We’ve long been fans of the Wasque 26, a John Alden design from the 1950s that has classic downeast styling. With a sweetly curved sheer line and a bit of tumble home aft, the design harkens back to lobster boats of yore. The Wasque 26 was an early production fiberglass day boat that went out of production many years ago.
In 2023 entrepreneur Ed Sutt purchased the molds and working with yacht designer Jeff Van Gorkum to stretch the hull to 28 feet and change the inboard engine for a single or twin outboards. The handsome teak windshield and cabin remain the same.
Rebranded as the New Harbor 28, the new configuration opens up the cockpit to make a large social area with a bench seat across the transom and space for two folding chairs.
As a day boat, the 28 has a top speed of 30 knots and a long range cruising speed of 12 to 15 knots. But, with the cozy V-berth, head and sink in the cabin, the boat will also serve for overnight getaways.
The New Harbor 28 is built by the Front Street Shipyard in Belfast, Maine and is offered either as finished boat or as a hull and deck kit for an owner to finish themselves. For a handy craftsperson, finishing off a New Harbor 28 could be a wonderful winter project.
