It’s no secret that readers of Soundings are sharp. The joke among our staff is that when it comes to boats, these salty and seasoned subscribers are so knowledgeable and resourceful we sometimes wonder if we belong in the same wheelhouse with this crowd. And that’s just one of the things that makes this work so enjoyable. We’re constantly learning things from the people who read this magazine.
Just this week, I was reviewing the story on page 52 of this issue, about the owner of a Rosborough RF-246. I knew the boat had a good backstory as it was one of the first “pocket trawlers” on the production boat market when it was built in 1987 by Bob Rosborough in Nova Scotia. I also knew that after about 25 years and 500 boats, Rosborough sold the molds to Eastern Boats in Milton, New Hampshire, where it’s made today. But I had a vague memory about a smaller boat from Rosborough, only I couldn’t remember the model.
Then I received a serendipitous email from subscriber Heidi Gallo of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She dropped a line to share details about the boat she and her husband, Alan, recently bought: a Rosborough RF-18. In an a-ha moment, I recalled that plucky, single-outboard cruiser with salty lines, and then scratched my head wondering where it was in production. Gallo answered the question for me.
After Heidi and Alan retired from careers as aquaculturists, she wrote, they were ready to trade up from the 17-foot Carolina Skiff they used as a work boat to raise oysters and clams. They wanted a trailerable Downeast rig with a small cabin, outboard power and—most important—low draft. “We moor at Pleasant Bay in Orleans, where it’s beautiful, but shallow in many areas,” she said.
Through research the couple located the RF-18 with its 9-inch draft, which was originally made by Rosborough in Nova Scotia. They loved it but couldn’t find one on the used market, and Rosborough no longer built the model, having sold the molds. So, the couple got resourceful.
“I spent some time on a Downeast forum, where I found a post by Luke Levy of Sober Island Boat Works in Nova Scotia,” said Heidi. “He had the molds for the RF-18 and could build us a new boat called the Levy 18.”
Production on their boat began in late 2020 and finished in May 2022, having had delays due to Covid. “We knew it would take time to complete, but it was worth the wait,” she said.
The Gallos are now deep into the cruising season. “We typically stay in the bay and tuck in at various islands, since the boat can get into skinny water,” said Heidi. “Later, we’ll venture into Nantucket Sound to cruise the south end of the Cape. The boat can probably handle rough water, but we try to avoid that.”
Overall, the Gallos are quite happy with Jake II and feel the time, thought and money they invested in the project was well spent. “Our boat is the first that Levy built on that hull with a pilothouse,” wrote Heidi. “We hope more will be built in the future so other people can appreciate this great Little Novi Downeaster.”
For my part, I’m happy to have learned some new things about a cool boat, a builder like Levy that’s a bit off the beaten path, and a couple that’s generous with their time, knowledge and enthusiasm.
Jeanne Craig, [email protected]
This article was originally published in the June 2024 issue.
