October 2025

The Voilier Nord Bassin

How one man’s dream built a boat and a community

Michel Sailhan, a retired journalist, passed the time in a Covid lockdown designing a sailing scow suitable for the shoal waters of Arcachon Bay near his home in southwest France. When people could again gather, he inspired a group of volunteers to build the boat for their community.

How to Shelter a Wooden Boat for the Winter

A good cover will shed snow and rain, give room to work—and most important, allow ventilation.

Maintaining the right moisture content is Goal No. 1

September 2025

LARK

Building a Bob’s Special from Plans

When Justine and John Diamond decided to build a canoe from plans, neither of them had built a boat before and John had only been in a canoe once.

September 2025

Harpswell Island Designs

Handcrafted boat pillows

Harpswell Island Designs’ pillows look good, wear well, and come in myriad styles from club burgees and state flags to abstract and whimsical designs.

September 2025

Project M23 Waterproof Field Bag

A protective bag from Expedition/Units with inserts for a camera

For years, Bill Thomas has sought a small waterproof bag to keep his camera equipment safe and dry on small boats. The Field Bag with Camera Block is rugged, waterproof, and just the right size.

September 2025

Modifying Trailers

Adding posts and platforms can make a trailer more versatile

Ben Fuller describes how to modify a trailer using easy-to-find materials and common tools, so it can be used in different ways and for multiple boats.

September 2025

A Shakedown Cruise in Tampa Bay

Sailing a new homebuilt Angus RowCruiser in Florida

When Bill Hutton set sail in his new homebuilt Angus RowCruiser, he hoped to explore Tampa Bay from east to west. The breaking of his centerboard made upwind sailing impossible, so instead he kept to the eastern shore and explored under sail and oar.

September 2025

Turnabout/N-10

A much-loved sail-training boat

The Turnabout was once a widely popular sail-training dinghy in the U.S. Northeast. More than 60 years since it was first adopted in Ipswich Bay, the class is still loved by many for its versatility, simplicity, and above all, its offering of social sailing for children.

September 2025

Annapolis Wherry Tandem

A robust shell for one or two rowers

Developed from Chesapeake Light Craft’s successful Annapolis Wherry, the Tandem version can be solo- or double-rowed and be fitted with either fixed or sliding seats.

Three Solutions for Indoor Boat Storage

Be sure to check local building codes and regulations before beginning any of these projects.

Sufficient indoor boat storage is a rare commodity in most locales, and it can be expensive to rent. Consider these three solutions.

August 2025

The CLC Nymph

Seven lessons in building a strip-planked canoe

Bill Griffin had helped his friend, Charlie Flanagan, to restore two small boats, but when he decided to build his own strip-planked canoe, their roles were reversed.

August 2025

NRS Float Bags

Inflatable flotation for small boats

Not all small boats have built-in buoyancy, but flotation is important. NRS Float Bags are available in a range of sizes, made from tough, long-lasting materials, and come with a lifetime warranty.

August 2025

W.L. Fuller Countersinks

A popular tool approaches 100 years of longevity

Tapered drill bits with countersinks may not be the most glamorous tools in the workshop, but no boatbuilder would be without them. W.L. Fuller has been making countersinks and special-purpose drill bits of unbeatable quality and durability in Rhode Island since 1930.

August 2025

Making a Spar Carrier

Support for spars when trailering

When trailering a sailboat, it’s not always easy to support the spars and keep them stable. Bill Jordan solved the problem by building his own custom spar carrier.

August 2025

Newfound Woodworks’ Otter

A playful solo canoe

The sweet-lined Otter may be one of Newfound Woodworks’ smallest strip-planked boats, but this solo canoe has space enough for a paddler and a dog, a child, or overnight camping gear.

August 2025

Rowing the SEVENTY48

One boat, four oars, seventy miles

In 2019, when Basin Herbertson first heard about the SEVENTY48, he didn’t know how to row, nor did he have a boat in which to learn. He designed and built a performance boat for the event, and in June 2025 he and his son, Ben, completed the 70-mile race.

August 2025

The Tango 17

A durable two-person rowboat

Built of modern materials but with lines that hark back to the 19th century, Whitehall Spirit’s Tango 17 is equally suited to double performance rowing and solo camp-cruising.

Small Boats Annual 2011

Beg-Meil

A small yacht, whether under sail or oars

Inspired by the workboats of Brittany, France, François Vivier designed Beg-Meil as a safe and seaworthy daysailer.

July 2025

PETRICHOR

Building a Northeaster Dory

In his youth, Dylan Spaulding had built two boats with his dad. After his father died, Dylan decided to build a third, a Northeaster Dory, in his memory.

July 2025

Flextail Max Shower

Keeping clean while cruising

When you’re small-boat cruising, you shouldn’t have to forgo all the luxuries of modern living. With its own pump, the Flextail Max Shower delivers good flow for refreshing bathing even in remote camps and anchorages.

July 2025

Kirby’s Marine Topside Hull and Deck Paint

Custom paint production since the mid-19th century

The George Kirby Jr. Paint Company has been hand-mixing top-quality marine paints to order for the past 179 years. As viable today as they were in the 1840s, the paints are user-friendly, durable, and available in any color.

July 2025

Oiling Plywood

Extending the lifespan of plywood-on-frame boats

In the Pacific Northwest it’s not always practical to epoxy-coat or varnish marine plywood. An alternative solution, tried and tested among Oregon coastal fishermen, is to saturate the wood with a homemade recipe known as “boat soup.”

July 2025

A Civilized Adventure

Kayaking through Burgundy and Nivernais in the 1980s

Lured by the gentle countryside, the expectation of easy camping, and the promise of good French food and wine, a young New England couple explore the waterways of Burgundy in a 17′ Klepper Aerius II kayak.

July 2025

Lowell Dory Skiff

John Gardner’s “substantial rowboat” for fishing

A sturdy rowboat based on an early 20th-century working boat and drawn up by John Gardner, the 14′ 9″ flat-bottomed, shallow-drafted Dory Skiff is suited to fishing, general recreational, and workboat use.

July 2025

The 13′ Boston Whaler

The original “unsinkable” powerboat

They’ve been used as harbor tenders, kids’ first powerboats, yacht-club chase boats, and all-around stable workboats. Almost 70 years after the first of its type was launched, the 13’ Boston Whaler remains a favorite around America’s coasts.