What a pleasant surprise to get this post from Harry! From the following, you can practice boatbuilding without needing a big shop, consuming a lot of material, or spending a lot of money. It’s a great way to learn. And a wonderful means of teaching youngsters what boatbuilding is all about. At the end, you’ll have a treasure for your mantle or a child will get an unusually fine toy. –Maynard
The Forty Inch Skiff
Two objectives are behind the creation of this design. The first is the building of a large model. While this skiff does not represent any specific design, its shape is typical of many small flat-bottomed craft. What is distinctive is its scale. In spite of the fact that it can easily be carried under one arm, it is one quarter the size of a fourteen-fot boat. There is something about a large model that draws you into it, and makes it easy to imagine the real thing. I have used the term
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Julian Maples says:
Hi,
I am started on this and was just preparing a cutlist to order the wood but could not find the dimensions of the thwart, please.
Also, it would be helpful to have the length of the chines, wear straps and guard rails.
Many thanks
Julian Maples says:
Although not in the cut list, the measurements can be deduced from the second plan.
Gary Tettlebach says:
Harry could use something like this as a cradle for a baby if he put rockers on the bottom. I have seen these and they are a wonderful gift from a grandparent to a newborn baby.
Tony Vink says:
Love this idea, my kids ar 10 and 12 so that could work.
What do you think of the idea of doing a 1/4 or 1/5 scale version of Francois Vivier’s Ebihen 15/16? That’s my long term aim. To date my plan to learn the skills was: build a stitch and glue Water rat (sit ontop canoe) – the build a Goat Island Skiff , a d start learning to sail and after that build the Ebihen .
Dave S says:
I have been wanting to learn the basics of boat building but have been afraid of the cost and making serious mistakes. Here is a project that intrigues me and can be handled in my small work space. I will keep you guys informed. Thank you for a such a fantastic website.
martin schulman says:
Another Bryan masterpiece.
PETE MCCLELLAND says:
What a great post!
Have to wait about three years to help my granddaughter build this boat. And then another
three years before I can help my grandson build one.
I hope they will be as eager as I am to build it.
Thanks again for this post.
Ben Mendlowitz says:
Thanks Harry, this is a great post! Let’s hope it inspires a lot of parent child projects. It certainly provides all the information needed for someone who has been wanting to learn the basics of boatbuilding.