March 2026

Leatherhead Kneepads

Comfort and protection for working knees

When you’re working on small boats, you often have to kneel on unforgiving surfaces, which is hard on the knees. Christopher Cunningham reviews his favorite kneepads from Troxell; the Leatherhead Kneepads are foam-padded, faux-leather protected, and adjustable to fit all adult sizes.

March 2026

Load Straps from Malone Auto Racks

Webbing tie-down straps for small boats on trailers

Tying down boats to trailers using ropes isn’t always the easiest or the best solution. Audrey and Kent Lewis recommend the Load Straps from Malone Auto Racks as a strong, convenient, and more boat-friendly alternative.

March 2026

Making Affordable Custom Boat Hardware

Using fiberglass, carbon-fiber, and epoxy to make small parts for small boats

Fittings for small boats aren’t always available off the shelf, and buying custom items can be expensive. Boatbuilder Michael Jones describes an affordable way to make one-off fittings using carbon fiber, fiberglass, and epoxy.

March 2026

From Mount Desert Island to Little Black

Island-hopping in Maine

A year after his solo cruise down Maine’s Bagaduce River, Davis Taylor takes his Tango 17 to the coast and embarks on a four-day trip around some of the many islands south of Mount Desert Island.

March 2026

Shearwater 14

A traditional kayak designed by Eric Schade

David Dawson reviews the Eric Schade–designed Shearwater 14, a traditional lightweight sea kayak for light touring and day paddling.

March 2026

14′ Heidi Skiff

A traditional skiff for oar and sail

Richard Kolin’s Heidi, a flat-bottomed sail-and-oar skiff designed for builders with little or no experience, combines simplicity with traditional construction, and good looks with fine performance.

Small Boats Annual 2015

A Retrospective of Reader Built Boats from the 2015 Small Boats Annual

Celebrating readers who made their dream a reality

We take a look back at some of the Reader Built Boats from the 2015 Small Boats Annual

February 2026

Adding a Fixed Skeg to a Kayak

A simple way to introduce directional stability

Sometimes directional stability is more important to recreational kayakers than a high degree of maneuverability; David Dawson describes how to add small fixed wooden skegs to kayaks of any material.

February 2026

PHEATHER 2, Ultralight Canoe

Designing and building a see-through canoe for calm waters

In his quest to make the most of an urban-park lake just a few miles from his home in Waterloo, Ontario, Matt Morris has been designing ever-lighter craft that he can trailer behind his bike. His latest Urban Boat development, PHEATHER 2, weighs less than 12 lbs and has a transparent skin.

February 2026

Automatic Vacuum Switches

Practical solutions for workshop dust collection

To avoid the unhealthy effects of airborne wood dust in his workshop, Christopher Cunningham uses automatic switches that turn his dust collector and shop vacuum on and off whenever his woodworking machines are in use.

February 2026

Silver Ridge Pants

Moisture-wicking convertible pants from Columbia Sportswear

The convertible Silver Ridge pants from Columbia Sportswear are fast-drying, sun-blocking, relaxed-fit pants that can be worn full-length or as above-the-knee shorts. Audrey and Kent Lewis find them ideal for their three-season boating.

February 2026

The Tawe Nunnugah 2025 RAID

A coastal cruise in Tasmania

Every other year the Living Boat Trust of Tasmania organizes a “raid” for small boats. Sailing from Recherche Bay to Hobart, Tasmania, the raiders’ goal is to arrive in time for the Australian Wooden Boat Festival. In 2025 Jan Kent joined them in his Cygnet 20.

February 2026

Seahopper Lighter

A flatpack boat for sail, oar, and outboard

Nic Compton reviews the Seahopper Lighter, a small folding boat that has been around for more than 50 years and has proved itself as a sailboat, rowboat, motorboat, and load-carrying family tender.

February 2026

Chestnut Kruger

A sporty 16′ canoe from Newfound Woodworks

At 16′, the Chestnut Kruger from Newfound Woodworks is, perhaps, the ideal canoe size. Ben Fuller reviews the strip-planked kit-built canoe suited to both tandem and solo paddlers.

Small Boats Annual 2013

Hazel 18

A brand-new classic daysailer

Small Boats Annual 2013

The Cross Island Skiff

Ready to carry just about anything, just about anywhere

For exploring backwaters and uncharted beaches and islands, if there is an "all-terrain vehicle" of the marine world, this boat might well be it.

Small Boats Annual 2013

ELLAJEN

A sailing canoe

The early Prospector was developed to carry a load of gear, to cope with choppy waters, and to be maneuverable.

Small Boats Annual 2013

Rangeley Boat

A nimble rowing craft from Maine’s lake country

Developed in the late-19th century for Maine lake fishing camps, the Rangeley type has long been admired as a capable small craft with excellent rowing characteristics.

January 2026

From Drift Boat to Sharpie

Building small boats in Colorado

Steve Wenger has built not one, but three, boats designed by Tracy O’Brien—and two other small boats along the way. His love of the designs is matched by his enjoyment of the build and his pleasure of getting afloat.

January 2026

Gas Growler 3.8

A compact refillable propane tank

Single-use pressurized fuel canisters are ideal for camp-cruising but typically can neither be refilled nor easily disposed of. Christopher Cunningham reviews a new refillable small tank from Ignik.

January 2026

Shackleton’s Boat Journey

A story of survival

Frank Worsley’s account of his voyage from Elephant Island to South Georgia, with Sir Ernest Shackleton and four other crew members from the ill-fated ENDEAVOUR, is as exciting and remarkable today as it was when first published in 1933.

January 2026

Floorboards for Small Boats

Keeping gear dry with easy-to-make slatted boards

No one wants a cluttered cockpit on a small boat, and sometimes raised floorboards can make all the difference in keeping things tidy and dry. Bill Thomas describes a simple construction project.

January 2026

A Scaled-Down Cruise in the Gulf Islands

Navigating high winds, unsafe harbors, and flat calms

When setting off on an extended cruise, it’s good to have a plan; it’s just as important to be flexible. When Alex Zimmerman ran into more wind than was comfortable for his 18-footer, he gave up on his extended cruise through the Gulf Islands and stayed closer to home.

January 2026

Gartside Design #261

A double-ended launch

A classic double-ended launch with open cockpit, Paul Gartside’s Design #261 was designed to be built with two layers of glued fore-and-aft planking and powered by an inboard diesel motor. Nigel Sharp reviews a new build that retains all the aesthetic appeal of the original but combines a strip-planked, cold-molded hull with an electric motor.

January 2026

BayCruiser 23

Water ballast creates two boats in one

The fiberglass-hulled sloop-rigged BayCruiser 23 is suitable for coastal cruising, but with its water-ballast system and lightweight rig, says Nic Compton, it also offers sailing performance more often associated with smaller sailing dinghies.