Sam Devlin’s Puffin: A Slow, Carefully Crafted Passage to Alaska
Boatbuilder Sam Devlin celebrated his 70th birthday by taking a decidedly different kind of trip: a slow, contemplative cruise up the Inside Passage aboard Puffin, his 1966 William Garden–designed trawler. The journey from Ketchikan to Juneau combined classic wooden-boat craftsmanship with the wild, glacier-carved scenery of southeast Alaska.
From a lifetime of building to a voyage of discovery
Over the past five decades, Sam Devlin has designed and built hundreds of boats. He personally built 434 hulls, and countless more have been constructed to his plans by other builders and hobbyists. That long career of designing, shaping, and launching vessels left Devlin with an intimate knowledge of how boats move through water and how to maintain their systems at sea.
Turning 70 prompted him to try something different. Instead of staying close to home or continuing the steady rhythm of building and teaching, he decided to put Puffin to sea and test how a classic trawler handles the dramatic coastline and shifting weather of Alaska. The choice to make the voyage aboard a vintage William Garden design underscored his appreciation for thoughtful, proven boat architecture.
Slow speed, rich experience
Devlin described the trip with a dry humor born of a lifetime of work: “I’m not sure if I know how to slow down, but Puffin can only do 6 knots, so we’re going to find out.” That deliberate pace defined the voyage. Traveling at displacement speeds meant more time for watching the sea and the sky, and more time to appreciate the details of coastline, marine life, and small-town harbors.
On the leg from Ketchikan to Juneau, those details were plentiful. The crew encountered whales and dolphins, and spent time amid fjords and close to tidewater glaciers. The slow transit allowed for careful approaches to anchorages, relaxed watch rotations, and leisurely conversations—sometimes punctuated by a glass of bourbon as the evening light softened against ice and spruce.
Company aboard and the storytelling that follows
Soundings Deputy Editor Pim Van Hemmen joined Devlin for the Ketchikan–Juneau leg. Their time underway became both a record of seamanship and a personal conversation about craft, creativity, and what it means to slow down after decades of nonstop work. The passage encouraged reflection on how a life of making things shapes priorities, relationships, and the way one moves through the world.
Van Hemmen later spoke with Passagemaker Editor Jeff Moser about the trip. That conversation explores the practicalities of sailing a classic trawler, the moments of wonder on the passage, and the personal adjustments that come with choosing a slower pace at sea later in life. For anyone interested in legacy boatbuilding, small-boat operations in remote regions, or the human side of long-time builders, the discussion provides useful and enjoyable context.
What the voyage means for boat lovers
Devlin’s trip aboard Puffin is more than a birthday cruise; it’s an example of why classic designs endure. A well-built, thoughtfully designed trawler can offer safe, comfortable, and deeply satisfying passages even when speed isn’t the priority. The Alaska voyage reaffirmed the value of patience and preparation, the rewards of connecting with natural places, and the pleasures of sharing the experience with friends and fellow enthusiasts.
For readers and boat owners, the trip is a reminder that a meaningful voyage doesn’t require high speed or modern gadgetry—careful seamanship and a respect for the boat, the crew, and the environment make for the most memorable passages. Puffin’s slow miles up the Inside Passage delivered the kind of encounters that linger: close views of marine life, the hush of glacier valleys, and the simple satisfaction of making a steady run through beautiful, challenging waters.