Gartside’s Design 206

While waiting to find space to build a 22′ motoryacht based on a Lake Union Dreamboat and custom-designed by Paul Gartside, I decided to build the tender that would ultimately be needed to accompany it. The larger boat would be of traditional design and construction, and it was important to me that the tender matched it in style. I was also looking for a boat that would tow well and was small enough to carry on deck.

Paul Gartside’s Design 206 for an 8′ clinker pram of traditional construction suited my requirements exactly, and the beaminess created by the two transom ends provides good space in a small package.

Cecil Rhodes

The pram is built upside down over a plug. Once the transoms and keel are set in place, the plank locations are lined off with battens. Even at this early stage the graceful arcs of the planks as they tuck up to the bow transom are evident.

As a devotee of wooden boats, I have built several designs from varied sources and appreciate detailed plans that include what is necessary for the builder, illustrated with clear drawings and notations. Paul Gartside’s work not only achieves this standard but is guided by many years of building and using boats as well as designing a wide range of craft of all sizes. For this particular design, his five sheets of hand-drawn plans are a joy to use or just to look at.

Design 206 is a pram dinghy of traditional lapstrake construction, which requires a high level of skill and considerable time to complete. The investment of time demands that the project be completed with the best possible materials.

Tyler Rhodes

An eyebolt, placed low on the bow transom, serves well for towing the pram. Inside, the 8mm sprung floorboards are removable, making it easy to clean the hull after mud and sand are tracked aboard when launching the boat from a beach.

I followed Gartside’s recommendation of white oak—quarter-sawn for the transoms and other fittings, green for the 13mm x 11mm steam-bent frames—and old-growth fine-grained western red cedar for the 8mm planks, nine per side. Here in the Pacific Northwest good cedar is available, but for builders in other parts of the world Gartside recommends alternative planking material such as spruce or pine. Scantlings are only as large as is necessary to create a strong but lightweight shell—just over 100 lbs. Fastenings are copper boat nails and roves with a few bronze screws. The advent of the internet has greatly improved the ability to source bronze and copper fastenings of good quality from suppliers now few and far between; I bought Davey & Co. copper boat nails and roves from Fisheries Supply in Seattle.

Building Gartside’s Pram

Assembly of the keel, transoms, and planking takes place upside down on a form comprising three molds. The lining-off of the plank locations is done with battens followed by spiling plank shapes. Shaping the individual planks and cutting the laps and gains needs to be done with patience, using planes dedicated to the job and kept sharp. The planks are nailed to each other at the laps—with bedding compound at the gains and transoms—until the boat is turned over when roves can be added, and the steam-bent frames can be installed and riveted to the planks. As the hull slowly comes together the structure is somewhat unstable until the gunwales and bilge stringers are installed, then the boat becomes stiffer and ready to receive seats, knees, and trim. A word of caution: most of the build can be done by one person working alone, but when it comes to riveting (the boat takes about 850) and installing the 19 steam-bent frames, a second pair of hands is needed. It is at such times that you’ll find out who your friends are.

Cecil Rhodes

Given its traditional construction, the pram is not especially light. Yet, it is small enough to be transported in the back of a pickup truck, from which it can be launched by one person if the truck is backed up close to the water.

The finished pram is light enough to be easily transported in a pickup truck, or lifted onto a deck or dock. The design calls for 9mm × 8mm oak reinforcing strips to be added to the lower edge of the lowest four planks to protect the boat during beaching or loading operations; they have already saved some scarring of the bottom paint and planks. It is possible for one person to load and unload the pram into the water from a truck bed if the vehicle is backed up close to the water, but to move it any distance on land requires either a dolly or two people.

The boat can be rowed from either of two locations—amidships or forward—depending on load or number of passengers. Rowing alone with light loads is effortless and maneuverability is immediate. With two people, not much changes except that the rower moves to the forward seat. The pram’s broad, deep shape can carry a considerable load if required. The tightly spaced 8mm sprung floorboards protect the bottom of the boat and spread the load while standing, boarding, or distributing cargo. The boards are held in place by wooden buttons and can easily be removed when necessary.

Tyler Rhodes

Even in a small pram it’s important to maintain the right fore-and-aft trim. For that reason, there are two rowing stations. When rowing alone, sitting on the center thwart is optimal, but when joined by a passenger or if carrying heavy cargo, the rower can move to the forward thwart.

I have used the pram for some time, and it has taken on no water. This suggests that the planking installation is well done and that the tightly spaced rivets are working to keep everything sealed—an important factor if the boat is to spend any time sitting on deck or otherwise out of the water.

For the oars and oarlock placements I followed Gartside’s directions, and they work well—oarlock location is extremely important to the long-term ergonomic satisfaction of using any rowboat. The 6′ 6″ oars are fine-grained old-growth Douglas fir as specified in the plans and are light and strong; the collars are leather, and the oars work quietly and smoothly.

Cecil Rhodes

The plans show a traditional rope fender installed in a cove beneath the oak gunwale and turning onto the transoms by 150mm. More than just decorative, the fender works well to protect the pram’s gunwales and upper planks.

Using this boat is a pleasure. Even children can easily row it in safety and comfort. The benefits of the classic design and traditional construction will appeal to those who appreciate fine workmanship, don’t mind refinishing from time to time, or have a traditional parent ship that requires a complementary tender. It may be small, but such a boat will always get more than its fair share of attention; perhaps because of its rarity in this day of the ubiquitous inflatable boat, or simply because we have an unconscious appreciation of a good design well built.

If you’re looking for a pretty tender of traditional appeal, you surely won’t go wrong with Gartside’s Design 206.

Cecil Rhodes is a retired architect living on Vancouver Island; he has built many small wooden boats over the years.

Gartside Design 206 Particulars

LOA:   8′
Beam:   3′ 10″
Depth amidships:   1′ 3″
Weight:   100 lbs

Full plans for Design 206 are available from Paul Gartside Boatbuilder and Designer, price $120 (electronic delivery) or $150 (printed and shipped). A detailed description of the design and the larger 206a can be found in Gartside’s book, Plans & Dreams Volume II, available from Paul Gartside and from The WoodenBoat Store, price $55.

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