Jabberwocky — 1981 Jarvis Newman Dictator Friendship Sloop

History & Ownership

Jabberwocky (Sail No. 189) is a custom-built Dictator-model fiberglass Friendship Sloop. Her first owner sailed her in fresh water on Lake Michigan until selling her to none other than Jarvis Newman, who used the boat (then named Tradition) for his own personal use — making improvements along the way and sailing her around Mount Desert Island. In 2006, Tradition was sold to a summer resident of Center Harbor / Brooklin here on the Eggemoggin Reach, who changed her name to Jabberwocky and kept the boat with Brooklin Boat Yard. She lived there until her current owner took possession in 2018, continuing to follow in the footsteps of previous owners by keeping Jabberwocky in top shape with thoughtful upgrades along the way.

Construction

Solid hand-laid fiberglass hull using 10 layers of glass plus reinforcing, built by the Jarvis Newman Yard in Southwest Harbor, Maine. The hull was shipped to Port Washington, Wisconsin, to be completed by Roger Nehrbass, a master carpenter, over a 4-year period.

White oak deck framing. Originally varnished fir decks were rebuilt in 2017, covered with Dynel cloth set in epoxy with painted non-skid exterior surface. Cabin top is varnished basswood below and glassed over above. Cherry interior with teak and walnut cabin sole. Exterior lead ballast approx. 4,800 lbs plus 400 lbs interior for trim.

Her 2018 teak-rebuilt cockpit is 7’6” long and self-bailing with bridge deck and three large lockers for storage. 17” wide side decks. Access to engine is under cockpit sole as well as aft of the companionway steps in the cabin.

In the spacious cockpit are 5’3” side seats with lockers below; the 7’ wide bridge deck is overlaid with Dynel cloth set in epoxy with painted exterior surface. Bronze pedestal houses compass and engine controls. Bronze winches on teak blocks handle the main and jib sheets. The 18” wide side decks lead to the shrouds and foredeck. This sloop is a beautiful example of an updated classic Maine boat.

Accommodations

Sleeping accommodations for four. Two 6’ vee berths forward behind the rope locker. Next aft, both port and starboard, are settee berths. Cushions are 4” thick, 6’ long, and upholstered in dark green cloth.

Starboard aft is a full U-shaped galley with 2-burner stainless Shipmate CNG gas stove on gimbals with oven, ice box in corner, and stainless sink with cold-water hand pump. Formica counter tops with storage lockers and shelves outboard and below.

To port aft is an enclosed head area with marine toilet and brass sink with hand pump. Teak grate sole.

Throughout the cabin there are six bronze oval opening ports with screens and a custom-built opening cabin-top butterfly hatch. Headroom below is 6’1”. The interior is very attractive with varnished woodwork and white bulkheads, with good light from opening hatches and ports.

Exterior Color Scheme

• Topsides: Forest Green AwlGrip
• Boot stripe: Off-white AwlGrip
• Bottom: Pacifica Anti-fouling Red
• Decks: Desert Sand AwlGrip non-skid
• Cabin sides, borders, and waterways: Semi-gloss white

Propulsion, Fuel, Mechanical & Steering

• Universal Diesel 3-cylinder 24 HP diesel with fresh-water cooling and heat exchanger
• Engine hours: 704.3 (as of 07/29/2025)
• Full Universal Diesel panel with tachometer and gauges
• 2:1 reduction gear with 2-blade 17” × 11” R propeller
• Double-lever bronze throttle and transmission controls on custom teak binnacle/pedestal
• Fuel capacity: 20 gallons in steel tank
• Edson worm-gear wheel steering with keel-hung FRP rudder

Fresh Water & Sanitation

• Fresh water: 30 gallons in poly tank
• Manually supplied (hand pump) cold fresh water at galley and head sink basins
• Stainless steel galley sink basin; bronze head sink basin
• Manually operated marine toilet in head area
• Black water: 30 gallons in poly tank

Electrical

• 12-volt DC ship’s systems
• Two 12V batteries under helm seat in covered battery boxes
• Guest rotary master battery selector
• Circuit panel for individual electrical systems
• Battery condition meter

Spars & Rigging

• Mast and bowsprit are varnished Douglas fir
• Boom and gaff are varnished spruce
• Stainless steel standing rigging with lignum vitae deadeyes and ash blocks (shrouds and stays)
• Traditional 3-strand Dacron running rigging (sheets and halyards)
• Custom bronze gooseneck for boom
• Lewmar #40 two-speed self-tailing bronze main-sheet winch
• Southcoast #2 single-speed bronze jib-sheet winches
• Continuous-line roller-furling systems for jib and staysail
• Custom bronze and teak gallows frame aft

Sails & Canvas

• Main: Bohndell
• Roller-furled jib: Bohndell
• Roller-furled staysail: Bohndell

Electronics

• Danforth Constellation helm compass
• Seth Thomas ship’s clock and barometer
• Raymarine Hybrid Touch GPS chart plotter
• Datamarine knot meter / log
• Raymarine solar-powered wind speed and direction
• Shakespeare SE 2510 VHF radio
• Pioneer AM-FM/cassette stereo with Pioneer speakers

Ground Tackle & Safety

• 200 ft anchor rode; fisherman anchor mounted on stays in bow; 13S Danforth anchor
• Whale Gusher manual bilge pump; Rule electric/automatic bilge pump
• Type II PFD life jackets (5); Type IV PFD cushions (4); Type IV PFD life ring (1)
• Lifesling; webbing jack-lines; fire extinguishers (2)
• Hand-held flares (expired and current)