Shellback Kit

[john383]

Question for those of you who eat sawdust... I have a 10 year old who loves to sail, and is all fired up about building a Shellback- we are interested in the kit from WB.

I know how to cut a piece of wood in half with a saw. That's about it. But we are willing to learn, and that's the point, right?

So, am I nuts to jump into the kit? And once built, what kind of a sailer is she? Could she hold 2 adults and 2 kids? How long will she last with loving care?

John W. in Northport

[Keith Wilson]

No, you're absolutely not nuts. With the kit, although you'll have to learn some new things, I don't think you'll have any problem. This would be a relatively easy first boat to build even without the kit.

Shellbacks are great little boats, and very good-looking as well. IMHO, you'd be hard put to find a better boat of its size and type. Any design by Joel White is going to be at least very good, and his best are simply wonderful. I'd have some doubts about two adults and two kids, though. I've only been in one a couple of times, but I think that would be awfully cozy. Perhaps those who have built one could address this.

The kit from WB has first-class materials. With reasonable care, she'll last longer than you will. With loving care, your son can teach his grandchildren to sail in her.

[PugetSound]

I second Wilson's opinion. For a first boat, especially where you want to involve your kid in the construction (first class idea), you can't do better than a well put together kit. The big advantages to kit building are:
- fitup of parts. The parts in most kits today are cut out using a computer controlled cutter for a very high degree of accuracy.
- Time saved! This is a bigger deal than it sounds as the kits will literally have everything you need (or list what additional stuff, like tools, which you need). The amount of time spent running back and forth to the marine/hardware store can easily exceed the actual building time if you are just starting out. So the organization of the project alone is probably worth the cost of the kit.

[Billy Bones]

As someone who eats sawdust for a living, I too had seriously considered the kit, mostly for the very sound reasons stated by Puget. I have not yet decided which way to go. But I'm reasonably certain that I'll build the shellback somehow, simply for my kid. Joel White designs (there are MANY) can do no wrong, IMHO. The only thing you shouldn't expect of the shellback, provided you keep her in her element, is putting an outboard on.

The WB book on building the shellback shows many if not most of the woodworking steps involved in making her. It should help you decide.

Nurture that 10yo with the shellback, and if you haven't, read Swallows and Amazons together. You won't regret either, I'll bet.

good luck

[lumberdude]

John, do you have a link to a website with the information on Joel White's kits? I'd like to look into the kits as well.


Lumberdude

[TomRobb]

L.D., they're for sale by WoodenBoat. Go back to the store icon off the main page.

[dasboat]

Billy or other forumites,is there any way an outboard could be fitted to a shelback?
I started my shellback and then an illness left me without the ability to row.I'd love to finish her,but not if I'm unable to use her.
Das

[Art Read]

That point about not having to gather up all the various bits and pieces yourself has a lot of merit. The folks who put those kits together have a much more effecient economy of scale than any idividual builder. Reminds me of something I read the other day along a similar vien... "Yeah. And you could build a $13,000 Chevy for $30,000... One piece at a time!

(Das... Sorry to hear of your troubles... Finish her anyway if you can. Optimistic pursuits often lead to unantisipated results.)

[This message has been edited by Art Read (edited 08-16-2001).]

[dasboat]

Art,thanks for the words of encouragement.I assure you I wont stop starting!
If I cant add(somehow)an outboard,say a 1 1/2 seagull,or tanaka,I'll just build another boat.
I'm building from scratch so no unused stuff would have to be sold.
Das

[ken mcclure]

John, don't worry about your woodworking skills. You will learn what you need to know when you need to know it. As with any other pursuit, all you really need is the ability to recognize a situation where you don't know something and the willingness to go find out how.

The only real trouble you can get into is guessing at something because you're embarassed to ask. Give the WB people a call and ask them about the kit, and ask them to recommend any books you should read prior to starting the work.

Remember, the whole process goes something like this:

1. Measure;
2. Cut a piece;
3. Check for fit;
4. Trim to fit;
5. Install the piece.
6. If the boat's not done, go back to step 1.

Of course this is a little simplified, but you get the idea. And the people here in the forum always seem to be more than willing to provide technical, moral and even immoral support. http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/smile.gif

[Jeffrey Ward]

John, if the responses that already have been posted are not enough to set you at ease, take it from me: you can do it, especially if you build from a kit. The Shellback kits sold by WB are put together by a company called Chesapeake Light Craft. Earlier this year, I built a kayak from one of CLC's kits, and it turned out great even though I had never before completed any significant woodworking project. The kit parts are cut by computer so they are cut precisely according to the designer's plans. All you need to do is trim a bit here and there, and fasten it all together. Since you are smart enought to find this forum and ask the question you have posed, I have no doubt that you will be able to put together a great boat. By the way, I am seriously considering the Shellback for a future project, as well. Good luck.

[Billy Bones]

Das,

Having no personal experience with the shellback beyond drooling overthe pictures, I refer to what I've read. The book says something like 'it won't adapt itself easily to an outboard since the added weight on the transom will keep her from riding on her sweet lines' or something like that. I'm sure that a seagull or maybe an itty bitty 4 stroke honda won't foul up her waterline too bad. Press on, I say, you can always sell it and build the handybilly later if you don't like the results http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/smile.gif

Good luck.

[barend]

Before you spend any penny, I suggest you visit duckworksmagazine.com. Under articles, read the series Boat Building with a Difference, and visit the linked web sites
Sheers and chines, Barend

[Jeff Kelety]

<Could she hold 2 adults and 2 kids? >

One adult, one kid works out pretty well for sailing boats of this size. But after your kids get the hang of it, it'll be just one kid no adult <g>. Also, consider a kids sailing class for the young ones. Just had my 8 year old in beginning and intermediate. He had a ball! Great confidence builder.

jgk

[Bayboat]

Dasboat:
Sorry to learn about your illness. I hope you can still sail. I don't see why you couldn't use a small outboard on your Shellback. As far as trim is concerned, all you have to do is sit a bit farther forward, and maybe put an extension on the outboard's tiller. I bet you're handy enough to make one out of metal tubing and wooden rod that will both work the throttle and steer. You might think about beefing up the transom a bit. If you haven't installed it yet, you could use the next thicker plywood or solid wood. If it's already on, you could glue another piece on the outside, or install a fashion piece across the top to take the motor's clamps.
If you're worried about the thrust you could install larger quarter knees and transom knee. A 1-1/2 or 2-1/2 HP outboard will not break or overpower the boat. I use a Nissan 2-1/2 HP on my El Toro.

[B.Marks]

The shellback is a great little sailboat. Great boat for kids to learn to sail, responsive and forgiving. It is a small boat, one adult and a child is about all there is room for, more in a crunch. I sail mine with my six year old, she likes being forward of the mast and plays around up there while I fill the space aft of the centerboard with my 6'-5" body. Buy the kit, if sailing the boat with your child is the point (or the excuse for building it), there is plenty of time putting the boat together and finishing it to make you feel like you built it.

[Jon Agne]

Interesting thread here. I've been thinking about a kit with my kids (10 & 12) for some time, but cannot decide between the shellback or the nutshell.

I also sent my kids to a sailing camp this summer, and they loved it. They still want nothing to do with sailing the 25' Crosby catboat. I guess they are still intimidated by the 555 sq. ft. sail......heck, I know I am sometimes!

Anyway, one of these kits would be a nice winter project in the garage. I think they even include the molds now.

[Steve Lansdowne]

A Shellback will hold 4 when rowed, but to sail her with that many would take some of the fun out of it, as you'd be fairly crowded. Of course, you could build two and have races (wife and one kid vs. you and the other). This is a popular activity after work at the Brooklin Boat Yard where Joel White used to work. He himself reportedly got a real kick out of racing this fine little craft.

I understand there were some concerns about the "instant molds" that WB switched to recently for their Shellback kits, as they were apparently not built according to spec and it took some fine tuning to get them right. (I heard a rumor to this effect when I was at the school this summer.) Contact WB about this. I presume they've resolved this problem.

[This message has been edited by Steve Lansdowne (edited 09-02-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Steve Lansdowne (edited 09-02-2001).]