Skiff to Build w/ Kids - 10' Max....

[MattGoose]

Hi - new member to the forum Recently completed (ok, still have to varnish) building my first wooden boat after a week up at WBS in Maine. Have a beautiful kayak to poke around in.

Now the kids (7 and 9) really want to build something, and I want to do it with them. Am looking for something I can put on the dingy dock, so have a 10' limitation.

Other than that, key criteria is really overall stability. I'd love to be able to throw the two kids, and sometimes the dog, and run over to the local island. Fortunately, it's a short ride through protected waters. Also, I'm guessing the kids will take it on their own some as well.

Beyond that, I'm looking for something relatively easy to build - I'd really like to have it in the water next summer.

I've done a bunch of looking, and am leaning toward the Fast Garvey 10 from Boat Builder Central: https://www.boatbuildercentral.com/p...at-plans-gv10/

Should be quick to build, and I can get a CNC kit to simplify. Anything else I should be looking at?

Thank you!

[timo4352]

Gardner's books have a V-bottom pram.
Give that one a look.

[cstevens]

I'm going to give a plug for the 9' 6" Nutshell pram. I just added one as a tender for Skookum Maru and I think it's a fantastic boat. Utterly stable, fun to row, can easily carry two adults and two children, or four medium-sized adults, or any similar combination of adults, children and dogs. Great with oars or a small motor (we use an EP Carry electric outboard). And she sails. I had zero concerns sending our 9-yo son out in here alone to row around various harbors during our summer cruise this year. I thought there was a kit for the boat but I can't find one now. Plans are available from the WB store though.

https://www.woodenboatstore.com/prod...-nutshell-pram

[MattGoose]

Gardner's books have a V-bottom pram.
Give that one a look.

Thanks for the suggestion, looks like a fun boat.

I think I should probably add a couple of details to what I'm looking for. This would be meant for power, not sail and I'd like it to get up and plane, depending on conditions.

[MattGoose]

I'm going to give a plug for the 9' 6" Nutshell pram. I just added one as a tender for Skookum Maru and I think it's a fantastic boat. Utterly stable, fun to row, can easily carry two adults and two children, or four medium-sized adults, or any similar combination of adults, children and dogs. Great with oars or a small motor (we use an EP Carry electric outboard). And she sails. I had zero concerns sending our 9-yo son out in here alone to row around various harbors during our summer cruise this year. I thought there was a kit for the boat but I can't find one now. Plans are available from the WB store though.

https://www.woodenboatstore.com/prod...-nutshell-pram

Appreciate the suggestion. Probably should have added S&G as one of the search criteria - I haven't gotten into lapstrake or any strip planking (that's the boat for next winter though...).

I'd love something like a 10' Candlefish, but I don't want to rejigger the plans on my own

[cstevens]

10', S&G, outboard, planing, three people and a dog... Not a lot of options I can think of. Maybe the Selway Fisher Little Harrier?

https://www.selway-fisher.com/Mcup16.htm#RIER

I don't know anything about the boat but she's a wide, v-bottom pram. The specs say 20 kts with 10 hp. I think I'd be terrified to do 20 knots in that boat but as Mike Hailwood famously said, the throttle goes both ways. She's also listed for up to 20 hp, which would be truly hair raising...

[Jack Loudon]

Another possibility is the Bolger Bee. PCB was enthusiastic about the step sharpie attributes, but they don't seem to have caught on.

[MattGoose]

Thanks all. This is a very specific boat for a very specific use, and I know the options are limited.

But, should be a great way to get the kids on the water quickly and teach them about epoxy and glass and sanding and sanding and sanding some more.

The boat for next winter will be a more interesting discussion. That one will be in the 18' foot range, down east style, side steer. Inboard?!? Basically as close as I can get to a Pulsifer in my own garage

[David Satter]

Look through the pram/tender kits on the Wooden Boat magazine site. https://www.woodenboat.com/boat-plan...ippie-8-tender