April
Projects

The Dinghy Project
Anyone who has built as many boats as Bob Means knows what he is doing. Fortunately for us, he shares a lot of this knowledge in this pictorial essay.

Navigator Update - Part 4
After a bit of a pause, Robbie Powick is back to working on his Navigator. My money is on him finishing the boat..... eventually.

Sundowner So Far
Designing a boat days ahead of the builder is tough, but John Welsford wants to make sure Charlie Whipple is finished in time to sail around the world.

Stitching
Tim Timmerman bought some of our sailtwine and much to our amazement produced some beautiful work with just that, some canvas and a needle.

Bolger's Hope
If you ever doubted that Ross Lillistone was an accomplished boat builder, wait until you feast your eyes on these two boats. Warning: Boat porn

Dockbox Model
You have seen some nice models in these pages, but Steve Holley has built a model of Dockbox that looks like something out of Architectural Digest.

Rifleman Part 5
Or how Bonham and I finished his Rifleman in a mad weekend of mounting the motor, adjusting the trailer and reversing the steering.

How To

A Puzzling Way to Join Plywood
David Kagan has been experimenting with a way of joining plywood that is easier than a scarf joint yet just as strong. Here is how he does it.

EC Report
Gary and I had a huge blast at the Everglades Challenge earlier this month. Here is Gary's report on the boat and the modifications he made to it.

Parachutes Save a Yacht
If you think you may ever sail the open ocean, you should read this true tale of stormy conditions in the South Atlantic and how a yacht was saved.

The Franciscan Monk's Knot
Bryant Owen sends this amusing story about an interesting and useful knot. He includes complete instructions on tying it and a personal anecdote.

Gatherings

St Auggies Messabout
Michael Smith has begun what will, no doubt, become a regular messabout in St Augustine, Florida. Here is his report. The next one is April 1-2

Columns

A New Walkabout in Australia
If you cannot afford to fall hopelessly in love with a beautiful new design from the drawing board of John Welsford, then do NOT click this link!

Paperwork
I think Max Wawrzyniak is a genius when it comes to old outboard motors. In this column, Max reveals the source of much of that knowledge.

The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding
Retired and looking for a second career? You could do worse than to attend a good school and learn boat building. Pete Leenhouts did just that.

Ryobi 18 Volt Innovations
John Cupp is excited about the new 18 volt cordless tolls from Ryobi. They do have an extraordinary number of different types. Read this report.

Boats and Stuff
Captain Ron has had to retire from sailing due to his detiorating health, but he has found a way to keep his memories alive.

“Thinking Outside the Box”
But what if you want to build a box? is the subtitle of Ron Magen's column. The boat builder applies his knowledge and tools to honeydews.

LED Navigation Lights
There is a lot of interest in LED lighting for boats. Ken James makes such lighting and wanted to give us the benefit of some of his experience.

Lead Casting
Not sure about casting lead? In this month's column, Rob Rhode-Szudy walks you through the process and you end up with a useful boating tool.

Outings

Time on the River
Brian Anderson lives in Cologne, Germany now, but he grew up in Youngstown, Ohio and always wanted to paddle a certain section of the Mahoning River.

Open Boat Weekend...
Sometimes what you think is going to be an idyllic weekend of sailing takes a turn for the worse. Read Richard Whitney's report on just such an outing.

Membership has its privileges…
How would you like to take a ride in a steamboat through San Diego Harbor? Scott Calman did and he filed this report:

Designs

Looney Tunes Along the Rideau
Two somewhat similar original designs made an appearance on Ontario's Rideau Canal. Bruce Hector was there to get the story and pictures.

Robinson Crusoe
This is an excerpt from an old Boatbuilding Annual by Weston Farmer. Although the material is old, it is interesting and surprisingly relevant.

Reviews

Review: The Woodworking Shop
Rob Rohde-Szudy has found a gem in the rough. Its a book from Percy Blandford that is available cheap and is a great resource for boat builders too.

Reports
Letters