Designed for one of my Sockeye 45 hulls owned by Henry and Holly Wendt of Friday Harbor, WA, the idea was for a proper rowing boat that could be carried on the aft house-top of the Widgeon (their aforementioned Sockeye 45). It was designed and built to receive a Piantedose sliding seat unit and with proper sweeps could provide the two of them exercise and joy while cruising the larger boat. We built her just in time for the launching of the Widgeon and she has lived happily on deck for the past several years.

She can carry the weight of a passenger lounging in the stern sheets and rows well either solo or with crew. I gave her a rather shapely hull 6 panels of plywood and it amazes me how nice a looking boat can be built with such a few number of parts. Later when I worked up the plans for home building, I was working on the design one fine Spring day with a nice breeze setting in and in a moment of inspiration, designed a neat sailing rig that could be fitted to her also with a daggerboard and sprit sail setting on a stayless mast. All the gear could be stowed in the hull and with just a few minutes of set up time, one could take advantage of those days much like the one that I experienced while working on the plans.

— Sam Devlin

The Duckling 14 Sail is available in study and construction plans.