Series

Small Boats Annual 2022September 2021

Ellen 12

Pretty in plywood

This 12’ glued-lapstrake skiff, designed by John Brooks for oar, sail and outboard, is a complex boat, but detailed plans and a comprehensive 281-page book devoted to it pave the way for a first-time builder.

September 2021

Fifteen Years of the Small Reach Regatta

A retrospective

After 15 years, the Small Reach Regatta has come to the end of a long and successful run. Tom Jackson was there from the very beginning and takes a look back at the popular Maine Coast cruise.

September 2021

C-Tug

An easily stowed cart for canoes and kayaks

The C-Tug from Railblaza has wide non-pneumatic tires for easy rolling over sand and knocks down for stowing in a small space.

September 2021

Ballast Bags

Heavy-duty water bags for ballast or flotation

Heavy-duty water bags made for keeping canopies from blowing away are well suited for adding ballast to a small boat in need of fine-tuning of trim. Filled with air, they can provide buoyancy for safety.

Small Boats Annual 2009

Diablo

A fast and stable outboard-powered skiff

BONITO’s Diablo design is derived from the Amesbury skiff—itself a dory-derivative. The plywood hull is easily built, and easy on the eyes. A narrow bottom and wide, angled bilge panels combine to give Diablo an efficient planing surface and predictable banking in turns. She has great dynamic stability at speed.

Small Boats Annual 2009

Beetle 14

Sequel to a legend

The Beetle 14 (14'4") is the big sister of the 12' 4" classic. Lest you think 2' is not much of a difference, consider the designer’s observation that “You could fill two [original] Beetles with water and empty them into this boat.”

Small Boats Annual 2009

BEATRICE

A modified Saint-Pierre Dory

BEATRICE is a modified Saint-Pierre dory—a type once common on the waters of Canada’s Maritime Provinces. Born on the islands of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon off the coast of Newfoundland (French possessions to this day), the Saint-Pierre dory was a local response to a French government requirement for cheap, durable, and safe fishing craft for local fishermen.

Small Boats Annual 2009

Beach Cruising

A primer in pictures

A trailerable sailboat can be so much more than a daysailer. With a sense of adventure, a little thought, and a bit of gear, the same boat can beach-cruise far and wide for days, weeks, and even months on end.

Small Boats Annual 2022August 2021

Penny Fee

A glued-lap plywood dinghy for oar and sail

The largest of Iain Oughtred’s half-dozen dinghies, Penny Fee was designed for efficient rowing and sailing with one of four rigs ranging from a simple lug rig to a gaff yawl.

August 2021

Metamorphosis

The elevation of a jet ski

Dale Brevik is a dedicated amateur woodworker who enjoys a project that will challenge and add to his formidable repertoire of skills. His latest was to give a 2002 jet ski a mahogany makeover with all the elegance of a classic runabout.

August 2021

Xtratuf Legacy Boots

XtraTuf traces its roots to rubber boots designed and built for commercial fishermen in 1950. The durable slip-resistant soles and flexible neoprene-lined uppers make today’s models well suited to small-boat cruising.

August 2021

Cen-Tec’s Quick Click

Dust collection for small power tools

Cen-Tec’s vacuum hose and adapters provide an effective means for collecting dust generated by small power tools and help create a cleaner, safer workshop.

August 2021

Cord-Wrapped Oarlocks

Quick and simple protection for oars

Wooden oars usually get protected from metal oarlocks by sewn-on leathers or slip-on rubber sleeves. Wrapping the oarlock with cord adds a protective surface that is inexpensive and easy to apply.

Small Boats Annual 2022August 2021

Sponge Docks Skiff 13

An easily built outboard garvey

J.F. Bedard’s Sponge Docks Skiff is a 13′ outboard-powered garvey designed for first-time boatbuilders. It will accommodate a crew of three, take a motor up to 29 hp, and, with a 15-hp motor, zip along at about 20 mph.

August 2021

A Wright Brothers Moment

1972, three friends, and a homebuilt hydrofoil sailboat

Mike Jacker, along with his friends Louis and Marty, had just graduated from high school and would have spent the summer of ‘72 sailing Lake Michigan at a local club, but a book on hydrofoils set them on a quest to design and build their own sailing foiler.

Small Boats Annual 2009

Tremolino Trimaran

What’s old is new again

The Dick Newick–designed Tremolino blends ancient technologies with high-tech design and construction methods. The strip-built trimaran gives even the less-experienced builder a chance to own this fast and fun-to-sail craft.

Small Boats Annual 2009

The King

A strip-planked kayak from Redfish

Redfish Kayak specializes in kits and plans for a range of strip-planked paddle craft. The King has plenty of volume for gear stowage, yet is fast and responsive.

Small Boats Annual 2009

The Asa Thomson Skiff

A humble gem

Asa Thomson was a New Bedford, Massachusetts, boatbuilder who clearly had a great deal of experience in skiffs. His design, devoid of any “wow” factor, has all the attributes of a craft born of lifelong learning.

Small Boats Annual 2009

The 16/30 Sailing Canoe

An easy-to-build racer finds its inspiration in history

The 16/30 class sailing canoe is the product of a long-term project on the part of John Summers, General Manager at the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario. He designed the canoe while at the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, New York.

Small Boats Annual 2022July 2021

Morbic 12

A versatile lapstrake dinghy

Inspired by the workboats of France’s Atlantic Coast, François Vivier designed the Morbic 12 to have the look of a classic, use contemporary plywood construction, and be powered by oars, sail, and outboard.

July 2021

Solo Carry

A skin-on-frame double-paddle canoe

A canoe that weighs 25 lbs or less almost begs to be put on the roof racks and taken to the water. The Solo Carry was designed by Hilary Russell to be built quickly and used often.

July 2021

Gile Flowage

Working with the wind

The Giles Flowage, a reservoir in northern Wisconsin, can get rather choppy when the wind picks up, but Tom Pamperin wasn’t going to be deterred from taking a weekend getaway there.

July 2021

Fixed-Clothesline Anchoring

Comfort in close quarters

A small cove might not provide enough room for a boat to swing at anchor, but it can make a worry-free night aboard with a system that keeps the boat precisely located regardless of wind and current.

July 2021

Sherpak Quick Loops

Handy tie-down anchors from Seattle Sports

Many of today’s cars may have roof racks that can be used to carry canoes and kayaks, but lack tie-down points to keep them from shifting at highway speeds. The Sherpak Quick Loops create those points at hoods and hatches.

July 2021

Neoprene Knee Pads

Protection without bulk

Small boats can require a lot of kneeling and crawling, and knees can take a beating. Neoprene knee pads designed for dinghy sailing provide protection and comfort without being cumbersome.