was killed in aircraft crash this morning." Not yet twenty, shipmates. How much better the indolence, the fragrancy, the snug cabin of the Irving D. Olson? Therefore, again, the name.

So here is a design worthy the name. Overall she is 38 feet 6 inches; on the water line, 31 feet; in breadth, 10 feet; draft, 5 feet. At the stem the freeboard is 4 feet 4 inches; at the stern, 3 feet 9 inches; at the lowest place, 2 feet 9 inches. The displacement is something over 22,000 pounds, ballast on. keel, 9,200 pounds; inside ballast about 1,000 pounds; sail area 581 square feet. The rig is in the mode of today; tall, efficient, hollow of mast, with jumper struts, and all the earmarks of the yachty yacht: the homeliness and the shippy-ness of the Friendship sloop somewhat astern and to leeward.

The arrangement of the deck is similar to that of the 30-foot cutter Tally Ho! described in the book Three Little Cruising Yachts (reprinted in Of Yachts and Men). This has proved after eight years of cruising to be highly satisfactory. The two deckhouses give head room in the main and forward cabins without weakening the deck. I believe I was the first to run the cabin of a cutter forward and pierce its top with the mast. That was so long ago the experts fumed with censor; but I notice today that most sloops are masted through the cabin top. It is not a good arrangement by any means, and I can name six good reasons why. The cockpit is 5 feet 6 inches wide by 7 feet long. The width between the seats is 2 feet 9 inches. Now if you expect to steer the boat comfortably with the tiller do not increase the width between the seats, the height of the seats, nor the width of the cockpit. Because if you do the cockpit will be very uncomfortable and not practicable.

The cabin is laid out for the comfortable accommodation of four. A roomy galley is aft, a logical location because it is under the companion slide, and if water comes in the slide, as it surely will, there is little to be harmed. The headroom is something over 6 feet. The main cabin has sofas with a box berth one side; an extension berth opposite. The L-shaped sofa with drop leaf table provides a snug little touch not usually found in small auxiliaries. A large toilet room, high hanging lockers, and hanging space is provided as shown. Then there is the forward cabin. Full headroom under the forward deckhouse, excellent ventilation, light, and comfort. The quietest place in the boat, this will be.

The motor, a Universal Flexifour, or other good marine engine of similar characteristics, is under the cockpit floor. Easy access is had through double doors behind the companionway ladder. There is really a lot of room in the motor compartment. The motor sits perfectly level; this has obvious advantages.

The lines show unusual thickness through the garboards, long flat buttock lines, firm bilges, generous flare in the forward and after sections, tumblehome in the mid-sections, rather full water lines, and a wholesome bluffness in the contour of the deck. These tall jib-head rigs look out of place over hulls having bold sheer lines; better a lot of straightness here. And by the same token there is more headroom amidships with the lighter sheer.
 
PHOTOS OF JERRY COLEMORE
Plans for Jerry Colemore are $175

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