To the Black Sea

7

Small Boats Annual 2011

Deer Isle Koster Boat

A full-bodied, stable, and promising daysailer

Deer Isle Koster Boat was designed by Bruce Elfstrom to be a safe and enticing daysailer for his daughters on Deer Isle, Maine.

13

June 2025

Paddling the Susquehanna River

A two-and-a-half week trip by canoe

Hugh Rand takes two and a half weeks to paddle his canoe from Cooperstown, New York, to Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. Along the way he encounters otters, beavers, and bears; submerged boulders, fallen trees, and fast-running rapids.

5

June 2025

EMMA

Building a Mayfly 14

When a grandson asks for help building a boat, what grandfather can resist? Kippen and his grandfather Ken work together to build a Jim Michalak–designed Mayfly 14 that Kippen can call his own and will sail with his friends.

4

June 2025

QuikFair from System Three Resins

An easily applied epoxy fairing putty

Some blemishes can’t be covered up with a seasonal coat of paint but don’t warrant an entire repaint. QuikFair is a two-part epoxy compound that adheres to old finishes, is easy to apply, and can be sanded within hours of application.

3

June 2025

Kayalite Kayak Light

A practical all-around light for small boats

Even the smallest of boats need lights if they are to be operated between sunset and sunrise. The Kayalite from Kayalu is waterproof, floats, and can be quickly set up and removed as needed.

6

June 2025

Mounting an Electric Outboard on Rudder Fittings

A simple solution for boats that can’t easily take an outboard

Weighing less than their gas counterparts, electric outboard motors lend themselves to creative mounting options, making them useful for small boats with removable rudders.

6

June 2025

Gartside’s Design 206

A traditional pram dinghy

The 8′ pram from Paul Gartside is traditional in appearance and construction. Suitable for more experienced builders, it is an ideal tender, towing and rowing well, and with space for one rower with cargo or passenger.

6

June 2025

Selway-Fisher Heron 15

A pocket cruiser for two

It’s only 15′ 4″ long, but the Selway-Fisher Heron 15 provides a comfortable cockpit and a generous cabin for two—a compact but capable pocket cruiser for home-building.

5

Small Boats Annual 2011

Onset Island Skiff

Utility, affordability, good fun

Beetle Inc.’s Onset Island Skiff is a recent interpretation of an old idea: the traditional New England flat-bottomed skiff.

6

Small Boats Annual 2011

BLACK GHOST

A fisherman's friend

Walter Ansel built BLACK GHOST to Weston Farmer’s Kingfisher plans. Traditional construction and a seaworthy result make her an enticing project for any experienced builder.

9

May 2025

The Garsharp-14

The Garlasco family establish a boatbuilding tradition

Four generations of the Garlasco family come together to build a sailboat designed by great-grandfather Felix.

3

May 2025

Melbourne Tool Company Spokeshave

Quality design in an old favorite

Well-made traditional spokeshaves were once ubiquitous, but now are hard to find. The new spokeshaves from Melbourne Tool Company find a sweet spot, combining old-fashioned quality with modern upgrades.

6

May 2025

Omnia Oven

Baking in the backcountry

When you think camp-cruising, you probably don’t imagine fresh-baked bread. But with the compact and lightweight stovetop Omnia oven, bread, cookies, and even a well-stuffed calzone are all possible.

4

May 2025

Sanding in Tight Spots

Simply made tools to reach the unreachable

When it comes to sanding, boats seem to have all manner of hard-to-reach spots. But, with some inexpensive materials, you can make tools that put you in touch with every inch of your boat.

13

May 2025

Three Days in the Broughton Archipelago

A singlehanded adventure from Vancouver Island

Merlin Clark-Mahoney had looked forward to spending a couple of weeks sailing off the coast of Vancouver Island. But almost constant heavy rain caused him to lower his expectations and change his itinerary. He took off on a three-day voyage that included close encounters with whales and miles-long tacks on which his 18′ yawl sailed herself.

6

May 2025

Nottage Dinghy

A traditional lugsail dinghy from England

Fabian Bush designed his lapstrake dinghy for boatbuilding students at the Nottage Institute in Essex, England. Its traditional construction is challenging for a new builder, but the sweet lines and good sail-and-oar performance make it worth the effort.

7

May 2025

The Mini Auray

A simple pram from one and a half sheets of plywood

Hannu Vartiala based his 7′ 6″ Mini Auray on lines drawn by yachtsman Claud Worth in 1912. The Mini Auray, though small, has mighty carrying capacity.

5

Small Boats Annual 2011

The Matinicus Double-Ender

The real deal

Descended from a long line of workboats, these striking lapstrake double-enders are often very long-lived, partly because of the pride they instill in their owners.

8

Small Boats Annual 2011

The Baybird Sloop

An 18’ W. Starling Burgess design for racing

Originally designed for racing in Marblehead, Massachusetts, the Baybird Sloop found a true home in the summer sailing camps on Cape Cod’s Pleasant Bay beginning in the 1920s.

8

April 2025

Building the Haven 12 1/2

Strip-planking a 12 1⁄2 for trailer-sailing

When Bill Jordan started building his carvel-planked sailboat, he thought it was going to live on a mooring where the seams would have a chance to swell and become watertight. But, when he realized he’d be trailer-sailing, he decided to strip-plank the hull instead.

3

April 2025

SLO Covers and Bags

Quality covers for small boats

Protecting boats from the weather—both rain and sunshine—prolongs their finishes and reduces maintenance needs. Bundling sails and spars together helps keep them organized and makes it easier to carry them. SLO Sail and Canvas makes good-quality, well-fitting covers and bags in durable materials.

4

April 2025

Jorgensen Corner Easing Plane

A compact plane for rounding edges

Smooth and rounded edges are important on boats. The compact Jorgensen Corner Easing Plane helps to achieve them.

3

April 2025

Road-Ready Trailer Checklist

Preparing your trailer for travel

Whether towing over long or short distances, at the start of every journey it’s good practice to make sure your trailer is in roadworthy condition. Our pre-trip checklist will help.

13

April 2025

The Bagaduce River by Rowboat

A four-day rowing trip through the strong currents of a Maine river

Davis Taylor had enjoyed occasional overnights on local ponds when he decided he really wanted to explore tidal Maine. He successfully navigated the fast-running Bagaduce River to enjoy a four-day island-hopping voyage under oars.

6

April 2025

Scout 14

A new camp-cruiser from Duckworks

Building on the success of their Scout 10, designer Brandon Davis and Duckworks Boat Builders Supply collaborated to create a sleek-looking camp-cruiser that offers speed, stability, and capacity.

Series

Deer Isle Koster Boat

Paddling the Susquehanna River

EMMA

QuikFair from System Three Resins

Kayalite Kayak Light

Mounting an Electric Outboard on Rudder Fittings

Gartside’s Design 206

Selway-Fisher Heron 15

Onset Island Skiff

BLACK GHOST

The Garsharp-14

Melbourne Tool Company Spokeshave

Omnia Oven

Sanding in Tight Spots

Three Days in the Broughton Archipelago

Nottage Dinghy

The Mini Auray

The Matinicus Double-Ender

The Baybird Sloop

Building the Haven 12 1/2

SLO Covers and Bags

Jorgensen Corner Easing Plane

Road-Ready Trailer Checklist

The Bagaduce River by Rowboat

Scout 14

Subscribe Today!

Time to upgrade!

Deer Isle Koster Boat

Paddling the Susquehanna River

EMMA

QuikFair from System Three Resins

Kayalite Kayak Light

Mounting an Electric Outboard on Rudder Fittings

Gartside’s Design 206

Selway-Fisher Heron 15

Onset Island Skiff

BLACK GHOST

The Garsharp-14

Melbourne Tool Company Spokeshave

Omnia Oven

Sanding in Tight Spots

Three Days in the Broughton Archipelago

Nottage Dinghy

The Mini Auray

The Matinicus Double-Ender

The Baybird Sloop

Building the Haven 12 1/2

SLO Covers and Bags

Jorgensen Corner Easing Plane

Road-Ready Trailer Checklist

The Bagaduce River by Rowboat

Scout 14

Subscribe Today!

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