The Guider, a newly designed 18′ 7″ expedition boat from Chesapeake Light Craft (CLC), represents a significant collaboration between CLC’s renowned designer, John Harris, and John Guider, a professional photographer and seasoned small-boat adventurer based in Nashville, Tennessee. This partnership, spanning a decade, previously yielded the Skerry Raid, a wider and partially decked variant of CLC’s popular 15′ Skerry sail-and-oar boat. John Guider himself tested the Skerry Raid prototype extensively, navigating the impressive 6,500-mile “Great Loop” of the eastern United States. However, The Guider was specifically conceived and constructed for John Guider’s solo participation in the challenging 2019 Race to Alaska (R2AK), a demanding 750-mile race from Port Townsend, Washington, to Ketchikan, Alaska, relying solely on human and wind power. Compared to the Skerry Raid, The Guider boasts enhanced storage capacity, more comfortable sleeping arrangements, and improved seakeeping capabilities, enabling it to confidently handle rough and windy conditions.
[](Beach landing with The Guider. The retractable centerboard and rudder are crucial for shallow water access, making it an excellent beach expedition boat.)
In preparation for his ambitious summer 2020 expedition on Lake Superior, John Guider brought his boat, The Guider, to the CLC workshop in Annapolis, Maryland, for the installation of a customized cockpit tent. During this time, Brian Forsyth had the opportunity to experience sailing The Guider firsthand. As a long-time enthusiast of beach cruisers and shallow-draft boats ideal for camp-cruising and overnight stays, he was immediately impressed.
The hull of The Guider is characterized by its refined ends and a relatively narrow waterline, contributing to effortless rowing. The topside planks flare out amidships, providing increased buoyancy and enhanced sailing performance. The wherry-style plank keel, while narrow, is thoughtfully designed to ensure the boat remains stable when beached on sand or mudflats. The centerboard, crafted from a robust 1/4″ aluminum plate with a slight profile, is both simple and durable. All spars are hollow and shorter than the boat’s overall length, facilitating easier and more compact trailering. The single balanced lugsail, measuring 125 sq ft, is generously sized for solo sailing, delivering ample power. Lazyjacks simplify sail management, allowing for quick raising and, crucially, lowering of the sail. When lowered, the sail bundle is conveniently positioned out of the way for rowing, and the lazyjacks can be tightened to secure it completely, well above head height. Two deep reefs, each equipped with single-line reefing, offer versatility in varying wind conditions. All reefing lines and cleats are strategically located on the starboard side of the boom, easily accessible and manageable from a secure position amidships.
The Guider distinguishes itself with fore and aft decks, along with side decks, significantly enhancing its seaworthiness compared to fully open boats. While the side decks might appear wide enough for hiking out, their primary function is to accommodate oars, stored in locks along the side decks with purpose-made chocks, thus they are not intended for seating while sailing. This design choice is a justifiable compromise, as The Guider’s hull form, beam, and planned storage and ballast are designed to minimize the need for hiking out. Furthermore, the readily accessible oar storage is exceptional, surpassing that of most sail-and-oar boats.
[](Spacious interior of The Guider. Designed for comfortable sleeping and extensive gear storage, ideal for extended expeditions.)
However, the defining design element of The Guider is its interior layout, meticulously optimized with 12 waterproof buoyancy compartments. Most of these compartments serve a dual purpose, providing ample stowage for expedition supplies, accessible through large, user-friendly plywood hatches. The foredeck hatch features a large oval rubber kayak hatch cover. The cockpit area is largely a flat, level space with a minimal footwell located beneath the tiller. This design facilitates a swift transition to sleeping or camp mode. Having experienced sleeping in numerous small boats, Brian Forsyth notes that for an open boat, The Guider offers an exceptional sleeping arrangement. It features two generous 6′ 6″-long sleeping platforms, separated by the centerboard trunk and footwell. No adjustments or rearrangements are necessary for sleeping; simply unroll a pad and slip into a bivy bag in under a minute. A cockpit tent or sunshade can be easily rigged in just a few additional minutes.
[](Innovative rudder design of The Guider. The inboard rudder trunk allows for easy and safe rudder retraction and deployment from within the cockpit.)
The rudder and tiller system on The Guider presents an ingenious solution to a common challenge. Traditional rudders on double-ended boats often suffer from overly long tillers or cumbersome steering sticks linked to a yoke on the rudderhead. These stern-mounted rudders are typically difficult to retract or deploy, especially in rough seas, and the tillers often obstruct movement within the boat. The Guider’s robust, retractable rudder elegantly addresses these issues. It retracts through a dedicated trunk located aft of the footwell. A cassette, which houses the rudderpost pivot, fills the trunk when the rudder is extended. This system allows for effortless and safe rudder deployment and removal from within the cockpit. The rudder can also be partially deployed and fixed as a skeg for rowing. Furthermore, the tiller can be conveniently flipped up and out of the way, clear of the boom, secured by a simple bungee cord loop – a truly refined detail.
Upon finalizing the design, the skilled team at CLC constructed John Guider’s boat, Guider #1, in an impressive 22 days. While building time for individuals may vary, CLC offers Guider kits and components under their ProKits line, designed for builders with some experience who may not require detailed, step-by-step instructions. The construction manual, developed by CLC designer Dillon Majoros, comprises 38 comprehensive, full-color, 11″ x 17″ sheets, assuming familiarity with stitch-and-glue construction techniques, epoxy work, filleting, and fiberglass sheathing. This project is more intricate than building a plywood kayak, and while feasible in a single-car garage, a two-car garage or similarly sized workshop is recommended for a more enjoyable building experience.
Currently, the sole method for building The Guider is through CLC kits. However, a full plan set, including full-sized paper templates for all wooden parts, will soon be available, enabling builders to cut parts from plywood sheets. Having built plywood boats from both kits and plans, precut kits are highly recommended. The design incorporates numerous wooden components, making a precut kit a significant advantage in terms of accuracy and time efficiency. Let the precision of computer-controlled CNC cutting streamline the process.
Launching The Guider from a standard galvanized two-bunk trailer at a ramp on the Severn River near Annapolis proved effortless, although the trailer wheels were fully submerged to float the boat off. Stepping the approximately 30-lb mast and setting up the running rigging and sail with lazyjacks was easily accomplished single-handedly prior to launching. For cruising, beach launching The Guider with inflatable beach rollers is feasible, although a strong crew would be beneficial.
[](Rowing station on The Guider. The comfortable rowing seat and efficient hull design make rowing a pleasure, whether for exercise or navigating calm waters.)
In summary, Brian Forsyth’s overall impression of The Guider’s performance underway was encapsulated in one word: “Easy.” With 300 lbs of crew (himself and his daughter) and 200 lbs of foam-wrapped lead ballast (as specified in the plans) in the amidships storage compartments, the boat exhibited a smooth motion and enhanced stability with the centerboard lowered. The Guider is easy to row, easy to sail, easy to transition between modes, easy to reef, and easy to beach. This ease of handling is particularly valuable in an expedition boat, where conserving energy is paramount.
[](Sailing performance of The Guider. The balanced lug sail and efficient hull allow for impressive speeds and comfortable handling in various conditions.)
However, “easy” does not equate to slow. The Guider consistently achieved GPS-measured speeds exceeding 5 knots on all points of sail in moderate 10-knot breezes. It’s an enjoyable boat to sail, exhibiting excellent balance and responsiveness. The 3:1 mainsheet tackle is essential for managing the substantial lugsail, but provides ample control. The sensation of the sail pulling the boat, especially on reaches in a good breeze, is remarkable. The helm of The Guider provides a balanced, “on-rails” feel typically associated with keelboats, allowing for fingertip control on the tiller.
The Guider is designed as a “sit-in,” or rather “sprawl-in,” boat. Without the need for hiking out, the deep, roomy cockpit provides a secure helm position with comfortable foot bracing in the footwell. With his daughter at the helm, Brian Forsyth found the cleverly designed removable rowing seat, secured with a single bolt and hand-friendly knob, to be an ideal crew seat under sail, allowing him to face forward and manage the mainsheet. The racing-shell-style seat also provides a comfortable rowing position, with solid foot bracing against the aft bulkhead of the footwell. Considering the comfort factor for extended cruising, small, inexpensive vinyl beanbag chairs could be a worthwhile addition.
Beaching The Guider and relaunching is straightforward. The boat is easily maneuvered under oars from the rowing position, both forward and backward, another advantage of the double-ended hull design. Under sail, the 1/4″ aluminum-plate centerboard effectively acts as a depth sounder in shallow waters.
There are no provisions for adding a motor to The Guider, and attempting to do so would be impractical and counterproductive. Thoughtfully designed as a purely sail and oar vessel, The Guider is best utilized and enjoyed without a motor. For those seeking a fully realized, expedition-capable boat that is also exhilarating to sail, The Guider comes highly recommended.
Brian Forsyth developed his passion for sailing during his childhood at Navy sailing clubs both in the U.S. and overseas. Following a 20-year career as a Navy aviation maintenance officer and a subsequent career as an information technology consultant, he now dedicates his time to boating. A former coastal-kayaking instructor and keelboat racer, he currently sails, paddles, and builds small boats in Solomons, Maryland. He enjoys camp-cruising on Chesapeake Bay with his sailing companions, the Shallow Water Sailors, and is an active member of the Patuxent Small Craft Guild, a volunteer group at the Calvert Marine Museum boatshop.
The Guider Specifications
[table]
Length/18′ 7″
Beam/6′
Dry Weight/600 lbs
Ballast/200 lbs
Max payload/900 lbs
Rowing draft/9″
Sailing draft /36″
Sail area/125 sq ft
[/table]
[](Sail plan of The Guider. The balanced lug sail and overall design contribute to its excellent sailing characteristics for expedition cruising.)
[](Plan view of The Guider. Illustrating the layout and dimensions of this versatile expedition boat, highlighting its thoughtful design.)
The base kit for The Guider is available from Chesapeake Light Craft for $4,897.
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