This is not going to be your typical Practical Sailor boat review. Not by any stretch of the imagination. You will not be able to search the market for comparable vessels and prices. There are none. But if you’re interested in what a determined, talented individual and a team of dedicated volunteers and professionals can accomplish, you may be interested in this review.
There have been many articles and literally years of YouTube videos documenting the amazing reconstruction of Tally Ho, a gaff rig cutter, full keel sailing vessel from the drawing board of Albert Strange, an artist and yacht designer from the turn of the 19th century. Young Leo Goolden, a Brit, took it upon himself to travel to Brookings, Oregon on the shores of the Pacific Ocean to examine what was essentially a hulk destined for the chain saw. The YouTube algorithm presented episode 3 to me in the summer of 2017 and I was intrigued, captured by the immense size of the project and Leo’s optimistic, can-do personality. Seven years and over 200 well-produced videos later, Tally Ho is now a pristine example of wooden boat building from a bygone era—all accomplished because of a hope and a dream.
The history of Tally Ho and her designer, Albert Stange, is well documented on the Sampson Boat Co website.
As the author of this Practical Sailor article, I must admit that I am not a wooden boat aficionado. I admire those that have the skill and patience to keep such amazing vessels afloat. Vintage fiberglass is what I’ve sailed all my life, and I approached this boat review as I have others, as a sailing vessel. Whether constructed of wood, steel, aluminum or fiberglass, they all have their advantages and drawbacks. I am certainly no expert on wood, but I know what I prefer in a sailing vessel. Bear with me…
Design
Tally Ho is not designed to any artificial racing rule, nor, I suspect, to any current fashion trend in the early 1900s. This is a hull, deck and rig designed to withstand the rigors of open ocean sailing in the worst of conditions. With a shallow keel running the length of a full hull , windward work is not going to be her forte. The broad transom-hung rudder is not balanced and will require effort when changing direction. Leo examined photos of Tally Ho during her early life and realized that the rudder was modified after original construction. A good indication that sailors of the day believed the rudder to be undersized. The extended size was included in the re-build along with a narrow trim-tab along the trailing edge. This trim-tab would allow for wind vane steering if desired, or the electrical/mechanical self steering that has been successfully incorporated into Tally Ho.
Construction
As can be seen in the first videos that Leo posted to YouTube all those years ago, Tally Ho was essentially an empty hulk. But the basic form of the hull and deck were there, ribs and all. With a background in wooded boat building, Leo brought a wealth of knowledge and skill to the project. The details of the disassembly and subsequent re-construction were a lesson in determination and perseverance. I suspect that the detail work Leo demonstrated was “common knowledge” passed down through generations of boat builders back in the day. But it certainly isn’t today. Building a multilevel house would appear much simpler! I couldn’t possibly go into all the details of the construction of the hull and deck. However, if you have the patience and the interest to learn, seven years of videos await you!
On Deck
First impressions as you step over the gunnel are of a wide expanse of beautifully laid Alaskan yellow cedar with teak king planks and covering boards. A small doghouse for the companionway, a massive teak butterfly hatch aft of the mast, and a small doghouse forward complement the deck. The wide side decks are completely unobstructed from stern to bow. Glorious! Low, solid bulwarks topped with a bare teak cap rail adorn the sides, no stanchions, no lifelines. There weren’t any in 1910 and aren’t now. Jacklines would be the norm in any kind of seaway.
Cockpit
The cockpit is deep and wide, beautifully fabricated of varnished teak with low back rests and proper foot bracing on the opposing seat. Unfortunately, the cap rail on the cockpit coaming does distract from comfort as a backrest. Nothing a boat cushion wouldn’t resolve. The bronze tiller intrudes on the stern half of cockpit space while underway but that still leaves plenty of space for guests. Six bronze self tailing winches are within easy reach of the helm. The mainsheet is behind the helm on the original refurbished wrought iron mainsheet gibe buffer. A very workable cockpit configuration with no attempt to destroy perfection with a dodger.
Moving forward, shrouds are fastened outboard to chainplates on the hull, leaving the side decks unobstructed. Sail halyards are controlled at the mast, all without winches, all very traditional. The anchor capstan, saved from the original hull, is a prominent feature on the foredeck with its massive white structure dominating the space. Traditionally human powered, Leo has, with a great deal of effort by many skilled craftsmen, refurbished and electrified this device. Details of the struggle and success are available starting with Episode 178 on January 2024 and continue with numerous links to the companies that performed the intricate work. Although 48 ft. in length on deck, Tally Ho has a substantial retractable bowsprit for carrying extra sail forward of the bow. The sail plan would not appear complete without it.
The Rig
In the days of schooners and square riggers, Tally Ho’s mast and standing rigging would have appeared simple, child’s play even. However, that was more than a few generations of seafarers ago. I looked up when I stepped aboard and acknowledge that I would have a lot to learn! Yes, there are still many training and private vessels in the traditional fashion, but most of us fiberglass boat owners will not get the opportunity to learn on such a vessel. Kudos to those that do. The standing rigging on Tally Ho was constructed by Brion Toss Yacht Riggers, the running rigging was by Robert Downes of Salish Rigging, both based in Port Townsend, Washington State.
Both rigs are based on photographs of the taller 1927 rig that won the Fastnet Yacht Race of that year and adopted in close collaboration with Leo. They used hi-tech Dyneema synthetic line and, through a complex process, made it look like traditional cordage. A fascinating video of the process is available in Episode 176 on YouTube, which is also information that would also be of interest to anyone thinking of changing from wire to synthetic for standing rigging on today’s modern production boats.
The running rigging is similarly addressed, all terminating at the base of the mast and, as mentioned earlier, without a winch in sight. Plenty of belaying pins! Plenty of sweating the halyards tight! All 50-plus blocks of the rigging are hand crafted of a combination of white ash and black locust with modern hi-tech internal parts, then varnished to perfection. They are beautiful to look at, and are more than up to the task with their strength and durability. Fortunately, the blocks can be disassembled for maintenance for bearings and varnishing.
Sail Plan
Like the standing and running rigging, the sail plan was based on original photos and, with design input from Leo and Sandy Goodall, Ratsey and Lapthorne (UK) fabricated the main sail, working topsail and jackyard topsail then shipped them across the pond. The remaining head sails were crafted at Northwest Sails (USA) in Port Hadlock adjacent to Port Townsend.
Interior
Climbing past the bronze-enclosed Ritchie compass inlaid on the bridge deck and down the steep teak ladder is like entering another world. The aroma of wood, varnish and a wood burning fireplace waft up to welcome sailors into a warm and exotic interior. Immediately to port is a beautiful solid oak door leading to a spacious aft double cabin—the captain’s cabin.
Captain’s Cabin
The captain’s cabin is adorned with traditional oil lamps complemented with brass LED reading lights, an overhead compass, and painted white diagonal planking that complements varnished hull ribs with hull planking clearly visible. A properly vented hanging locker accompanies a porcelain wash basin with brass tap. It is a wonderfully warm and cozy cabin to curl up with a favorite beverage and a good book. Small portlights face the cockpit for ventilation, which may prove a challenge in tropical climates. Leo has contemplated an African Queen-style bimini for when Tally Ho reaches those warm waters and sleeping on deck becomes a reality. But for northern climates the captain’s cabin is very hard to resist as the sun dips below the horizon and dew falls.
Pilot Berth and Wet Locker
Opposite the aft cabin, and behind a simple curtain, is a pilot berth with enough room underneath for plenty of storage. Moving aft is the door to the mechanical compartment. More on that later.
Moving forward on the starboard side, behind a simple fabric curtain, is the ample wet locker. Plenty of room for rain gear and life jackets. As part of the heating system, there is a heated copper loop located in this locker. Oh, the decadence!
Nav Station
Just forward of the wet locker is the navigation station. It is a proper navigation station, although the table still isn’t large enough to roll out a proper nautical chart. But the large monitor connected to Leo’s laptop with the latest navigational software is an excellent substitute. Leo intends to use a tablet or smartphone in the cockpit, connected to the navigational software below for accurate close-in maneuvering when necessary. While Tally Ho is very traditional, including a library with all necessary reference books and guides for safety at sea, the navigation station is state-of-the-art in systems control and monitoring. As modern as it may be, there are also two traditional sextants aboard, with a skipper that knows how to use them.
A great deal of care and planning has taken place in designing and installing the breaker panel and associated equipment. The electrical panel is the epitome of Leo’s care and dedication to detail that exemplifies the entire project. Many years from now, when someone needs to trace a wiring problem back to the panel, they won’t be searching through a maze of wires. Everything is labelled and secure.
Salon
When you’re standing at the navigation station, you’ve entered the main salon. Just a reminder that this is not a Beneteau or Jeanneau in the 50-ft. range. With more than a 14-ft. plus beam and enough room to hold a square dance—this is a proper ocean-going wooden sailing vessel from a bygone era. First impressions are of interior height, amplified by the gorgeous butterfly hatch that seems to occupy the entire overhead. The volume of light is simply spectacular, despite the fact that there are no portlights or fixed windows with views. Everything is finished with wonderful detail, from a white ceiling with varnished deck beams to detailed cabinets from seat back to overhead. Of note are also the deck lights, which are inverted cones of glass that let in copious amounts of light even on cloudy days. They are unobtrusive on deck and are brilliant sources of light below.
The L-shaped settee to port provides ample room for guests on green diamond quilted leather surrounding a substantial table that can be lowered to provide extra berths if required. A fixed center bench provides extra storage and seating at the table. In the aft corner is my favorite—a back-lit stained glass beverage cabinet. Forward of the seating area, against the forward bulkhead, is a wood burning stove in a ceramic tiled alcove. Although Tally Ho is centrally heated with a hydronic system, the wood burning fireplace certainly lends a well-placed ambience.
Galley
To starboard of the settee is a long galley against the starboard hull. With beautifully crafted drawers under the counter and cabinets against the hull, there is plenty of galley storage available. The substantial Ocean Chef stainless steel induction range/oven (yes, electric!) is set into a stainless enclosure in the cabinetry next to an Isotherm top-loading fridge with a separate freezer in a drawer under the port side settee. Last, but not least, is a Belfast galley sink, sometimes also called a farmhouse sink, with brass taps. Lighting is provided by bright LED bulbs inside traditional bronze cabin-light fittings and, of course, the huge skylight. And just to remind you that this is still a boat, the massive, varnished ribs poke out from under the cabinetry to meet the cabin sole.
Cabin Sole
The cabin sole is fabricated of solid ash boards just over one inch thick and cut to fit various spaces, fastened where required, and not fastened where access to the bilge or machinery is required. This may need to be addressed before an ocean crossing. A six-foot length of planking flying around in a knockdown may not be a good thing!
Forepeak
Forward of the salon/galley can only be described as the forepeak. This is not your pedestal queen size berth in a palatial setting fit for a first mate. This is a working boat with working accommodations for crew and proper storage. Immediately to port is a substantial head compartment with wonderfully detailed cabinetry, a stand-up shower and the decadence of a heated towel rack. More on that later. The seawater toilet has the option of holding tank, direct discharge or deck discharge, a very standard modern system. Although there are no opening ports in this compartment, one of the spectacular deck lights provide ample natural lighting along with the LED lights. A powerful electric extraction fan pulls air out of this compartment through a mushroom vent on deck, essential for keeping this area dry and fresh.
Moving forward, there are a series of bunks port and starboard with hanging lockers and drawers offering plenty of storage for crew gear. Stowed overhead is a traditional style oil lamp anchor light (LED). Lighting for the compartment is also LED. A vertical ladder leads up to the forward deck hatch, which is the only ventilation for this compartment. Although it is a warm and cozy place to spend an evening while at anchor, I don’t see the allure of spending an off-watch in the bow of a pitching hull on an ocean crossing in mid-Atlantic, the forward hatch dogged down with seas climbing aboard! But that’s the way it was back in the day.
Forward of the crew accommodations is generally storage for sailing gear and spares. The under-deck electric motor for the capstan hangs perilously low here, a helmet may be a good idea if working in this area. Access to the chain locker is at the most forward part of the bow. There is no access to this area from the deck.
The Mechanical Palace
The original Tally Ho came off the ways with a British Smart & Brown 13 hp paraffin piston engine, designed to start on gasoline and, once warmed up, switched to a less expensive fuel such as paraffin or kerosene. This was a very common practice in industrial and farming engines of the day. In fact, the ubiquitous Atomic 4 was designed along the same lines and could operate on kerosene once warmed up. A number of engines of unknown quality followed aboard Tally Ho in subsequent years and, when this project started, there was no engine aboard.
With a clean slate and an overriding desire for reliability and redundancy, Leo has incorporated a parallel hybrid diesel/electric system as a primary propulsion unit. A Beta Marine 85T 4-cylinder diesel is connected to a pair of belt driven 10 kW generators capable of charging the battery bank at 12 kW with minimum impact on boat speed while underway.
Batteries
The LiFePo4 battery bank has a 30,000-watt-hour capacity and can absorb a high volume of electricity without internal damage. Using this system as a genset will result in minimal charging time to offset daily house use when at anchor. With the diesel off and disconnected, the pair of generators can provide 27 hp (20 kW) of power from the 48-volt battery bank to provide up to 5 knots of boat speed. The adjustable Max-prop will also spin under sail, generating electricity for ocean crossings, minimizing or eliminating the use of the diesel for extended periods. Although not tested yet, Leo suspects this regenerative capacity may be of limited use as the Max-Prop is not designed for this purpose.
As a vessel with international plans, Tally Ho is wired for 120 and 230 volts, sporting a pair of Victron Quattro inverters for that purpose. The house battery bank of Victron LiFePO4 batteries is stacked behind the companionway stairs and can provide power to the selected inverter, 48 volts to the pair of generators for propulsion, or 12 volts for domestic use. All very high-tech.
Space to Work
As traditional as Tally Ho may be, the engine compartment would be the envy of any modern custom manufactured boat. Where most sailboats of this size would have an engine compartment with limited room and cramped access to maximize living space, Tally Ho has a mechanical room where humans can actually function. A 116-gallon (530 litre) fuel tank to port and an 80-gallon (365 liter) tank to starboard are hidden behind white boards that hold a variety of necessary equipment.
Access to all the important maintenance items is virtually unrestricted with integrated tool drawers custom fabricated next to an appropriate seat/work platform. And then there are the massive ribs of the hull peaking out near the sole, and beams of the cockpit sole overhead, just to remind you that you’re still inside a boat.
Heating System
For heating in northern climates, the aft end bulkhead has room for a diesel fired 33,000 BTU Hurricane Zephyr hydronic heating system that feeds hot water to individual radiators throughout the accommodations (including towel warmers!) along with domestic hot water for taps and showers.
Organization
Every space is occupied by machinery, wiring, electrical components, plumbing or safety equipment, all logically arranged on white panels. And it doesn’t seem crowded. Certainly, the white paint and brilliant lighting help.
Water
Although Tally Ho does not hold a great deal of fresh water in 2 – 50 gallon (230 liter) tanks, a water maker provides 15 gal (56 liters) per hour of clean water to account for daily use, even for a full crew.
Under Sail
Circumstances precluded me from joining Leo aboard Tally Ho while she was in the Sidney area. For sailing characteristics, I will let Leo describe her shake-down cruise to the remote waters of Haida Gwaii off the northern coast of British Columbia:
“As we emerged from the lee of Vancouver Island we were able to sail more often and in more open water, and we started really getting to grips with different sail combinations. Tally Ho is a gaff cutter and can fly up to five sails on her single mast, but with an assortment of different topsails and headsails for different conditions we usually carry at least nine on board.
The headsails hank on to the stays and there are no winches for the halyards—just block and tackle. The most exciting sail to hoist is the jackyard tops’l, which fills in the gap between the gaff and the topmast (much like the working tops’l) but also extends beyond both of them, thanks to the two spars which are lashed to the sail. Hoisting the whole arrangement up to the top of the rig without catching the web of other lines can be quite a challenge.
I found myself more and more impressed with how Tally Ho sails. Her tonnage makes her feel steady and reliable in heavy conditions, but I was also surprised by how easily she slips along in light airs. It may take more time (and canvas) to get her moving in the first place, but the momentum of so much mass carries her through the lulls when lighter boats find themselves dead in the water. In stronger wind the huge mainsail demands respect, and when beating it must be reefed early or feathered in the gusts to avoid excessive weather-helm—a common feature of gaff cutter rigs.
The long keel helps the boat track well at sea but means that manoeuvring in tight spaces must be carefully planned and executed. With such a long turning circle, intentional use of prop-walk is essential. But even in docking situations the weight of the boat and the long keel can be advantageous—she reacts less to gusts and will stay head-to-wind longer than many.
The uninhabited West coast is a vast and dramatic lee shore, exposed to the unrelenting ocean swell and completely uncharted in many places. Sailing Tally Ho in these waters felt like a true test, but she handled herself as well as I could have possibly hoped. Even among the big seas and strong wind of the open Pacific, she felt sea-kindly and comfortable.”
Conclusion
Is Tally Ho the ideal coastal cruiser? Probably not. Difficult to maneuver in tight places and a real labour of love preparing for, and stowing away, sails after a day on the water. Can she cross oceans with a degree of confidence? A definite yes! With a long keel, heavy displacement and great carrying capacity, Tally Ho will have an easy motion in a seaway for long, comfortable passages.
If you have followed Leo’s eight-year adventure on his YouTube channel, the re-build has been a voyage of skill, desire and determination. The result is a modern classic sailing yacht that is a recognition of designs from a bygone era, a construction that represents a long-lost skill, and a testament to what can still be achieved in today’s marine environment. It will stand the test of time.
Is this a yacht that every sailor would covet for their summer sailing adventures? Unlikely. Sailing and maintaining Tally Ho is going to require significant knowledge and skill. Knowledge and skill that Leo has in abundance. Best wishes, Leo, in your future endeavors to get back to England for 2027 and the sailing years beyond. Thank you for allowing so many of us fiberglass sailors a glimpse into the fascinating world of wooden sailing boats!
Wonderful restoration history! Would be nice to include the financial commitment to this fantastic enterprise. This reminds me of the schooner, Tabor Boy out of Marion Mass used as an ocean going teaching instrument for Tabor Academy.
That’s a question on many watcher’s minds. Leo is not about to divulge that information either. What’s remarkable is that this project was completed through his You Tube channel and the participation of a group of volunteers and eventually professional employees. Looking back at the first episodes it’s hard to believe how this project developed a life of it’s own, funded by watchers. Thanks for the comment!
Great overview of the final product. Having watched every episode over the years of the project I can heartily recommend them. An incredible story and along the way opportunity to learn so much about design and build and sailing fundamentals.