Georgia Geechee Boat plans needed

[marknewell]

Georgia's Ogeechee River was once travelled by "geechee boats" a tiny two-plank craft akin to an Irish coracle. The last known builder of the boats died some years ago. I am looking for photographs, images or plans in order to revive the craft at the Savannah-Ogeechee Canal museum. Would appreciate any tips, leads etc.

[hokiefan]

Jack Leigh's book about the Ogeechee River has pictures of what may be a "geechee boat". Along the lines of jonboat style of memory serves, since the book isn't in front of me. Its probably out of print, but I would guess you could get it in a local shop.

Rusty Fleetwood (W. C. Fleetwood) of Tybee Island may be able to help or point you in the right direction. He wrote a book "Tidecraft" about the local boats in the Low Country area. More about coastal boats, but I know he's done some research on inland boats, because he was involved in a project to build a Savannah River freight boat some years ago. It was a ~50ft double ended flat bottomed boat used to float cotton, etc. from the upper portions of the Savannah River to the coastal markets. Then the boats were disassembled to sell the lumber. Pretty efficient transportation for the time. Anyway, he may be able to help.

Bobby

[jrobbins]

I am buiilding one now if you would like to look at my pictures
Georgia's Ogeechee River was once travelled by "geechee boats" a tiny two-plank craft akin to an Irish coracle. The last known builder of the boats died some years ago. I am looking for photographs, images or plans in order to revive the craft at the Savannah-Ogeechee Canal museum. Would appreciate any tips, leads etc.

[oznabrag]

I am buiilding one now if you would like to look at my pictures

I think there may be any number of people who want to see your pictures!

Please?

[jrobbins]

just click on the link on the first post and it will take you to the photos of my progress

[oznabrag]

just click on the link on the first post and it will take you to the photos of my progress

I'm sorry, boss. I don't see a link in any post on this thread.

Am I blind?

[jrobbins]

https://sites.google.com/site/jrobbi...er-paddle-boat

naw it's me, I thought I posted the link...new to the forum

[oznabrag]

https://sites.google.com/site/jrobbi...er-paddle-boat

naw it's me, I thought I posted the link...new to the forum


Looks like you posted the link in your other thread (http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?117029-Building-a-Racer-Evans-boat-used-in-the-Ogeechee-River-in-southern-Georgia&p=2652998#post2652998).

Looks great, by the way!

Really small boats are a lot of fun!

Thanks!

[jrobbins]

I will look for the book ,it sounds interesting...this one is for my dad that just turned 70, his dad use to take him fishing in one when he was kid, grandad would paddle him up and down the Ogeechee catching jack, warmouth and bluegill

[jrobbins]

I enjoy it, I have change his design a little and added a few feature that I have seen on other boats, the Wood Boat Magazine is a great source for ideas when it comes to boat building

[Lewisboater]

Hey...I did up plans for one of those about 5 years ago (file says November 2005) ...except the guy called it a Briar Creek boat. 'Course I spec'd it for ply and the original was either cypress or real SYP. He even sent me the same picture of the older gentleman sitting it one. Said it came from a movie that featured the boat in it. I don't know if he ever built it...we lost touch. He was a teacher down in Georgia and was researching for something.

http://www.angelfire.com/ego/lewisboatworks/Stuff/Designs/BrierCreekBoat1.JPG

[jrobbins]

The boats in the picture are similar to the Racer Evans boats, with the exception of the rear, the boat he orginally built were only 9.5" wide at the transom and tappered to 7". the later boats were made a good bit wider to acommadate gas engines that were beginning to be common on the river at the time, bring the stern in closers increase the rocker and changes the center of gravity and decreases the amount of wood in contract with water....one common problem with the orginal boats was if you were fishing by yourself you would have to put a concrete block in the front of it to keep it from standing up in its' stern in the water

[rbgarr]

Check Rusty Fleetwood's book Tidecraft. It's about the boats of the SC and GA coast.

[jrobbins]

Finally got the boat delivered to Dad and in her new home ( Ogeechee River )
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66459504@N08/