Honalee

Description

The Honalee is a classic wooden sailboat, specifically an L. Francis Herreshoff-designed Rosinante (or Rozinante, sometimes modified), a 28 ft LOA canoe-stern ketch known for its elegant, seaworthy lines and compact yet comfortable cruising layout. Named after the fictional donkey from Don Quixote in Herreshoff's writings, the design dates to the mid-20th century (plans published in Herreshoff literature), with individual boats built by various yards or amateurs, including notable examples like one by Smith and Rhuland (1962 build referenced in classic yacht registries) or home/professional wooden constructions. Production was never mass-scale—limited to custom or small-series wooden builds (exact quantity undocumented but very low, as with many Herreshoff-inspired classics; surviving examples appear in wooden boat registers, classic racing events like Master Mariners races, and owner communities). Features include a ketch rig for balanced, shorthanded sailing, long overhangs with canoe stern for easy motion and beauty, full keel for stability and tracking, simple yet cozy interior (suitable for coastal/offshore cruising with berths, galley, head), and emphasis on traditional craftsmanship (often varnished wood, lapstrake or carvel planking)—prized for its dry ride, surprising speed for size, and timeless appeal as a "proper little ship."