15’9″ and 19′ Ben Garveys

Fine boatyard skiff or small harbor ferry.

15 '9" and 19' Ben Garveys

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Here is a pair of boats that will feel right at home on the working waterfront. Both would make fine boatyard skiffs or small harbor-ferries. Both would be fine for a little recreational fishing or getting around the lake on a summer vacation, or ferrying out to that island camp. The larger boat would make a fine skiff for some entry-level lobstering or shellfish harvesting.

Garveys originated as shallow-draft, burdensome, and easily built boats for working the shallow bays and estuaries of the Jersey Shore. The advent of the internal-combustion engine, and later, the outboard motor, ensured their survival since the hull form is actually better suited to mechanical power than to the sailing rigs of the early boats. Doug Hylan has refined the Ben garveys somewhat from their original form: They show a strong sheer and more rake to the bow transom for good looks, the buttock lines aft have been straightened out for planing speeds, and the construction is updated to make use of plywood and epoxy. But they still display the same characteristics that made their forefathers popular: ease of construction, shallow draft, good stability, and great load capacity.

You build the Ben garveys of plywood, upside down on a ladder frame over temporary molds. Lofting is required, but it is extremely simple. The chines are easily made using epoxy fillers and fiberglass tape. Flotation compartments ensure that a swamped boat will float level and support the motor head above the water.

The plans are printed on five sheets (four for Big Ben) and include lines, construction, details, and building jig. Also included are instruction sheets that cover tool and materials, scarfing plywood, construction, and use. WB Plan Nos. 126 (BEN) and 127 (BIG BEN), $75.00 each.