American designer John Rowland, who died many years ago designed the 27ft Mouette by taking the lines of a Grand Banks Dory, extending them and adding a larger transom and a ballast keel, launching the first in 1959. A number were built in the States and proved seaworthy craft with a surprising turn of speed.
In 1972 "Eric the Red", undoubtedly a Mouette, was exhibited at the Earls Court Boat Show, built very cheaply by Don Ridler out of odds and ends of scrap timber, bed-sheets and bamboo and subsequently successfully sailed across the Atlantic. Yachting Monthly saw the potential of the design for the home builder of limited means and asked John Rowland for his blessing to promote the boat in the UK.
A naval architect was engaged to draw up a complete set of plans but despite being a very pretty boat it has not proved very popular due to only having sitting headroom. John’s aim had been to design a small cruiser that anyone could afford to build but he claimed that unfortunately more modern building methods and plastic designs caught up with him.
We have very little information about this designer, who was apparently one of the last people in the United States to carry freight under sail, working on an old schooner into the late 1950’s. If anyone can throw any further light on him we would be pleased to hear from you.