CLASSIC BOAT MAY 2015 11PAPA 1
of a scallop-shaped, gilded sink on Marguerite T. “She
had a magnificent head,” Steele recalled with a smile. “It
became a bit of a joke – how were we going to top
that?” He pondered options but not for long. In his
basement, stored for years, was an antique, cast iron
mini-tub saved from a Bridgewater, NS, hotel. His team
installed it, plumbed in such a way that the cast iron tub
radiates heat, then adorned it with a wall of tile bordered
above with the spreading arms of a shade tree. When
asked about the significance, Steele responded, “There’s
one sure way to cure seasickness – sit under a tree.”
There are countless definitive features on Papa 1
including two greenhouse-style windows that open into
the cockpit, held in place with a slotted piece of wood.
The idea (solid Steele genius) was to provide ventilation
in the tropics but, he laughed, “We joke that they’re for
ripening tomatoes.”
Papa 1 is a rich mix of form and function; tucked
throughout are eye-catching features: the mammal heads
that begin and end the cap rail; the comfortably crafted
galley, each piece of wood perfectly polished andClockwise from top
left: the tiled tree
and bathroom;
cabinetry in the
vessel; perfectly
polished wood;
favourite space,
the librarypositioned; cabinetry throughout the vessel, artistically
shaped, ventilated and adorned with old-school
hardware. Steele’s favourite space is what they call the
library, a spacious living area amidships where, during
far north winters, they hunker down to read next to the
wood heater. The total package is an inimitable
combination of homey comfort and nautical splendour.
Launch day for this grand lady came in 2005 when
she ceremoniously slipped from Steele’s yard into the sea.
She was then moved to a dock by the LaHave River
Bakery for a few seasons of rigging and finishing work.
Each mast began as a hollow box built of West Coast
spruce, faired round above the hounds, then clad in
epoxy. Below, a one-inch-thick veneer of clear,
vertical-grain Douglas Fir was laminated on, shaped to
round, and coated with an oil finish. The entire process
produced spars befitting a gaffer; sheathed and painted
above the hounds, traditionally oiled below.
Papa 1 is powered by what Steele calls, “Jenkins – my
favourite crew member who has never let me down.” It’s
a slow-turning, naturally-aspirated, Perkins 4-236, thatCB323 Papa1.indd 11 24/03/2015 13: