Duckskiff

Here is the first confirmed DuckSkiff build and it is a beauty! I'll get some more info to go with the rest of the pictures but here is a taste.

Steve Lewis

Montgomery 17

Happy New Year Chuck and Sandra.

After working on Pop's Montgomery 17 interior for about a year, she was finally baptized at Turner Marine, her temporary home on the Dog River, just south of Mobile. We arrived early the day after New Years Day, and were immediately strapped and racked by the great folks there. We had two coats of antifouling bottom paint on by late Saturday, and spent Sunday rigging and installing the Plastimo compass. This is a wonderful working yard with nice facilities and a Marine Store next door.

click images to enlarge

Monday, Jan 5 was the big day. She was strapped up again for us to finish covering the pad locations, and we had her in the water heading for the bay by about noon. Dad had bought a Tohatsu 6HP 4 Stroke motor, which easily moved us at idle, and left much water behind when any power was applied. The clouds and rain of the past few days parted and we sailed a reach out of the channel under a beautiful blue sky and a warm, constant S/SE wind.

I had to get back to my job in TN so we couldn't stay out, but we were there long enough to enjoy a warm January sail in a lovely, responsive little cruiser. She hasn't told us her name yet, but we should know soon. Watch for her sailing along the FL coast, or anchored in a cove with her Duckworks LED lantern glowing from the rigging.

Have a happy and successful new year!
Stacy D. Smith

16ft Trimaran

Hi, I'm a new boat builder. I've been sailing for thirty years and moved to Thailand five years ago. I decided last year that I wanted a boat but couldn't afford the boats that most people sail in Thailand. The plan started with the following criteria in mind: It must be manageable by one individual, It had to fit on my pickup, It had to be cheap to build. I decided I could build a small catamaran and it would meet my needs.

I built the catamaran and sailed it four times before I decided that I needed a more comfortable boat. Since I had two hulls already I decided it was logical to make my catamaran a trimaran and the picture shows the result. She's 16 feet long and cost about $400 to build. I'm interested in talking to others about boat building and sail design.

Joe Mengel

Strip Kayak

Hi: Thanks for all the help and hardware! This is what your hardware looks like installed.

It floats and doesn’t leak. The initial launch was at our 1 year F.O.C.K.  meeting on 1-10-09 Lots of good photos HERE. Photos of how it all went together are available HERE.

Thanks again!!!  I’m off to design the next one… shop ya later.

Brad Davis

Oracle

After of few weeks of building, I launched another of Jim Michalak's great boats a couple weeks ago. This time its an Oracle, third build in less than a year, behind a Roar2 and a Wooboto.

Rather than using 1/4" doug fir ply, I decided to use 1088 Maranti 1/4" - 5 ply. A bit heavier, but no voids or "footballs" and no surface checking as w/ doug fir ply. Another change from the previous two of Jim's designs for me, was wrapping 4 oz. glass up from the bottom to cover the bilge panels. A bit added strength to both bottom and bilge panels and it still weighs #105 total. Truck toppable for me, which was my goal from the beginning.

A couple ideas for low/no maintenance I'm trying w/this build are, graphite epoxy on all fiber glass (bottom/bilge panels) and interior/exterior taped seams. Besides being slippery, the graphite reportedly provides UV protection. Remainder of wood/ply is coated w/ my variation on pine tar soup. No sanding, scrapping, prepping when another coating is needed, just apply. Also no varnish/fake varnish/paint. If I can remember, I'll let you know how it's holding up after a year or so.

The boat rows very well, tracks straight, carry's well, has less freeboard/windage that w/ roar2 or wooboto, slices thru chop, and feels great.

I'll be adding "cargo" nets fore and aft for storage and possibly holding some home made flotation.

I'll be taking a break from boat building this winter and putting my energy into boat using.

Steve Chambers

Lapstrake Sailing Canoe

Getting very close to being able to put her in the water. Need to finish car top carrier, mount some hardware on the hull, and route steering lines. Weather is supposed to be colder during the first part of this week so looking for later in the week to getting her on the water.

Kilburn Adams

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