Builder Clemens Kuhlig Sr. (r) and son with
the Moonraker in 1973. Kuhlig's interest
in sailing craft was sparked when he was
young, watching his own father build a boat
in the backyard.

Designed by the famous American naval architect William Atkin, Moonraker is based on the lines of the 20-foot launch that belonged to Captain Bligh's Bounty. Her gaff rig and bowsprit are characteristic of Atkin's traditional design features, and her leeboards show Dutch influence.

Moonraker was hand-built by Clemens Kuhlig, who made many of his own hand tools following old patterns from New England shipbuilders. He spent 1,200 hours building this lapstrake classic - "It was a pile of wood on Dec. 4 and a boat on the water the following May 25," said his wife Ruth. Moonraker is crafted of eight kinds of wood, including African mahogany (planking), black walnut (floorboards and trim), Honduras mahogany (seats), and Sitka spruce (mast). Moonraker was completely refinished in 2002.