DESIGN: Ultra shallow draft, gaff rigged "cat boat", center cockpit, fore and aft cabin configuration.
If you one of the many who are looking for a Peep Hen, then you will love the MaxiPeep. This is the ONE AND ONLY example of this design, which was never put into production by Florida Bay Boat Company back in the late eighties for reasons having nothing to do with the design or performance of the prototype itself.
Virtually all of the hard work has been completed. The original wheel steering has been replaced with a mahogany pedestal-mounted Morris Teleflex push-pull cable system controlled by a stainless steel destroyer-type wheel which provides easy and precise rudder control. Also replaced is the original marginal kick-up rudder with a MUCH larger transom mounted one piece “barn door” type rudder which maintains the original ultra shallow 9 inch draft of the boat when the center board is retracted. The bottom of the rudder is COMPLETELY protected by the trailing end of the hull's "box keel".
The rudder pivots on heavy duty stainless steel pintels and gudgeons. The bottom edge of the rudder has 24 inch long aluminum "wings" bolted on to give the rudder more “bite” into the water when coming about. This is similar to the original Peep Hen rudder only scaled up proportionately to the length of the MaxiPeep hull. The rudder is constructed of three quarter inch thick water resistant Russian Baltic birch which to which has been carefully applied three coats of Smith’s clear penetrating epoxy PLUS three coats of high quality structural epoxy mixed with aluminum powder. This should make the rudder impervious to salt water. However the rudder does need several coats of bottom paint to finish it up. Also, the stub tiller needs to be reconnected to the Morris Teleflex push-pull cable terminal which projects into the transom's rectangular cavity from inside the aft cabin on the starboard side.
The boat has been sailed in fresh water only as far as I know, but has sat on its original custom trailer for years. The hull has been treated with non-ablative bottom paint which is in excellent condition. Overall the boat is in good condition. There are no blisters, dents or scratched on the gelcoat, except one or two nicks/chips on the forward rubrail. The forest green topsides and the cream colored deck areas are oxidized. I know from experience with other boats that a VERY thorough cleaning with soap, water and several different kinds of solvents, plus several coats of PoliGlow will restore the boat to a near-new appearance.
The aluminum and steel standing rigging are original and in good working condition. The mainsail is original and in quite good condition as it has been stored and protected for years in the aft cabin. The original archaic mast webbing which secured the mainsail to the aluminum tube type mast has been removed. The new owner will need to install some kind of hoop system for running the gaff and sail up the mast. Large, very heavy duty plastic ties from a home supply retailer would probably work just fine. An alternative would be mast hoops made from medium gauge PVC pipe. The boat retains a small jib sail and a simple steel tubular removable bowsprit. The rig has a forward cable stay to the bowsprit as well as side stays port and starboard.
The boat has no auxiliary engine. The new owner would need to install one (4 to 5 hp.) on the port side of the transom with remote control cables passing through the aft cabin to the cockpit.
This boat is very sturdy. Florida Bay Boat did not skimp on the fiberglass layup, This boat was designed for leisurely weekend cruising for a couple, although it could accommodate up to FOUR very friendly and compatible people!
Here is an excerpt from the original MaxiPeep sales flyer:
