I must live in Pudgy country! Putting sailcovers on the boat today, what comes up the channel but Jim, a neighbor, in his pumpkin colored Pudgy. I called him over.

I asked him how far he was rowing. He said, "I usually row out to Indian Island and back, about a mile and a half each way" I was curious because Jim is a wooden boat nut! He has a couple of smallish wooden daysailers. Problem is, they're all in project stage right now. The Pudgy IS Jim's boat this season. I think any hard dink under 9' is a marginal rower, but this boat with one person, rows better than I thought. He figures he does about 3.5 knots in no wind or sea.

I picked his brain; This Pudgy was his sons and lived outdoors on a Maine island south of here, year round. It was used as a dinghy and general knock about. It was so abused on rocks that the skeg wore through. He said his son took a torch and smoothing tool, and welded it back together.

I was most interested in the rowlocks and oars as this one has had hard rowing use. The oars are pipe, long enough to be effective and 2 piece(they stow inside a compartment as does the mast and sail rig), the locks SS heavy thickness, the mounting shows no looseness or fatigue. I'm convinced now, it's a very strong set up, not a pretend rowing system.

A Pudgy is not for me-if only in that it's too small for my use. For Jim though, it's just a simple maintenance free row boat for Rockport Harbor.

I think his Pudgy makes him laugh.