Need quickly buildable family rowboat

[Spokaloo]

So I have grown weary of listening to the outboard when I just want to run across the flats in front of the house...

Need:

Able to carry 2-3 adults and at least one kid
Very quick to build
Stern sheets or other seat for SWMBO which will be nice to lounge in for 2 hour relaxation trips

Want:

I've built plenty of taped seam and chine log stuff. I wouldn't mind a solid wood boat, but not critical either.
Aesthetically a pleasing boat to be in

Waters:

Inland lake that may see 1 ft wind chop on the worst day that I'd go out. Lots of boat traffic and boat wakes, but no seas of consequence.

Kinda thinking the 15' range is not too shabby. Ease of rowing will always get the boat used more often, so that'd be great as well, but with a 7 week old at home, there's not a ton of time to be in the shop.

Do your worst, gents, do your worst...



E

[David G]

Mixed messages. You prohibit the quick build methods for a boat that you want to build quick?

Ok... I'm gonna ignore that and say the first thing that comes to mind. Bolger Long, Light Dory. Very quick. Pretty nice looking, and probably unique on your puddle. Inexpensive. Rows quite nicely in a variety of configurations. Stern sheets possible, but not capacious.

Of course there are lots of options... but I'd want that conflict settled before I dig thru the memory banks.

[Spokaloo]

Not prohibited David, I just know there's some quickly built boats that don't require a stitched seam, that's all.

Like I said, not a deal breaker, just don't want to be closed minded and only focus on one construction method.

Oh, and there'll be a 3 month old in the boat with us when it's done, so there's that...

E

[sailnstink]

Michalak's book has some rowboat plans in it. One of the Payson books has plans for Bolger's 10.5' rowboat. Nail and chine, which is probably the fastest way to build.

[David G]

OK then - in no particular order, a few that might tempt you --

Flint 15 - Ross Lillistone
Seagull 15 - John Welsford
Joansa 16 - Welsford
MSD Rowing Skiff 15.5 - Michael Storer
Bruce Conklin 15.5 - William Atkin
Ration 16 - Atkin
Linnet 16 - Woods
Odyssey 16.5 - Ron Rantilla
Kari Faering 18 - Paul Fisher
Peregrine 18 - John Brooks

[potomac]

Okay, so the baby in the boat makes me nervous. I said it. Having said it, if you are looking to go another construction method, how about Dave Gentry's SOF Shenandoah Whitehall? Quick, light, different, pretty, and supposed to be a really good rower. She's a fourteen footer and I would think better for two adults than three, but maybe Dave will comment on that.

l

http://gentrycustomboats.com/Whitehall page.html

[Arizona Bay]

I saw this while looking for Chesapeake sailing skiffs ...

Westport Skiff, By D.N. Hylan


http://www.dhylanboats.com/westport_plans.html

He has some other possibilities as well

[chicagoross]

Flint and Seagull both look good to me. I know you built the long skinny Fisher Thames, there's a 14' fat one that looks nice too, more stable. Fisher must have a half dozen different rowboats in the size you're looking for. But you know that...

[Lewisboater]

http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/le...kiff/index.htm

[Breakaway]

What about Bolger's Sweet Pea:



Kevin

[Andy Mcconkey]

Define quick?

[Spokaloo]

Quick = 20 hours of labor

This is a good list to start, I'll be perusing them today on this rainy Monday morning in Spokane. Still listening to other ideas as well.

E

[SaltyD from BC]

Quick build? Try this, you should be able to come up with alternate rowing stations to accomodate a comfortable perch for your wife and baby.



Butler Projects' Pacific Troller Gunning Dory, its 16 feet. It has a huge sibling the 19 foot gun dory that you could about hold a party aboard
http://www.butlerprojects.com/

[RodSBT]

Quick build? Try this, you should be able to come up with alternate rowing stations to accomodate a comfortable perch for your wife and baby.



Butler Projects' Pacific Troller Gunning Dory, its 16 feet. It has a huge sibling the 19 foot gun dory that you could about hold a party aboard
http://www.butlerprojects.com/

Hey Salty, I got mine done wheres yours??


To be honest, with a payload of up to 3 adults and one child, the PTD will be crowded. If you're not going to be out more than an hour or so it'll work but..crowded. I've rowed with my wife and two kids and was fun but a little slow and....crowded. For solo rowing or with one passenger it is a pleasure and goes along very nicely.
Nice boat and easy, straight forward build. With your building experience, Spokaloo, you oughta be able to knock it out pretty fast.

[davebrown]

Culler's 18 ft Good LIttle Skiff. Easy to build and underrated.

[woodpile]

Ken Swan's "Chica", 15' 4", rows great, rockered hull, or cruises nicely with 4 hp. He's got a bunch of designs in this catagory.
http://www.swanboatdesign.com/sample_desgins.html

[TerryLL]

Quick = 20 hours of labor

E

No problemo. Go MIG-welded aluminum.

[Spokaloo]

Oh I hear ya Terry, I was thinking hull assembled in 20 hours, the stuff the wife doesn't really help with. She can jump in on primer/paint work.

That Stretched Light Dory has always caught my eye as far as appearances and ability to take a few pounds. I don't, however, have any experience in using the thing, or even being in any dories like her to say how tiddly the boat is when SWMBO asks about it. Sure bet the thing goes together fast though...

Keep the ideas flowing, the flatiron skiffs look to be quick builders as well.

I am noticing that nobody has recommended the Lumberyard rowing flattie that WB published a few years back, any particular reason?

E

[sailboy3]

Be warned that on flat bottom skiffs, like the westport skiff, too much weight aft will put the transom in the water, making them dogs to row.

[David G]

Oh I hear ya Terry, I was thinking hull assembled in 20 hours, the stuff the wife doesn't really help with. She can jump in on primer/paint work.

That Stretched Light Dory has always caught my eye as far as appearances and ability to take a few pounds. I don't, however, have any experience in using the thing, or even being in any dories like her to say how tiddly the boat is when SWMBO asks about it. Sure bet the thing goes together fast though...

Keep the ideas flowing, the flatiron skiffs look to be quick builders as well.

I am noticing that nobody has recommended the Lumberyard rowing flattie that WB published a few years back, any particular reason?

E

The Bolger Long Light Dory is a bit tiddly when solo, and when hopping on and off. Not terribly so... but a bit. And experienced oarsman will have little trouble in use. Like any dory shape - additional weight steadies her quickly. Even a second body makes a big difference.

[wharf rat]

Eric, you don't mention aesthetics ... I'd suggest Bolger's June Bug. Lower the rear deck to provide the stern sheets. Very stable and a good rower from what I've read; you could easily lengthen it be three of four feet if you felt the need and I read somewhere about a builder widening one. Then add the sail rig in a couple of years for the tyke.

As for a 20 hour build, my guess is that it could be done in less. It's a no-brainer boat.

[David G]

Eric, you don't mention aesthetics ... I'd suggest Bolger's June Bug. Lower the rear deck to provide the stern sheets. Very stable and a good rower from what I've read; you could easily lengthen it be three of four feet if you felt the need and I read somewhere about a builder widening one. Then add the sail rig in a couple of years for the tyke.

As for a 20 hour build, my guess is that it could be done in less. It's a no-brainer boat.

wharf rat,

He did mention aesthetics, and I'd guess June Bug wouldn't fit the bill. I was quite pleased, though, the one time I rowed a June Bug. Even into a bit of a chop, with the wind quartering over the bow, she handled nicely.

[Cuyahoga Chuck]

What about Bolger's Sweet Pea:



Kevin

The boat in the drawing is a double ender.
The boat in the photo has a transom.
The boat in the photo seems to be missing a tiller assembly, too.
What gives?

[wharf rat]

wharf rat,

He did mention aesthetics, and I'd guess June Bug wouldn't fit the bill. I was quite pleased, though, the one time I rowed a June Bug. Even into a bit of a chop, with the wind quartering over the bow, she handled nicely.

He DID mention aesthetics! I had to go back and reread the op and there it was. My bad. But at least it was at the bottom of his list

[SaltyD from BC]

Hey Salty, I got mine done wheres yours??
.

Still on paper. My plan was to enter a paddle race around our little island at the last place but we've moved so priorities have kinda changed. I still may build one down the road but I'm shopless for a bit here.

[Breakaway]

What gives?

Don't know Chuck. I just pirated those pics after inputting "Bolger sweet pea" into Google images. Was easier than scanning my copy of the book, though apparently less accurate. Good catch and my regrets.

Kevin

Kevin

[wharf rat]

.....and once again we get all hot and heavy in one of Eric's threads and he goes away and gets to be a fireman for a couple of days and leaves us to deal with the messy details <insert foot tapping sounds>tap tap tap tappity tap tap</insert>.

Actually hoping that things are ok and all is well.

[BrianY]

Chesapeake Marine Design Bay Skiff 15 - add the sail rig later if you want.

George by John Atkin... A beautiful boat that will fit all of your desires except for the 20 hour build time

[Spokaloo]

I was at work for a shift, then spent half today doing an energy audit on our house, and half of the day in a task force for regional toxic water pollution issues. The moss never really grows on these feet, and it illustrates even more the necessity of a quick build. I still have to repaint Cloud Cap, add some bracing to her transom, some fiberglass work, two hatches, and build a swim step for the coming summer boating season, and this rowboat project is a sidebar (as is my ongoing Skua build).

The Long Light Dory looks so very sweet to the eye, but massive overkill for a lake. Still a possibility.

Still really curious why nobody has any input on the Lumber Yard Skiff that was drawn for the Getting Started series. Seems like a decent fit, quick build, why doesn't anyone have any input there?

Flatties seem to have the bearing and stability to take kids out, quick builds, and not too much fiberglass involved. Read up on Gardner's 15 footer last night, going to read up on Ed Monk's version tonight.

My heart says build George or the Good Little Skiff, but I'm a realist with this cooing 7 week old laying next to me. I can't devote the time I'd need to lavish on the GLS or a sweet wherry and have a rowing device this spring. When he's a little bigger, the two of us will be building something really special together, with plenty of curves and personality. Sadly, now it's about efficiency of time.

Anyone have a feel for the flatirons with a high tucked transom? I agree that they are nice to row until burdened past the point of dragging their rump, so keeping it dry is pretty key. Seems like Maynard had that in mind with the Lumber Yard boat.

Still looking hard...

E

[Sayla]

The Northeaster Dory from CLC caught my eye - for build ease, speed under oars, weight and load carrying - but might be more tender than a flatter bottomed skiff

(but at 15', a Navigator would take the family in safety and style )

sayla

[BrianY]

Based on a ton of reading on the subject and close examinations of many traditional and modern skiff plans, but no actual experience with the boats in question (so take this for what it's worth):

I think the Lumber Yard Skiff would be a good choice. The way Maynard drew it, the skiff has a lot of bearing quite far back with a very sudden and steep up turn to the transom (relative to other similar skiffs). That should help keep the transom out of the water even with a load in the stern. I think he really worked hard to create a boat that would row very well and still be able to carry a load.

The Ed Monk 15 footer is also a good possibility. Its bottom profile doesn't have as much up turn at the stern so it won't be as good a rower as a similarly sized traditional rowing skiff when lightly loaded (although you'll probably never realize this unless you do a direct side by side comaprison) On the plus side, because of the hull shape the skiff will probably not squat very much when there's a reasonable load near the stern and you would probably be able to get away with hanging a small (i.e. 2hp) motor off the transom if you ever desire to do so. Even though Monk calls it a "rowing skiff" I think it's closer to a multi-purpose hull - decent rowing ability, good capacity (probably a little more than the LYS) and able to accomodate a low HP motor for displacement speed crusing - than a dedicated rowing craft.

[DLowe]

I've just started building a 16' Lumberyard Skiff like the one you built a while ago (is that the whining engine?) but also got myself a set of plans from Paul Bennett for his 14' Frugal Skiff. I needed something with a little more beam and a bit more freeboard, but it might be worth a look. It's got nice lines and certainly wouldn't take you long to put together.

[Lewisboater]

Sorry to kill the thread.

[Spokaloo]

No worries Steve-o, I liked your lines but it looks like I found a winner: Gardner's 15 foot clamming skiff.

Now if I could only find one in the flesh, or some pics!

I have the books that contain the lines and 3 whole photos. It looks like a little beefier than I had hoped, but the history of the boat shows it was a load carrier of the first degree, hauling huge loads of clams for a living, and being rowed by one person. The boat has a huge amount of rocker to keep her easy to row. It will allow me to take the family and all our junk, or even take my parents with us as well (the thing is 15'6" by 5'). It won't be light, but it'll live in the water here, so no biggie. Nice side decks will keep Crosby in the boat and stiffen her up.

Construction is dead simple, pine or cedar boards on the flat, nailed together with oak "frames" before assembly. No jig, one station, a plumb stem, simple transom, and the chine log isn't a log at all, but small sections nailed in between the frames after she's bent around her station, but before the bottom is planked up. All dimensional lumber (I'm thinking about doing it all cedar, we will see what the lumber store has to offer), with common galvanized nails. It does want some caulking, but that's hard to come by around here, so it may be a 5200 show and rely on the cedar to swell up tighter than a frog's a**.

If anyone has info or photos of one, I'm all ears.

E

[gilberj]

Sounds a bit like a skiff I built some years ago. Mine was 10 feet long. were I to do it again I'd increase the length to 12 to 15 feet. I cut the plywood sides parallel for the front 2/3 and in the last 1/3 I swept it up in a curve about 1/3 depth (I'd go higher now probably 1/2 depth) . The chine logs and sheer clamp were ripped out of a good 2x4 about 1 inch thick, but the chine towards the stern was cut from a plank to fit the curve of the side panels. All were bent around a single midship mold, fastened to the stem and transom. A few measurements to make sure she was straight and the bottom was fitted. Fasteners were galvanized nails, clenched, bedding was mostly roofing pitch, ply was construction grade, and lumber was common. about 8 hours for the build and another 8 for finishing and painting.
She was good enough that someone stole her about 18 months later.

[davebrown]

there was a great article in WB about building a one station skiff by eye, and I could hunt that down for you if you haven't made your mind up yet.

[Timotaeus]

Take a peak and Chesapeake Light Craft Northeaster Dory or the Skerrie row/sail at www.clcboats.com
They build the hull in a week in class.
Regards,
Tim

[Spokaloo]

Dave, great minds think alike! I got out my old issues and perused that article last week. I like the concept and am considering it. There's a bit of a difference in how that's built (how the bottom is first, then the chine log, then the sides) that I'm not familiar with, not sure if it's easier or harder that way. Will have to look at it again closely when I get back home (In Oregon for the Depoe Bay wood boat show).

I've always liked the NorthEaster, but is there a way to build it inexpensively is the question.

E

[Timotaeus]

CLC says you can make it out of marine fir plywood, but it won't be a car-topper. I thought about it, just because of the cost and I like a painted dory too.
Tim

[Thad Van Gilder]

solid jersey cedar garvey.... how about a 3 day weekend for a 14 footer?

[Spokaloo]

Tell me more, any photos?

I am not a huge pram/garvey fan as the area we row in has boat wakes and they get slowed down when you hit them rowing.

E

[Breakaway]

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb....t_Sharpie.html

Ever seen this one? Stretch it out to the length desired.

Kevin

ETA--link was bad first time

[davebrown]

I have to say that I thought the shear was a bit clunky on that eye-built skiff, but I thought it was dead simple. I concluded that if you do three one might be a bit of a dog, and one really, really great. You just have to hit the great one on the first of the three. I altered the shear on my second build, which was a Weekend Skiff, and by good luck and no skill at all I got it just right.

[DanSkorupka]

A comfortable good looking solid wood boat cannot be built in 20 hours, save for experienced boatbuilders working as a group in a large well organized shop with reusable molds already in place.

Your options seem to be a flatiron skiff or a large jon boat if you will only be on the flats it should be okay.

My suggestion is to stretch this to 16 feet and add substantial aft rocker to make it easier to row and steer, and adding flare for wakes, chop etc :
long video with an ad in front of it due to copyright but very informative and easy to fill in the gaps and reverse engineer