November 2022 Archives - Small Boats Magazine

Phil Thiel’s L’Ark, a standing-headroom version of his Escargot canal boat, and Selway Fisher’s Drake 13, a small but versatile sharpie, go through sea trials for our Boat Profiles. A couple from England row France’s Two Seas Canal while a serial boatbuilder on the other side of the pond, smitten by outrigger canoes, builds one for his family. A weatherproof case for writing materials and a cordless planer are the subjects of our product reviews and French whipping is our do-it-yourself project. Our editor explores the limestone cliffs and caves of Menorca by kayak.

From The Editor

Menorca

A coast of caves

The south coast of Menorca, one of Spain’s Mediterranean islands, is a 25-mile-long stretch of limestone cliffs and caves, a landscape that can only be explored and appreciated by kayak.

Boat Profile

Drake 13

A Selway Fisher sharpie

The Drake 13 from Selway Fisher is a small sharpie designed to be propelled by oars, a lugsail, or an outboard and to serve as a tender, a daysailer, a beach cruiser, or a fishing skiff.

Boat Profile

L’Ark

A cozy canal cruiser

Phil Thiel’s Escargot canal boat plans come with an option for a roomier hull and a cabin with standing headroom. The modifications for L’Ark provide comfortable accommodations for four.

Adventures

Two Tramps and a Lady

A 280-mile row across France along the Two Seas Canal from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean

For over 150 years, the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of France have been connected by a series of canals and locks that were nearly two centuries in the making. In 2022, a couple from England were the lone rowers on the canal in the company of motorboats.

Technique

French Whipping

A quickly whipped grip

While ropework can be made very complex to be especially decorative, it can be kept simple and still be attractive and functional. A French whipping’s spiral of hitches looks good and provides a non-slip grip.

Product Reviews

DeWalt’s Cordless Power Planer

A brushless motor and 30,000 cuts per minute

Cordless and weighing under 8 lbs, DeWalt’s 20-volt planer goes where the work is and is easy on the user. The brushless motor makes quick work of removing wood.

Product Reviews

Clampdesk

A weatherproof writing organizer

Cruising is a fine way to get away from the office, but it’s good to have a way to manage a little paperwork aboard a boat for navigating, journaling, and letter writing.

Reader Built Boats

AL DEMANY CHIMAN

A skin-on-frame outrigger canoe

Tim Shaw grew up by the water in Manchester, Massachusetts, and has never drifted too far from boats. After building a few small boats, he was intrigued by the outrigger canoes he saw in Hawaii and years later designed and built one for his family.

Past Issues

From The Archives

November 2015

December 2022

Small Boats Annual 2015

January 2022

View All

Subscribe Today!

Become a subscriber today and you’ll recieve a new issue every month plus unlimited access to our full archive of backlogged issues.

Already a subscriber? Sign In