skunk sailboat

• CREATE AN ACCOUNT
• Boat Cover Finder
• Bimini Top Finder
• Boat Propeller Finder
• Engine Parts Finder
• Anchor & Dock
• Watersports
• Clothing and Footwear
• Engine Parts
• Cabin and Galley
• Covers and Biminis
• Electronics
• Paint and Maintenance
• Pumps and Plumbing
• Anchor Chains & Ropes
• Boat Fenders
• Boat Mooring
• Boat Protection
• Dock Storage & Protection
• Ladders, Steps, & Platforms
• Top Sellers

• Fishing Rods
• Fishing Reels
• Fishing Rod & Reel Combos
• Fishing Tools & Tackle Boxes
• Fishing Line
• Fly Fishing
• Fishing Bait & Fishing Lures
• Fishing Rod Holders & Storage Racks
• Fish Finders, Sounders & Sonar
• Trolling Motors
• Fishing Nets
• Fishing Downriggers & Acessories
• Fishing Outriggers & Acessories
• Fishing Kayaks
• Fish Cleaning Tables

• Inflatable Rafts
• Paddle Boarding
• Paddles & Oars
• Wakeboard, Wakesurf & Ski
• Wakeboard Towers
• Tow Ropes & Handles
• Life Jackets & PFDs
• Snow Sports
• Roof Racks, Carriers, Dollies

Men's Clothing

• Accessories

Men's Footwear

• Atheltic Shoes
• Water Shoes

Women's Clothing

• Dresses & Skirts

Women's Footwear

• Fuel Systems
• Sacrificial Anodes & Zincs
• Generator Parts
• Inflatable Boats
• Propeller Parts & Accessories
• Boat Manuals
• PWC Parts & Accessories

• Fishing Boat Seats
• Offshore Boat Seats
• Ski Boat Seats
• Pontoon Boat Seats & Furniture
• Boat Seat Pedestals & Hardware
• Boat Seats by Manufacturer
• Boat Tables & Hardware
• Boat Seat Covers
• Boat Seat Vinyl
• Floating Boat Cushions

• Barbeque Grills
• Boat Drink Holders
• Cabin Accessories & Hardware
• Boat Ventilation
• Interior & Cabin Lighting
• Marine Teak Products
• Carbon Monoxide & Smoke Detectors
• Binoculars & Telescopes

Boat Bimini Tops

• Bimini Top Accessories
• Pontoon Bimini Tops
• Other Biminis
• RV & Trailer Covers
• Boat Shrink Wrap & Accessories
• Boat Shelters

Boat Covers

• Boat Cover Accessories
• Boat Lift Canopy Covers
• Other Covers
• Boat Wiring & Cable
• Marine Batteries & Accessories
• Marine DC Power Plugs & Sockets
• Marine Electrical Meters
• Boat Lights
• Marine Electrical Panels & Circuit Breakers
• Power Packs & Jump Starters
• Marine Solar Power Accessories
• Marine Electrical Terminals
• Marine Fuse Blocks & Terminal Blocks
• Marine Switches
• Shore Power & AC Distribution

• Marine Audio & Video
• GPS Chartplotters & Accessories
• Electronic Navigation Charts & Software
• Digital Instruments
• Display Mounts
• VHF Radios & Communication
• Marine Radar
• Auto Pilot Systems
• Action Cameras

• Fiberglass & Epoxy Boat Repair
• Boat Paint & Varnish
• Marine Adhesives, Sealant, & Caulking
• Marine Engine Maintenance
• Boat Cleaners & Waxes
• Boat Cleaning Supplies

• Fresh Water Boat Systems
• Bilge Pumps
• Marine Plumbing Parts
• Wash Down Pumps
• Livewell Aerator Pumps & Live Bait Wells
• Toilet & Waste Pumps
• Marine Pump Replacement Parts

• Tires, Rims, & Hub Kits
• Boat Trailer Winches
• Boat Motor Supports & Transom Savers
• Boat Trailer Guides & Rollers
• Boat Trailer Fenders
• Boat Trailer Lights
• Boat Trailer Hardware
• Boat Trailer Jacks
• Boat Trailer Brakes & Axles
• Boat Trailer Tie Downs
• Couplers, Mounts, Hitches, & Locks

• Boat Deck Harware
• Marine Nuts, Bolts, & Screws
• Boat Handles, Pulls, & Rings
• Prop Nut Kits & Hardware
• Boat Cabin Hardware
• Marine Fasteners
• Boat Windshield Parts
• Boat Tubing & Rails
• Boat Mirrors
• Marine Tools & Tool Kits
• Boat Lettering

• Women's Clothing Deals
• Men's Clothing Deals
• Fishing Deals
• Anchor & Dock Deals
• Electrical Deals
• Electronics Deals
• Paint & Maintenance Deals
• Pumps & Plumbing Deals
• Boat Seats Deals
• Trailering Deals
• Camping & RV Deals
• Dealer Login

• Forums Login

• Search forums
• General Boating/Outdoors Activities

Vandestadt and McGruer Skunk

• Thread starter K Dale
• Start date Aug 23, 2007
• Aug 23, 2007

I just aquired a mid-80's 11 foot Skunk sailboat but I have no paperwork on it. The rig appears to be a Lateen but I don't know how it goes together or even if I have all the parts. Any help would be apreciated!  

• Oct 8, 2007

Re: Vandestadt and McGruer Skunk Hi, I have been sailing a skunk for the past 3 years. There a great little daysailer. I have had her out on Lake Superior, when the weather is reasonable of course and even raced her on the St Mary's River against 20 to 32 footers, came in last but still had a blast in 20 knot winds. I have pics and a brochure but they are too big to attach to this response. If you want to pass on your email address and can send them to you. Pat McD Sault Ste Marie, Ontario Canada  

MikeKornrich

• Sep 13, 2009

Re: Vandestadt and McGruer Skunk Hi, I also have a Super Skunk 1986 sloop rigged. I was hoping you or anyone could send me pictures and the brochure or any info. I think the boom to mast attachment has been jerry-rigged and I wonder how it really is suppose to be. It is a great boat and my kids are having a blast with it. My e-mail is [email protected] Thanks, Mike Rochester, New York  

• Sep 30, 2009

Re: Vandestadt and McGruer Skunk Hi Pat Mcd, I have a 1986 Super skunk. Lot's of fun. Could you send me a photo of you boom to mast rigging. Mine has been jerry-rigged and not so good. send to [email protected] . Any other info on the boat would be appreciated, manual copies or where to get parts or any parts you have to sell. Thanks, Mike  

• Feb 16, 2010

Re: Vandestadt and McGruer Skunk I just bought a mid-80's 11 foot Skunk sailboat but I have no paperwork on it. I don't know how to rig it or even if I have all the parts. Anyone have a manual or drawings of the rigging. Any help would be apreciated. My email is [email protected] Thanks!  

Elsabe Falkson

• Jul 18, 2010

Re: Vandestadt and McGruer Skunk I just bought an 11 foot skunk sailboat too and have the same problem. It also has no jib. I need to figure out the rigging and how to get hold of a jib. Is anyone able to help me please? Thanks!  

davidschillingpt

• Aug 24, 2011

Re: Vandestadt and McGruer Skunk I have just purchased this boat but have not information on rigging. Would love any additional information, pictures or brochure information you might have. Thanks for the help. (EDIT: Removed email address)  

freddyray21

• Aug 31, 2011

Re: Vandestadt and McGruer Skunk David you are better off starting a new thread on this. I am sailing a Siren which is bigger then the Skunk so I might be of some help.  

Review of Skunk 11

Basic specs., sailing characteristics.

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Skunk 11 is about 32 kg/cm, alternatively 179 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 32 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 179 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

Maintenance

This section shown boat owner's changes, improvements, etc. Here you might find inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what to look for.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Skunk 11 it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us . Criticism helps us to improve.

Not logged in

• Create account

Engineering:Skunk 11

• Engineering

Page actions

• View source

The Skunk 11 is a Canadian utility dinghy that can be rowed , used as a motorboat , fishing boat or as a sailing dinghy. It was designed by Hubert Vandestadt and first built in 1969. [1] [2] [3]

• 1 Production
• 4 Operational history
• 6 References
• 7 External links

The design was built by Vandestadt & McGruer in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada , but the company went out of business in 1987 and production had ended by then. [1] [3] [4]

The Skunk 11 is a recreational sailboat , built predominantly of fibreglass, with wood trim. It is a Gunter rigged sloop with a free-standing mast, aluminum spars, a raked stem, plumb transom , a transom-hung rudder made from mahogany controlled by a tiller and a retractable fibreglass centreboard . The rudder and centreboard are "kick up" designs. It displaces 190 lb (86 kg). [1] [3]

The boat has a draft of 2.50 ft (0.76 m) with the centreboard extended and 0.50 ft (0.15 m) with it retracted, allowing beaching or ground transportation on a trailer or car roof rack. [1]

The boat may also be rowed and is equipped with oarlocks for that role. The transom is reinforced so the boat can be fitted with a small outboard motor of up to 5 hp (4 kW) for employment as a motorboat. [1]

The recessed foredeck has a storage area. [3]

Operational history

In a 1994 review Richard Sherwood wrote, the "Skunk is a light, easily transported boat. Because of the gunter rig, all spars will fit inside the boat. There are no stays. The Super Skunk is Marconi rigged and has an extra 10 square feet of mainsail. Besides sailing, the Skunk may be used for fishing, as an outboard, or as a rowboat." [3]

• List of sailing boat types

Similar boats

• Blue Crab 11
• Puffer (dinghy)
• Shrimp (dinghy)
• ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Skunk 11 sailboat" . sailboatdata.com . https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/skunk-11 .  
• ↑ McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Hubert Vandestadt" . sailboatdata.com . https://sailboatdata.com/designer/vandestadt-hubert .  
• ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Sherwood, Richard M.: A Field Guide to Sailboats of North America, Second Edition , pages 8-9. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1994. ISBN :0-395-65239-1
• ↑ McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Vandestadt and McGruer Ltd. (CAN)" . sailboatdata.com . https://sailboatdata.com/builder/vandestadt-and-mcgruer-ltd-can .  

External links

• Add a new article
• Search in all topics
• Search in namespaces
• Search in categories
• Search using prefix
• About HandWiki
• How to edit
• Citation manager
• Formatting articles
• List of categories
• Recent pages
• Recent changes
• Random page
• Support & Donate
• Special pages
• Cite this page

User page tools

• What links here
• Related changes
• Printable version
• Permanent link
• Page information

Other projects

In other languages.

• This page was last edited on 4 February 2024, at 16:53.
• Privacy policy
• Disclaimers

Great choice! Your favorites are temporarily saved for this session. Sign in to save them permanently, access them on any device, and receive relevant alerts.

• Sailboat Guide

Vandestadt and McGruer Ltd.

Canadian firm founded by Fraser McGruer and Hubert Vandestadt. Importer of the Macgregor trailer sailors and builder of a number of other models designed by Vandestadt. (Nephew to E. G. van de Stadt) Address was: West Shore Rd. Owen Sound Onatario, CAN N4K5P1

• Berret-Racoupeau
• Hubert Vandestadt

8 sailboats built by Vandestadt and McGruer Ltd.

Spindrift 13

Sirius 21/22

• About Sailboat Guide

©2024 Sea Time Tech, LLC

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

The Polaroid Concept

“Time out! There isn’t one thing wrong with your new camera,” said Ben Rich to a company photographer who was complaining that his Polaroid camera was defective after his shots of a model F-117 came out blurry. As it turned out, the stealthy coatings and shaping of the airplane interfered with the camera’s sonar-like device used to focus, making the images appear fuzzy.

When Rich led the Skunk Works, he was always on the prowl to find ideas to expand or exploit the stealth technologies they were developing. After the incident with the Polaroid, Rich realized he could apply the stealth technology of the F-117 to a submarine, making it undetectable on sonar.

His team got right to work and bought a small model submarine, put faceted fairings on it and tested it in a sonic chamber. Even with such a crude setup, they discovered that they had reduced the model’s sonar return by three orders of magnitude. Rich has said that “in the engineering game, improving anything by a single order of magnitude – 10 times better – is a very big deal and usually worth a nice bottle of champagne.” Having discovered an improvement  one thousand times  better, the Skunk Works decided to pursue designing a stealthy sub.

The Ship that Never Was

The initial design consisted of a cigar-shaped hull that was shielded by an outer wall of flat, angular surfaces. These surfaces could bounce sonar signals away and also muffle the engine sounds and the internal noises of crewman inside the vessel. The Skunk Works team ran numerous acoustical tests in special sound-measuring facilities and obtained dramatic improvements.

Armed with high hopes, Rich took the design and test results to the Pentagon office of a Navy captain in charge of submarine research and development. To put it lightly, the submarine captain was not convinced the Sea Shadow was right for them. Moreover, he was concerned that the design would cost the Navy two or three knots of speed. Even after rebutting the captain’s complaint by explaining they would gain invisibility from the enemy, Rich left that trip empty-handed.

Just as all hope for this project was lost, a fellow Skunk Works engineer who had just returned from Pearl Harbor informed Rich that he’d seen the Small Water Area Twin Hull (SWATH), a prototype catamaran-style Naval ship. Having proven to be quicker than a conventional ship and amazingly stable in heavy seas, Rich decided the SWATH was the perfect model for a stealthy ship. With this news, Rich travelled back to Washington to meet with Defense Undersecretary Bill Perry in a discussion originally planned for the F-117. Dr. Perry was intrigued with Rich’s idea for a model stealth ship and authorized a contract through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for the Skunk Works to test the effects of stealth shaping and coatings on surface vessels and effects of seawater on radar absorbing iron ferrite coatings.

At the time, one of the biggest threats against U.S. surface vessels was the Soviet RORS satellite, which used X-band radar. Knowing that shape was the key to defeating such radar, Rich and team designed the ship using severe flat planes of 45 degree angles that bore a strong resemblance to the Nighthawk. The engineer team, led by Ugo Cody, tested their concept by taking the ship to an ancient lake bed deep within Death Valley, Calif. There, they filled a 100 by 80 foot plastic swimming pool and rigged a radar system that duplicated the Soviet radar satellite. Testing proved successful, resulting in additional funding by the Navy to create the prototype of the Sea Shadow.

However, the Ocean Division of Lockheed caught wind of the project and managed to convince Rich to pass the project to them, as they were in dire need of new work at the time. Part of this agreement allowed chief engineer Ugo Coty to continue with the program to ensure the ship builders didn’t compromise stealth for performance.

A four man crew consisting of commander, helmsman, navigator and engineer had to build the ship pieces to keep prying eyes from seeing the work being done. The pieces were then taken to a huge submergible barge in Redwood City, Calif. where they were assembled like a jigsaw puzzle.

During its first sea trials in 1981, the crew suffered unexpectedly large wakes that were easy to spot on radar and from the air, which was baffling. Not long after, they discovered the motor propellers were installed backward. They quickly corrected the problem and continued to make progress, proving the ship’s capabilities.

Nevertheless the Sea Shadow was dry-docked before it ever launched beyond testing. Though, its technologies were eventually applied to the lower cross section of submarine periscopes and the radar cross section of the Navy’s new class of destroyers.

File : Skunk 11 Sailboat on Portage Wheels.jpg

File history, file usage on commons, file usage on other wikis.

Original file ‎ (720 × 960 pixels, file size: 234 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg )

Summary [ edit ]

Licensing [ edit ].

• to share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work
• to remix – to adapt the work
• attribution – You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
• share alike – If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same or compatible license as the original.

Click on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time.

You cannot overwrite this file.

There are no pages that use this file.

The following other wikis use this file:

• Vandestadt and McGruer Limited

This file contains additional information such as Exif metadata which may have been added by the digital camera, scanner, or software program used to create or digitize it. If the file has been modified from its original state, some details such as the timestamp may not fully reflect those of the original file. The timestamp is only as accurate as the clock in the camera, and it may be completely wrong.

Structured data

Items portrayed in this file, copyright status, copyrighted, copyright license, creative commons attribution-sharealike 4.0 international, source of file, original creation by uploader, 19 june 2010.

• CC-BY-SA-4.0
• Self-published work

Navigation menu

Vandestadt & McGruer `Skunk' dinghy

Pete Hodgins

Phil Macdonald

Along with a lot of the new words that my young ears learned from fellow club members enjoying the ORS fleet, I learned what a Chinese gybe was, after a young father with a toddler took out one of the club's boats. About 10 meters from the dock he gybed accidentally, the boom flew up at an alarming angle, hung for a second, then the sail and rigging wrapped around the mast and the boat capsized. Dad swam madly for the dock leaving boat and toddler behind. Fortunately all concerned were wearing life jackets and I learned some more new words. Perhaps the club should have opted for the optional boom vang.

Log in or Sign up

You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser .

Dingy with Hull Problems - Newbie

Discussion in ' Sailboats ' started by amevy , May 12, 2009 .

amevy New Member

I have a 10ft Skunk sailing dingy . The problem is it weights about 500 pounds (4 men to lift) I suspect that at the hull is waterlogged. Can i drill holes in the inside seat area to drain the water and patch? There is a drain at the back of boat but no water comes out.  

Attached Files:

Landlubber Senior Member

Hey that "stinks". Yeah, of course. Why not insert an inspection port, that will allow easy access and still maintain the waterproof integrity. The 4" ones are easy. You can also insert a bung into the seat.  

Guest625101138 Previous Member

Inspection ports also provide access for sealed storage of valuables and things that might need to be kept dry. Hull should be about 200lb. The 500lb sounds unrealistic - would mean about 300lb of water. If it has that much water in it then you would hear it sloshing about. If it is that bad you should find the source of water ingress and fix it. It will no longer float if swamped. Rick W  

Ad Hoc Naval Architect

If the hull is still heavy after you've drilled drain holes (especially if not much water comes out), then it is a more serious issue.  

PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

I'm fairly sure that hull has foam filled sections to it. This would likely be open cell stuff and it has absorbed moisture over the years. Drilling holes will not get all (if any) of the water out of the boat in this case. The typical repair for this sort of thing is to separate the liner from the hull, remove the foam and reinstall the liner (with or without new foam). I usually don't replace the foam, just insure the liner is well bedded and access ports have good seals.  

ancient kayaker aka Terry Haines

If it has been left rightside-up for a while and filled with rainwater, the most likely place for leakage into the bouyancy volume would be at the trunk-hull joint, noting that the trunk looks to be a different material. That would be a place I would take a close look at. The rest of the hull looks to be a 2-part molded assembly and it is hard to see how it coul leak that much without an obvious hole someplace.  

The usual culprits are fastener holes left to permit moisture in, when a piece of equipment was removed or replaced. In powerboats it's usually the seat pedestals or boxes, on a little dink like this it could be anything from a compass to old pieces of hardware that's lost it's bedding. Then of course the hull to deck joint should be also considered, which is another common leak point. I'd be willing to bet, if the cap/liner was removed, you'd find water soaked foam weighing a few hundred pounds.  

Separating the Liner from the Hull - an easy task? Looks like drilling holes may not solve my problem. How difficult is it to separate the liner from the hull? Any articles or books that explain how to do this?  

I don't know of books or articles, which doesn't mean there couldn't be some. Along the edge of the hull to deck joint there usually is an extruded piece of aluminum or plastic, often it has a rubber or PVC insert. If it has the insert, find the seam (usually at the bow or transom corners) and pry it out. Grab it with a pair of pliers and pull it the rest of the way out of the track. Under this you'll find a few hundred screws, which will likely be stainless sheet metal flat heads. Remove all of them, then peal off the aluminum/PVC track. If you're neat about this you can reuse it or you can kink it up and buy a new one.. The deck cap/liner is typically bedded or glued down. Considering the age of the boat, it's probably butyl rubber or polyurethane. Use a stiff putty knife and lever it into the joint. I usually use a torch and heat up the knife until it's red hot and this cuts right thought the bedding material. Now the hard part is actually lifting the cap/liner off the hull shell. It's often best to use an engine hoist, chain fall or come-a-long attached to a handy tree branch. The boat's weight will assist in pealing off the liner. Work the putty knife around until it's free, then set the cap aside. Once it's off, you'll see the foam, which will probably smell like your ex-wife's old underwear. The foam cuts very easily with hand tools like hand saws. Hack away and remove major portions, then scrape out the rest. Clean the edges of the hull shell and deck cap where they rest on each other and prep for re-bedding the liner back on the hull. If you want you can use new foam, but I wouldn't bother, as air chambers work just as effectively as foam filled chambers.  

PAR said: ↑ ........... Once it's off, you'll see the foam, which will probably smell like your ex-wife's old underwear. ........ Click to expand...

Rick: there are some things best taken on trust.  

Extensive in lab and personal studies that I've conducted over the decades, Rick . . .  

Mikie New Member

Hey, I have the same boat. 1986. It should be 190 pounds. Here is a link that gives you some info. <http://www.sailboatdata.com/VIEWRECORD.ASP?CLASS_ID=4970>. Maybe you can help me. I would appreciatte a close-up photo of the boom to mast rigging. Or anywhere I can get the parts or photos. Or even better if you have anything you want to sell from the boat, sails or boom parts, etc. Especially a manual or brochure. My email is [email protected] if you want to send photos. Thanks, Mike  

Mikie, you may not have noticed, but the original poster was last on this thread in April of this year, which is some time ago. This was in fact his last post on the board, so he may be up to something else by now, but good luck any way.  

• Advertisement:

BobBill Senior Member

Dingy Repairs A bump. Curious how it is progressing.  

Setting up a sailing dingy to sail without center/lee board?

Outboard for laser sailing dingy

Dingy for my sailboat

Bare hull - UV resistance

Chainplate Project , hull to chainplate spacer material?

New hull speed equation

hull offset .off format

Please help identify this TS hull

About the hull shape of sailing dinghies

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

THE SAGA OF SWIFT BOAT PCF-79

Operation market time vietnam.

CAPTURING SKUNK ALPHA is a first-person narrative nonfiction work that spins a unique yarn of an impressionable twenty-year-old Mexican-American sailor from San Antonio, Texas.  The story chronicles this young man’s journey that takes him from the safety of high school life and young love to perilous combat action on the high seas, at the height of the Vietnam War.

Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas.  Herrera shares a glimpse of barrio life in the mid-1960s. He escapes from a dysfunctional home life, volunteering to a four-year hitch in the U.S. Navy. Thirteen months into a two-year shore duty assignment in San Diego, a Navy recruiter’s promise of a drafting career turns into a questionable future when he receives orders to PCF Crew Training at the Naval Amphibious Base in Coronado, California—he’s Vietnam War bound.

Operation Market Time strikes a devastating blow on North Vietnam’s seaborne resupply mission. A quarter past midnight on July 15, 1967, the six-man crew of Swift Boat PCF-79 led a vicious attack on a 120-foot ammo-laden trawler as it approached the Sa Ky river mouth on the Batangan Peninsula in Quang Ngai Province, Republic of Vietnam. The Viet Cong were deprived of more than 90 tons of ammunition and supplies. For their gallant action against a Communist infiltrator, the crew was personally congratulated and decorated by Premier Nguyễn Cao Kỳ and Chief of State Nguyễn Văn Thiệu.

Herrera’s prose highlights the essence of small boat combatants at the height of the Vietnam War. He masterfully invokes creative license, giving voice to the characters as he traces the real Swift Boat story in this historic military memoir.

Years of research identifies the Vung Ro Incident as the catalyst that gave birth to this tiny 50-foot man o’war. It was the discovery and capture of an enemy resupply trawler at Vung Ro Bay that fast-tracked construction of 104 Mark I Swift Boats by Sewart Seacraft of Berwick, Louisiana. Until then, North Vietnam’s secret Group 759 carried out approximately 122 successful resupply missions into South Vietnam between October 1962 and October 1965. The brave Task Force 115 Swift Boat sailor picket line of defense all along the 1200-mile long coastline stopped the infiltration of arms and supplies from North Vietnam, forcing Hanoi to redirect their efforts on the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

CAPTURING SKUNK ALPHA is a deck-level  eyewitness account of brave sailors who answered the call to duty, sailed into harm’s way while gallantly carrying out Swift Boat division mottos of Numbah One Watchdog;  For Freedom We Fight; Vigilance, Any Time Any Place; We Can Hack It; and No Quarter.

The book is dedicated to the memory of BM1 Bobby Don Carver, lead petty officer of PCF-79, and to the fifty Swift Boat sailors who bravely gave their all during the war.

WE REMEMBER

Sign up for The SANDBAG, Raúl’s free newsletter for news, book updates, and more!

" * " indicates required fields