About Back Bay Boat Works
Back Bay Boat Works was established in 1986 by Don Rypinski who has extensive design and fabrication experience with boats and landsailers. In 1962 Don worked for Carter Pyle at Newport Boats producing the 18 foot “P” Cat (a predecessor to the Hobie Cat) along with the Olympic Finn and Kite Dinghys. In 1972, Don worked with Richard Arthur on the design of the Balboa 20 sailboat produced by Arthur Marine.
In 1986, Don began work on a series of small, lightweight multi-hull boats that are able to be transported on an automobile roof rack. He first designed and built a 14 foot Sailing “OUTRUNNER” Outrigger, then a 14 foot folding “TRITON” trimaran, followed by a 12 foot “ROWMARAN” catamaran. In 2003 Don designed and built a 14 foot “VERSACAT” Power Catamaran with a totally flush deck. In 2005 he added a 14 foot “OUTRUNNER” outrigger to the line that was powered by an outboard motor.
Don then designed the 14 foot OUTRUNNER Sailing Outrigger to be a lightweight, roofrack transportable sailboat capable of holding up to 3 adults. It has a roller furling unstaid mast with a sail that has vertical battens and sail panels. It has trampolenes on both sides of the main hull and a 12 foot ama. It can be sailed and/or motored (as an optional accessory) by and electric rudder-mounted outboard trolling motor . It has several unique, patented features including a “wedge” transom with a sweep action rudder that radically outperforms traditional rudders. The unstayed carbon fiber mast is free to rotate in delron bearings allowing the high roach, boomless sail with vertical panels battens to wrap around it like a window shade when furled.
TRITON Trimaran. With just 5 minutes of instruction, people with little or no sailing experience are made to feel in control, comfortable and safe in a TRITON.
The “TRITON Tandem Sailer” is a swing-wing folding trimaran designed as a lightweight, roofrack transportable sailboat that can be paddled, motored or sailed by two adults, each in a separate cockpit that faces forward. It’s unique features include foot steering that keeps hands free to easily handle the sail furling and sheet lines while underway. An unstayed carbon fiber mast rotates in delron bearings allowing the high roach, boomless sail to wrap around it like a window shade when furled. The trademarked sail has a high roach with vertical colored panels and full length vertical battens. Patented features include a “wedge” transom with a sweep action rudder that radically outperforms traditional rudders.
With both amas folded in, the TRITON is 5 feet wide. When sailing, the boat is 12 feet wide reducing the possibility of a capsize to a minimum. Optional accessories include a rudder mounted electric motor and cockpit spray shields with a lexan windshield.
The VERSACAT Rowmaran is a 14 foot catamaran that can be disassembled by pulling 4 pins. It can be transported on a roof rack without the need for disassembly. It has 4 watertight hatches (two in each hull) and can hold batteries if one is interested in attaching an electric trolling motor.
The VERSACAT PowerCat was originally developed to provide paddling and rowing clubs with a coaching boat that was stable, manouverable, economic and easy to transport and store. The entire boat without the motor weighs approximately 350 lbs. It can be powered by any gas outboard up to 15 hp max. or by an electric trolling motor. There is considerable storage in each hull and in the console on deck. Accessories include a folding bimini top for shade, handrails, spray guards, and a bench seat with storage inside that fits against the front side of the console. As it has evolved in production, the Versacat also lends itself to being used for fishing, patrolling, touring, and skindiving. It has been referred to by one customer as a sea going pick up truck.
The OUTRUNNER Power Outrigger is a 14 foot coaching boat with a 12 foot ama that can be disassembled by pulling 4 pins and transported on the same trailer as the shells and canoes so team coaches always have a boat when away from home port.
