Sjogin II While Sjogin is not a New Jersey design she was born and raised in the state and her undeniable beauty has earned her a page of her own. She has pulled the heartstrings of many and is the topic of several threads on the WoodenBoat Forum. Forumite Rod Brink drummed up interest on the forum, contacted several well known designers and finally contracted with world renown boat designer and builder Paul Gartside to have him draw the original Sjogin's lines and also rework plans for glued lap/clinker plywood, strip planked/cold molded and traditional construction methods. Paul also drew several sail plans: Gaff sloop, Bermuda sloop, Gaff yawl and Bermuda yawl. Many of us on the forum jumped at chance of being charter members of the "Sjogin Club," being able to get these sets of plans from Paul. Others can order plans from him, click here to contact Paul Gartside for the latest pricing and ordering information.

It will be interesting and exciting to see how many Sjogins get built and the options that builders choose.

Future links to Sjogin building sites will be posted here
If you have Sjogin photos or a Sjogin building site that you'd like to have posted on this site send your info to

The first build is by Roger Dahlberg from Tasmania, Australia. A beautiful half hull in Huon Pine, Rosewood & Tasmanian Blackwood.

During a cold winter in Maine (like there are any other types) I (the webmaster here) carved a couple of Sjogins, one for the office, one to decorate the porch.

Sjogin and Hurricane Sandy

She went down, but she came back up. She'll be back in sailing shape soon. Click on the link above to follow her progress. Photos below taken from Russ's postings on the WB Forum.

Paul Gartside discusses his Sjogin II plans:

What I would say about the Sjogin plan is that I have no difficulty understanding why so many people are drawn to it, it's a beautiful model.  It's a sweet little boat ideal for weekends aboard or just daysailing.   In reworking it I made several changes from the original boat.  The keel is a little deeper to clean up the profile - in the original the ballast casting is not faired in to the wood keel very well.  It will also give it a better chance to windward. 

I have moved the rig forward and set the forestay off a short bowsprit on all four rig options.  My sense is the boat must carry a good bit of weather helm on the wind as is, the beamy boats are always trying to round up as they heel.  Hopefully the change will balance her a little better.  Of the four rig options, I would be inclined to use one of the gaff rigs - the yawl is my preference - mostly because it is so much easier to make all the components oneself.

I drew the main plan for clinker plywood because a majority of the sponsoring group requested that.  However, for a glued option, my preference would be the triple skin method included in the plan set.  It avoids the tricky ethical questions around the use of tropical hardwood plywood and makes it easier to use local material.  It is also probably the most economical in terms of material cost. The boat needs an auxiliary of some , even though the original is engineless.  An outboard is a bad match for a double ender so I added a small diesel to her.  Even if an engine is not installed, my recommendation would be to put a stern tube in at the time of building regardless.  It will increase the value and re-sale potential for little additional cost.

There has been interest expressed in further variations of this hull.  I talked to Rod Brink yesterday about an 18ft trailerable version and we agreed that if he could round up an interested group again, I would undertake it on a similar basis.  Since then I have had a couple of expressions of interest in a 26ft version, which might be a very nice cruiser.  So we'll see.  We are not at the end of the Sjogin saga by any means.

All the best,
Paul

And now there is
Sjogin III

Sjogin III was in Watercraft Magazine #93 (May/June 2012)

Sojourn-Sjogin III model

Sjogin's smallest sister: Gartside Design #208

Sjogin IIIa under construction in Maine

Sjogin's Story
From Russ Manheimer's Sjogin blog, Hove to off Swan Point

Sjogin is a small traditional Scandinavian workboat (I assume that she’s a koster type) that we sail in the north end of Barnegat Bay in New Jersey. We keep her in an old fashioned boat yard, David Beaton and Sons in West Mantoloking, near our home.

She seems to be modeled on a typical clinker (lapstrake) Swedish inshore fishing boat and not one of the more refined carvel types. Sjogin is 22’ LOA, 8’ Beam and draws about 2’9’’. She has a long shallow keel. Also she’s never had an engine. I carry a sweep to scull when needed but otherwise use whatever wind’s available to get in and out of her slip. You can see lots of photos at my Flickr page.

As far as we know, Sjogin was built in Southern NJ in 1961 by a gentlemen named Gullen. We have no further details of her builder or designer. While she has workboat roots, her proportions and details suggest she was drawn by a well practiced eye. (for more see Russ's blog on Hove to off Swan Point)

WoodenBoat Forum Threads

Sjogin III

Update on developing plans for "Sjogin"

Measurement of Sjogin

The Original Sjogin Thread