Request from a New Sabot Owner
We keep seeing more signs of people returning to small boats. There are many good reasons to sail small boats including affordability, small or singlehanded crews and, as always, they’re lots of fun. While reading the news we see that bicycle sales are through the roof. Singlehanded dinghies are essentially the bicycles of the sea. They’re something you can use on your own, in a short period of time, and put away relatively easily when you’re done.
So it was no surprise to receive this letter from Ben McGinty, in Southern California.
“I picked up a Sabot this last week from an estate sale,” Ben wrote. “After doing some research, I came across your site. It said you’re interested in filling gaps, and I’m interested in learning more about this Naples? Sabot.”
“So the story goes: This kid was walking home one day back in the ’60s, saw this Sabot in his neighborhood behind the Disney Studio in Burbank. Not sure of the particulars, but he was told he could have it, went home, asked his mom, she said yes and he wheeled it home. His dad, being a WW2 Navy vet, was happy to have a new hobby for the family. There are no markings or plaques identifying it except for on the sail; it sure seems like it’s a Naples. I would appreciate your input and thoughts on its origins if you’re able to shed some light on my new acquisition, and if you wouldn’t mind sharing your thoughts with me.”
“I haven’t been out in the boat yet, but hope to sometime in the near future. It’s really fun and I have had lots of people get a kick when I it set up in front of my shop. Look forward to hearing back if anyone knows about this li’l boat! Here I am trying to drum up some business sailing the sidewalk. haha.”
We know our Southern California readers are much better qualified to help Ben than we are. If you’ve got some input for Ben you can add it to our comments section below.
Yes, that is a very old Naples Sabot. Naples as opposed to a windward or US Sabot because it uses a leeboard as opposed to a centerboard. I can see the mounting bracket on the rail for the leeboard but not the full leeboard fitting or the board itself. If you want to sail in any direction other than dead downwind, you will need to add the leeboard.
Yes, that is a Naples sabot. You can see the leeboard fitting on the starboard side, just forward of the oar lock.
Yes, it’s an authentic Naples sabot. Probably built by Schock. Just like an El Toro, but with a leeboard. Naples is the island in Alamitos Bay Long Beach where my daughter took sailing lessons on ours. Great dinghies for rowing too.
It needs battens
It’s a Naples Sabot. A pretty old one, by the sail #. See the insignia on the sail and the bracket on stb side for the lee board. Fun little boats. I had my 3 kids go through the Lido Isle Yacht Club’s junior program in Sabots. Lots of great memories of regattas from Alamitos Bay to Mission Bay. All 3 helped me finish our Tri (now in New Zealand) and have loved helping to cruise it around the South Pacific for the last 8 years.
One more thing Ben, it’s a bit hard on the sabot to sit in it on its trailer. Really localizes the stresses.
Have Fun.
Yup, old Naples sabot! I can’t tell from the pic, is the hull wood? If so, then it’s probably not a Schock. Also, as I recall the Schock knees in the bow were glasses in. ( I was Schock’s service manager for most of the 1980’s) Lots of people home built them in the 60’s. If the owner is interested, I have some cool aerospace foam filled leeboard handles that my dad and I made in the 70’s, and would be happy to send him one! Have fun sailing your new old mini yacht!
Hi Tom, would be great to have a handle for the leeboard, sorry for the delay in getting to you about this, thanks for offering. Let me know how much it is, I can send you shipping cost for it as well. My email is [email protected] if you’d like to email me direct, that’d be great! The boat is wood so I’m figuring its not a Schock. Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks again Ben
Hi Tom,
Any chance you still have one of those leeboard handles? Thanks!
Hello all! Thanks for the info!! I figured it was a Naples, just felt so from its Vintage style and look, and will do Tony. (Just couldn’t help myself for that photo-op). She came with the lee board, battens, a tiller and paddle need some oars though!!
Thank you John for posting this and the comments helping identify this boat. I look forward to learning more if anyone has any info. Thanks again.
2734 – if that is indeed the hull number for this Naples Sabot, was built in 1961, per INSA records. The 2 known owners were: John Casagrands of Burbank and Milo Stuckey of La Jolla/Mission Bay Yacht Club. A measurement certificate was issued on the hull when built, but no records on the builder.
Thank you for finding this information for me. It’s great to have this history for my records.
My guess is that it’s a Sydney. They built lots of Sabots in the early 60’s. The nifty rubrail indicates to me that it was a yacht tender at some point in its history. Great little boats. We have owned two of them at different times. In the 60’s they were the yacht tender of choice for lots of sailboats that went to Catalina on weekends. The Avon Redcrest became the tender of choice in the 70’s.
Just a correction, the bracket is on the port side.
My dad was Sidney of Sidney Sabots. looks to be an early model. By the 70’s they were fully fiberglass double hull. They were well down throughout So Cal . Sidney was well known for promoting dinghy regattas. We all sailed them and had a lot of fun