Christmas Wherry

Description

The Christmas Wherry is a charming 15-foot traditional-inspired small boat designed by Walter J. Simmons of Duck Trap Woodworking in Lincolnville, Maine (USA), drawing from historical Lincolnville Salmon Wherries used in the late 18th and early 19th centuries for the Atlantic salmon fishery along the Maine coast. Introduced in the late 20th century (with plans and boats appearing prominently from the 1990s onward), production is ongoing through custom builders, kit adaptations, and individual amateur/professional constructions rather than mass production—exact numbers are not documented but it's a popular design among wooden boat enthusiasts, with many examples built over the decades. Special features include versatile dual-purpose use for rowing (with two stations and excellent pulling performance) and sailing (typically lug or sprit rig, with the rig stowing inside the boat), shoal draft for easy beaching/launching, centerboard and kick-up rudder for shallow waters, glued-lapstrake plywood construction (often 9mm okoume with cedar or oak framing) for lightweight strength, flat midship sections and broad beam for stability and load-carrying (2–3 people comfortably, 4 in a pinch), and a graceful, seaworthy hull form that's forgiving, fast under oars or sail, and suitable for coastal, lake, or protected waters—praised for its beauty, simplicity, and all-around fun.