Jersey Speed Skiff Plans

[TedBusfield]

In the late 50's I watched my first Jersey Speed Skiff race in Red Bank from my family's home built 14" Luger runabout. The sights and sounds were awesome. During high school I built two wood boats before joining the Coast Guard. When the wooden boat era ended, I entered the plastic boat era. Retired now and back living in NJ, I watched a guy in a Jersey Speed Skiff zip around Barnegat Bayin a Jersey Speed Skiff. It brought back many memories and a desire to own one, made of wood, not plastic. I have searched the internet for plans and haven't come up with anything. Are plans available and if so can someone direct me to someone who will sell me a set? Any information on the subject would be greatly appreciated.

Ted Busfield

[Cuyahoga Chuck]

dngoodchild.com sells a speed skiff plan,#5880.

I don't know zip about these hulls but, anything with a hopped-up Chevy engine has got to be well built. Mating a 1950's era wooden boat plan with a high-output Chevy engine is going to take some serious reworking.
And thanks for warning us about what goes on in Barnegat Bay. I, for one,
avoid all places where go-fast is on the menu.

[Mike Vogdes]

Some of these guys may be able to point you in the right direction.

http://www.vintagehydroplanes.com/di...Speed%20Skiffs

[moTthediesel]

Jersey Skiffs are great fun to watch, they seem to spend as much time in the air as on the water. The new ones now have "roll cages" around the crew to keep the other guy's prop out of your face!
I always enjoy seeing them at the Antique Raceboat Regatta in Clayton NY. Saddly, all those boats seem to be made of that other material :<(
I would guess that modern glued lapstrake construction would make for a light, strong, and long lasting boat. The glass ones tend not to age well from all the slamming.
moT

[nedL]

What would you like to know? The plans that dngoodchild has are reprints out of the 1955 (maybe '54) "Boatbuilding Annual", a similar design was also published in the July 1953 edition of "Speed & Spray". Both designs were done by David Beach. I have both articles (w/plans). For almost 30 years I have had a late 30's early 40's speed skiff built by Bill Tallman of Fair Haven (NJ). I have been trying to track down all the existing wood skiffs for a number of years now & have found about 34. In the 50's they ran a lot of flat head Fords & by the 60's the Chevy 283 was pretty standard (they were not limited to the 283 until maybe the mid 60's). There were quitle a few builders over the years, Pappy Seamen was the first, Mulford, Tallman, Mihm's, Wulf, Clayton were some of the earlier builders, Foresberg came in the picture in the 50's, by the 60's the competative builders were pretty much Russell (Fair Haven) & Wolcott (Long Branch). Zuback built a 'radical' one in '64 which really acted to refine the class requirements. The last wood skiff to race APBA was built in '67 by George Wolcott and is now owned by his grandson Rob Garratano, who is also a 5 time national champion, and is now the #1 person when it comes to speed skiff history.

[TedBusfield]

Thanks for the info. I just purchased the D.N. Dogwood plan, #5880. I plan to build first, most likely 2":1'-0". Again, thanks for the info.

Ted

[nedL]

Ted, I should have also pointed you toward "jerseyspeedskiffs.com" and "speedskiffs.com". The second site has a good number of historical photos from the 50's & 60's. The plans you have ordered are a real nice looking speed skiff. If you built one you would have a real nice 'river skiff', one that would do nicely in the 45 - 55 mph range ( so a 'stock' 283 or even one of the new V6's would be perfect). The design is not one that you would want to push to today's speeds of 65 - 85mph. The APBA has recently approved the 350CID for competition. There was a boat named "Jupiter Rex" that was built in the mid 50's to the very plans you have ordered. If you have any problem reading the plans let me know, as I said I have the original articles.

[TedBusfield]

nedL,

Thanks again. I have been to the "jerseyspeedskiffs" web site, will check out the other. I intend to use it as a "river skiff" and at car meets, behind a friends 55 Chevy pick up as a 50's replica. I will consider the engine options later. The V6 would be practical, as 45 - 55 mph is pleanty fast for me.

Ted

[billboats]

Where can I get those plans?

[davidagage]

Here is a plastc one that I happened upon. This thing looks scary! Just plop in a motor and go...fast!
http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/boa/1927499631.html

[nedL]

Odd looking as that thing is, it's not a Jersey speed skiff.