Between 1957 and 1970 Cheoy Lee produced approximatley 133 folkboats originaly sold as the the Offshore 25, better known as the Frisco Flyer.

There were three versions of this small blue-water boat. 91 in all wood and 42 in Fiberglass with wood. There were 55 Type I's and II's and 78 of the Type III's. The Type I (aka the Pacific Clipper) was an all wood boat, had a mast that was stepped through the deck, a traditional folkboat fractional rig and a smaller cabin. The Type II's had a larger teak trunk cabin and a masthead rig. The Type III's had a larger teak dog-house cabin, some "standing" headroom and a masthead rig stepped on deck. The earlier Type III's were solid teak built onto a fiberglass hull and the later Type III’s (1966-1970) were made entirely out of fiberglass with teak paneling.

This boat, Yard # 1507 is one of approximatley only 30 Type III's left. It was out of the water for the previous 16 years when I got it and then about another 5 more while I rebuilt it. It was an empty, cracked hull when given to me and needed a complete restoration/refit. It took about five years of long nights and weekends of working outside under a tarp, in the garage or in the boat during cold winter nights, wet rainy afternoons and everything in between. The occasionally eager assistant on the project was my four (now ten) year old daughter who can have this boat as soon as I convince her mother to get another one. This blog is the record of all the work that "we" have done to the boat as well as some other somewhat related events with friends and family. Eventually, this will be put together in a book which will stay with the boat.

She still has plenty more to go but for now, Jackaroe has been in the water for a couple years now and thats all that matters...

To see past projects, use the links below.



Questions and comments to Matthewearlgarthwait@gmail.com





Saturday, February 3, 2007

The name Jack-a-Roe

The name of the boat came from an old English sea-song named "Jack a roe", also known as "Jack Went A-Sailing". It tells the story of a beautiful girl in London who has lots of guys chasing after her but she only wants to be with this one guy Jack the sailor. Jack is then called to war and sails off to a foreign land. She follows after him on another ship, calling herself Jack a roe and tells the captain that while she's small and beautiful, she not afraid of anything. After the war, she finds him on the battlefield, takes him to a doctor and saves his life. They then sail home and get married.

Frisco Flyers... They're not just to look at and to sail in home waters. That despite being small and beautiful, they're tough little things that are built to cross oceans and will maybe even get you home safe and sound if you find yourself in trouble.


It also didn't hurt that the song was popularized by The Grateful Dead...


http://www.archive.org/download/gd77-05-26.aud.vernon.18746.sbeok.shnf/gd77-05-26d1t08_vbr.mp3

and Bob Dylan...

http://www.bobdylan.com/moderntimes/audio/albumtracks/WindowsMedia/56/jackaroe_world.asx.

ADDED 10/04/07: "Jackaroe": This old tune about a young man who wants to go to war, and a woman who wants him to stay home, descends from an 1808 song "The Cruel War Is Raging." In that song, a British woman wants to join her Johnny, who is going off to fight in the Peninsular Campaign (against Napoleon, in Spain). Johnny tells her:
"Your fingers are too slender, your figure is too smallYour cheeks are too rosy to face the cannon ball."

There is a great page illustrating the Dead's use of Folksongs here...

http://lists.village.virginia.edu/sixties/HTML_docs/Texts/Scholarly/McQuail_Dead_01.html

Here is a clip of Jerry and the boys playing Jack-a-roe on YouTube....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyAu4dbW4BE

and another great audio....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc3GgWaSFAw&list=PL80863DFC4893C20F



I also had the "seller" (I did give him a dollar) change the name of the boat before he gave it to me so as to avoid any bad luck. It had been previously named "Inn Law" out of York, Maine.



Here's the Lyrics of Jack-a-Roe
There was a wealthy merchant, in London he did dwell
He had a beautiful daughter, the truth to you I'll tell
Oh the truth to you I'll tell

She had sweethearts a plenty and men of high degree
But none but Jack the sailor her true love e'er could be
Oh her true love e'er could be

Jackie's gone a sailing with trouble on his mind
He's left his native country and his darling girl behind
Oh his darling girl behind

She went down to a tailor's shop and dressed in man's array
She climbed on board a vessel to convey herself away
Oh convey herself away

Before you step on board Sir, your name I'd like to know
She smiled all in her countenance 'they call me Jack a Roe'
Oh they call me Jack a RoeI see your waist is slender, your fingers they are small
Your cheeks too red and rosy to face the cannonball
Oh to face the cannonball

I know my waist is slender, my fingers they are small
But it would not make me tremble to see ten thousand fall
Oh to see ten thousand fall

The war soon being over, she went and looked around
Among the dead and wounded her darling boy she found
Oh her darling boy she found

She picked him up all in her arms and carried him to town
She sent for a physician who quickly healed his wounds
Oh who quickly healed his wounds

This couple they got married, so well they did agree
This couple they got married, so why not you and me
Oh why not you and me




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