Hess 32' Cutter

 

A few years ago Steven Brouwer, of Hunter Bay Woodworking on Lopez Island asked me if I could design an interior for the 32' Lyle Hess cutter he is building, as he wanted something different than the layout drawn by Hess. Steven was drawn to the interior I drew for my 32’ Kahuna design. However, the hull shapes of the two designs differ sufficiently that a new interior was needed. The layout Steven and Molly settled on, while common for boats of this size, is quite a departure from most Hess cutters, and features a long cabin trunk rather than the trademark short house employed by Hess. The changes result in a very comfortable interior that highlights Steven’s superb craftsmanship.

The design alterations extend to the rig, where we opted for rectangular box spars in place of the round mast and boom, and reduced the mast rake; she will be rigged with a loose-footed, full-battened main from Port Townsend Sails. Rigging will be 1x19 wire, using Hi-Mod compression fittings. Steven is making the tangs in his shop from silicon bronze.  At this point the interior and the systems are largely complete, along with deck, cabin, and bulwarks. The mast has been glued up, and Steven is focusing on hardware, hatches, and various other details, with a projected launch in 2025.

There are more photos and drawings on my website.