Looking for 50's Skimmar

[Bon Temps]

I am looking for an original boat, or plans of a Skimmar. They were small plywood boats manufactured in Greenwich, CT for a couple of decades in the 50's and 60's. They were designed for outboard power, flat bottomed, a bit on the boxy side, but with a rather nice pointy upturned bow and sheerline.
They were very popular in their day, and I would love to build one.

[Cuyahoga Chuck]

If the boat was commercially made the design may have been proprietary and thus, the plans were never available to the public. If that's the case you'll have to scratch around and find something of similar size and shape.
Since most of us have never seen a Skimmar it's hard to point you to anything meaningful. Here's a about 150 Glue and Screw boat plans from magazines of that era. Have a look.
http://www.svensons.com/boat/

[Bon Temps]

Thanks for the info. It turns out I have just spoken (by telephone) with a fellow in Norwalk, CT who remembers the boats and the factory very well. It is long out of business, and he remembers them being built. His best guess is that they were built essentially by eye with patterns. Which is to say, no plans ever existed.
I found a '60 brochure that shows pics of the boats with overall measurements. I'm going to play with some cardboard modelmaking and see what I can come up with!

[Mrleft8]

The "Skimmar" I know was/is a small round bottomed sailing/rowing dinghy (Several people put small outboards on them). That said, I'm guessing that "Skimmar" was the manufacturer, and there were several different models available. I seem to remember we called the sailing dinghies "Sea Dog"s. It also sounds like you could be talking about one of the Brockway skiffs, which I believe were made in Old Lyme...

[Uncle Duke]

Can't help with plans - just wanted to say 'thanks for the memories'... I had a Skimmar when I was a kid living on the Mianus River in Greenwich (Riverside, actually) in the early 60's. Saved my nickels and got a used Seagull for it.
My first boat - tons of fun....

[rbgarr]

I remember the Skimmar outboard skiffs too and I'm not surprised there are no plans for them. As your contact said, probably built over a simple mold with patterned pieces. Kids used to have three hp motors on them. There was one kid who put a ten or so on his and it porpoised all over the place. They eventually made them in fiberglass.

These designs are essentially the same thing with slightly less rocker. Payson would be able to tell you if one would suit your needs.

http://www.instantboats.com/skiff12.htm

http://smallboat.fortunecity.com/skiff/skiff.html

[hurf]

I had a 9' model that I helped put together at the factory when I was 11 or 12 (1957) have a derelict 12' disintegrating on a trailer at my home in upstate NY. The only difference is the length.
In my early 20's I worked at the factory delivering the (then) current product glass dinghys all over the East coast and finishing thwarts for the boats between runs.
hurf
ps: looking for an Etchells "Rocky Point" Moth or parts - I have #1005, need parts (rudder, centerboard)
cheers!

[hurf]

Oh Yeah,
I'd really like to find Etchells Moth #1000...

[David W Pratt]

I believe they live on today as cocktail class racers. There is a class association, and Chesapeake Light Craft even has kits and plans available.
Good luck.

[rbgarr]

I believe they live on today as cocktail class racers.

I recall the Skimmar skiffs were flat bottom boats, not slightly vee'd forward like the Cocktail Class.ppp9878c.jpg

[wizbang 13]

My “rich” cousins had one each in Milford ,Ct. in the early 60’s .
They had Evinrude 7.5’s .
I wuz quite jealous, but in retrospect, my dad had a roller skating rink haha!