Like many boat projects Harvey, the PBO Secret 20, has been the victim of circumstance. This unique, classic-style performance weekender that arrived as a flat-pack kit and took shape in a garage in Poole in summer 2016, lay untouched for over a year from summer 2017.

Work began again in October 2018 and she is now on course to be finished in August 2019 at a boathouse in Gosport. We’ll be following progress through until her launch at the end of summer where readers will hopefully be able to see Harvey for themselves at the Southampton Boat Show.

Designed by Derek Ellard, who grew up on the east coast of the UK (but is now based in Australia), the Secret 20 is described as a racing gaff cutter. There is an option to add a trapeze for maximising performance!

Her straight stem, graceful counter stern and rakish rig are a homage to the 19th Century archetypal English gaff cutter, what Ellard describes as ‘a near perfect expression of hull and rig’.

More soon….

For the full story, see the latest issue of Practical Boat Owner (July 2019) on sale 13 May or subscribe here.

See the full set of previous articles: Building the Secret 20 kit boat with PBO.