Ralph Penton

From: Ralph Penton
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2012
To: 'Sam Devlin'
Subject: Monday, Sept 10

Sam,

Hopefully, you remember me Sam...Ralph Penton up in Snohomish. I visited your facility a couple of times during the construction process and spoke with Lee probably half a dozen times!

Last January I bought plans for a Candlefish 13 and ultimately finished the boat in early April. Since that point I’ve probably put 150 hours on that little boat! Those hours are some of the best in my 40 years of boating experience. I’ve owned boats up to 40’ and many in between but I have not experienced the satisfaction or type of pure “fun” that I’ve had in this little skiff.

This little boat turns heads no matter where I go or what dock I’m tied up to. I’ve attached a few photos that really don’t do justice to the lines of the boat in the water, but then photography really isn’t my strong suit.

There’s something else I wanted to convey and that is my sincere “thanks” to you personally. You see I’ve been an avid woodworker for 40 plus years and considered myself a skilled “amateur” woodworker. During the construction of the Candlefish, I found a new element and a new approach that I was previously blind to. In our first meeting you referred to it as a “path of logic”. To some, this may be a fuzzy concept but I know you understand my comment. In any event, I’m a far better all around woodworker regardless of the type of project simply and purely due to building this boat. Pathologic as you jokingly said? Probably, but enjoying myself just the same.

I’m a bit behind my schedule as I wanted to have another boat project well under way by now, but honestly I’ve been using the “Crawdad” (your Candlefish 13) whenever possible along with my Duckworth 26. I’m wading through your designs right now looking at a few alternatives that would fit.

I’ll be in touch and I hope all is well with you and your staff!

Once again, THANKS Sam!

Ralph Penton
Snohomish, WA

See plans, specs and a description of this boat in our Design Catalog & Store.