Description
The Beach Pea is a classic American peapod-style tender and recreational sailboat designed by renowned naval architect Doug Hylan in the 1990s. Featured in WoodenBoat magazine (issues 133–135, 1997) and detailed in Hylan's plans from Hylan & Brown Boatbuilders in Brooklin, Maine, it's a modern interpretation of traditional Maine peapods—double-ended inshore workboats from the late 19th century used for lobstering and fishing. Built primarily as a glued-lapstrake plywood vessel for amateur or professional builders, it emphasizes ease of rowing, sailing, and towing without an outboard motor, making it an ideal yacht tender or standalone daysailer for protected waters like bays, lakes, or coastal marshes. At 13 feet, it's suited for short-handed crews (1–2 people) and excels in calm to moderate conditions, with good stability when loaded but tenderness when light. Production is via plans or kits (no mass factory output), with hundreds built worldwide; an extended 15-foot version is available using the same molds. Owners praise its seaworthiness, lightweight construction (125 lb.), and classic lines, but note it's not for blue water or heavy weather—best for family outings or as a quiet alternative to motorized dinghies
