First Crossing to Catalina Island
Last weekend I finally made time to take my first overnight trip to Catalina Island, a crossing of about 22 miles from Los Angeles Harbor.

Hui Wharram 2013 – Enjoyed by All
The Polynesian Sun and Water Gods blessed the event - beautiful weather, great seas, bright sun and our normal spectacular Islamorada sunsets!

Instant Boats and Other Oxymorons
Starting with offsets and lofting and patterns and fairing battens is just so, well, so tedious. And, in many ways, pretty darn unnecessary.

Tools
Once every few years, the Nurse and I get out in our boat, a 1988 19' Chesapeake center console with a 1990 Johnson 140HP.

Next Year I'll Remember to Take Monday Off Work
The whys and wherefores of that statement will be forthcoming. But for the moment it's sufficient to say that's my only regret from this year's Florida 120.

Troop 202 Of Coeur 'd' Alene, Idaho
Several months ago I received an email from Edwin Cowin of Idaho, asking if I had plans of a boat that could be built by young boys, with adult supervision, to earn their Boy Scout Woodworking Merit Badge.

The Wishbone Gaff Rig - Part Two
In the previous article I was outlined the theory of the rig. Here some ideas how the rig can be made and how it is handled.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fans of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter.

Sailing the Piccolo Canoe
I'm here at the WoodenBoat School, in Maine and I recently got a chance to try out a classic sailing canoe design I've been itching to sail for decades.

Simple Cheap Boat Handles
Over the past few years I've built seven mouseboats. I've tried different ideas for handles to carry the boats by and tie a bow line to.

Shenanigan
Well, you see, it's like this. Last fall, about the time evenings were dipping down toward freezing, I got this notion that I should build a tug boat.

Three Lakes
Think of it as a raid, with the option of sleeping in your camper. A messabout, with a changing set of scenery.

The Wishbone Gaff Rig - Part One
I developed the wishbone gaff rig in 1996 for our "PELICAN" catamaran.

Reading Plans - Part Two
Now we get to look at a sailboat with cabin and interior.

Mahogany Boats and Donut Boats
Howard has been moping around here for the last couple of weeks because he doesn't have a project to interest him.

Nikon Coolpix S30
I've always enjoyed taking pictures while sailing and in recent years, when the digital camera revolution made it easy, shooting video as well.

An Evening View of Toms River - Pt Two
Perhaps one of the most remarkable things that comes to mind is that last night I had the best night’s sleep ever on board.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fans of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter.

An Evening View of Toms River - Pt One
I was hoping that, at this point in the summer, I would be well on my way along a course set from NJ to Maine.

Swampscott Dory
It is strange that there aren’t more of these boats around.

The iFinder GO
It seems axiomatic with modern digital devices - cameras, iPods, toothbrushes - that they become more complex as they get smaller.

Shofat
As a boat builder I am starting number 17, the itch never seems to be satisfied.

The Traditional Small Craft Association
We would like to invite you to join TSCA and, perhaps, find some like-minded souls and a chance to enjoy some of the finest boats ever created.

John's Everglades Challenge Boat
boYou all know after all these years that we're not a real boat shop in the sense that we build regular boats.

To Ventilate or Not to Ventilate
This depends a lot on size, as well as materials and use.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fans of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter.

Queen Mab and Her Trailer
Building Queen Mab took us more than a half year this time.

Building Our Diablo
We started out by transferring the dimensions from the blueprints to the AC plywood, placing nails at each intersection.

Boats and Hips and People are Crazy
Here's an Egret that Judy Blue Eye's boat guy in Charleston built.

Whimsy
Now I live in the Philippines and I have for the last few years been building boats.

Draw a Boat Using SketchUp
When it comes to boats and boat design, I'm a bit of a 'newbie'.

Reading Plans - Part One
To follow up on lofting, let's look at some plans to see how to read them for details and methods.

The Able Bodied Sea-Person
In The Non-Macho Sailor, Katie Burke reminds us that the forces we sailors face dwarf our human scale.

2013 Spring Cruise - Smith Island
Our kids were away the first week in April so we took the opportunity to go sailing around Smith Island in the Chesapeake Bay.

Kanawha River Quest 2013
Whether you build, modify, or just boat around, the ultimate goal is time on the water.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fans of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter.

Reasons for Building a Boat
Reasons for building a boat - Part Three - Sometimes it's not about the boat.

Poke About XL and Water Spouts
Greg Marston, a builder of the POKE ABOUT XL, has submitted an article that is unusual, to say the least, and lived to tell the story.

Mark Steele's Model Yacht Column
Mark Steele on a wonderful world of small boats.

Multi-Skiff Building - Part Two
Deciding which boat to build proved to be less difficult than the procurement of the proper materials with which to build her.

Rigid Wing Sail on a Budget
Want to have the coolest looking boat on the lake? Show off your high tech building skills with a rigid wing sail that will make any America's Cup fan envious.

Tolman Mega Jumbo
I stretched the design limitations a bit, and so used a full 9 inch stringer and 5/8ths bottom. She is a tank.

Cedar Key
Cedar Key turned out to be great again, everyone ran their boats up on the beach so I did also.

Multi-Skiff Building - Part One
With all the traveling I do, or used to do, I've discovered that Darwin's theories may be stretched to include invention and convention.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fans of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter.

Are We Addicted
About two years ago we built our first boat.

The 18+2 Electric Moto Craft
I decided to add this larger version of the Electric Moto Craft to my growing fleet of EMC hulls after a comment and request from one of my YouTube subscribers.

Mast Varnish and Running Light
Steve's giving Chelsea a complete overhaul and took these pictures of her bottom to show why the Whitehalls were such great boats.

The First Boats
Think you could paddle 80 miles across an ocean? In a reed boat with no canopy? The men of a Greek island called Melos did.

Building an Aluminium Trailer - Part Four
Now in this concluding part of the saga it is time to explore the finishing components and the options for attaching them.

The Everglades Challenge - 2013 - Pt 5
I had thought Chuck planned to get a meal and shower at Flamingo, and maybe a short nap before leaving sometime between 11 and noon, but I was wrong.

About Boys and River Rafts
Between the ages of eight and eighteen, we attempted to float ourselves upon the waters on a variety of makeshift craft!

A Model Cheap Canoe
Looking for a simple canoe to build out of plywood. I stumbled upon the Cheap Canoe from bateau.com.

A Dinghy Comes to Life - Part Five
Yes, it's FINALLY painting time.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fans of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter.

The Everglades Challenge 2013 - Pt Four
Daylight. The bedroll was pulled over my head to keep in the warmth. But I could hear voices, including Chuck's. Time to get up.

Fiddlestix – A Michalak Normsboat
Holidays over and settled back into work, I began dreaming of the warm sailing days, clear blue water, white sugar sand beaches, and the good company of the 2013 FL 120.

Depoe Bay
This little tug was for sale - no idea who owned it.

A Dinghy Comes to Life - Part Four
It was Dinghy time again after a break. When we left off, the bottom was ready for stringers.

Fitting the Perfect Sail - Part Two
Let's get started and remember; don't let the math scuttle you; have fun with it, embrace it, as you do the rest of your tools.

The Everglades Challenge - 2013 - Part Three
We awoke before sunrise and found a light northeasterly.

Family Skiff
There's been years of delays but I'm finally learning to sail in my own homebuilt boat!

A Dinghy Comes to Life - Part Three
I took a few days off and played. But here's a few pics of what has happened lately.

Marsh Duck
I hauled the Marsh Duck from Twisp to Pearrygin Lake behind my bicycle - 13 miles with headwinds and a few hundred feet of climb.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fans of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter.

Voyage to Improvement
In preparation for the 2012 Eastern Messabout held at Elk Neck State Park in Maryland I needed something that would float.

The 16+2 Electric Moto Craft
I decided to add this larger version of the Electric Moto Craft to my growing fleet of EMC hulls after a comment and request from one of my YouTube subscribers.

A Dinghy Comes to Life - Part Two
I've been working on this half days, attending to other chores mornings, so this is really 2-1/2 full days.

ECO 7.5
Here a ECO 7.5 from Australia. This boat sports the first home built wishbone gaff mainsail.

Lofting Today - Part Seven
We've gone through plenty of lofting techniques so now we can look at a big boat and its' plans.

Handliner
After I finished the LFH17 about a year ago, there was a need for me to build another Skin on Frame (SOF) rowboat.

A Dinghy Comes to Life - Part One
I finally got started on the new MiniPaw dinghy.

Fitting the Perfect Sail – Part One
Attempting to find the perfect sail is not dissimilar to discovering the perfect spouse...

Whisker Pole
Recently, I had the Mystic Wind out to evaluate a design modification.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fans of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter.

Savvy Boaters Know The Difference Between "Towing" And "Salvage"
Is this a towing job or a salvage job?

Mark Steele's Model Yacht Column
Mark Steele on a wonderful world of small boats.

Lake Hopatcong
Nestled in Morris County in north central NJ is beautiful Lake Hopatcong.

The Everglades Challenge - 2013 - Part Two
The wind returned around 5 am, rattling the boom tent. It enticed neither of us to rise early, but did manage to send some drafts through the tent that chilled us.

Essential Skills for Beginner Boatbuilders
This was the first of what we expect to become a regular event.

Poke About XL - A Letter to Ken Simpson
I bought the plans for the Poke About from Duckworks in late 2011. I chose the XL version to build. I launched it late last year into the Brisbane River.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fans of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter.

The Everglades Challenge - 2013
A light but steady rain is falling on the boom tent stretched over the cockpit. The main and mizzen masts, with their furled sails, form the ridgepole.

Adventures of Building a Foam Trimaran...
...There have been a surprising number of questions about the design of this ugly little boat named Finger Mullet.

Ghost Cannon
There are two Islands the Boston Harbor Island ferry free tickets get you to, Spectacle Island, most noted for its beaches, and Georges Island.

A Felucca on the Nile
Wherever you go in the world, even in extreme environments, you will find that the locals use boats for passenger transportation and/or to move goods.

Big Lugsail Plans
In researching sail plans for my conversion of a 31 foot Searunner Trimaran into a motor sailer I discovered that Lug Sail Plans are few and far between on the Internet.

Jacqui
For a couple of years now I've been corresponding with Wilhelm Laurie in South Africa. He's been beavering away at his Navigator and has just launched her.

Building 'BIJOU' a 13' Mini Cruising Sailboat - Part Three
With the all the glassed and epoxied surfaces sanded, it was now ready for primer paint.

Lofting Today - Part Six
Now let's go ahead to build our 10 foot skiff upside down.

OAHE 1530
This hull design is some what the same as the Reservoir 1525, but it's a bit wider at the beam, and the transom is quite a bit wider than on the Rez.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fans of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter.

Building 'BIJOU'a 13' Mini Cruising Sailboat - Part Two
One unique feature of this design was that it was shown with two centerboards with each case forming the front of the bunks in the cabin design.

So Why Do We Go to Boat Shows?
So why do we go to boat shows? For a few lucky souls like my friend Bob, the intent is actually to buy a boat!

Dutchmen – Patching Cheap Plywood
I'm cheap; hence I'm using cheap plywood which has knot holes in one of the faces.

Va'a Motu
The va'a motu (island canoe) was the highest development of the Tahitian outrigger sailing canoe.

Building "BIJOU" a 13' Mini Cruising Sailboat - Part One
After years of building and sailing boats, I have arrived at age 75 still having a desire to find another project that I could bring to life.

The Musings of a Boatbuilding Addict
...Chuck and Sandra Leinweber has had the biggest impact on the growth in the amateur boat building movement, not only here in North America but also worldwide.

The Small Craft Skills Academy Evolves
Sometimes a good idea just keeps getting better and this is what has happened with the Small Craft Skills Academy.

Lake Powel Adventure - Part Three
The afternoon turned out hot and Anita Hahn and I lounged and visited under the tarp Chuck had thoughtfully rigged off the side of our vehicle.

Introducing The STOW-A-WAY!
In the summer of 2008, I singlehanded a Tanzer 22 up the Maine Coast.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fans of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter.

Havasu Pocket Cruisers Convention
The sixth annual Havasu Pocket Cruisers' Convention (HPCC) was held February 10-17 on Lake Havasu, a reservoir of the Colorado River, between California and Arizona.

Texas TSCA Chapter
... Sponsors Family Boat Building Class

Tying the Death Grip Belt Hitch
This variation of the Death Grip Hitch (aka DGH) was the result of having too much spare time on my hands.

Able
On choosing the Selway Fisher "Able".

Son of Circe
I had a Sevylor inflatable with a sailing rig so I just used that as a tender. The Sevylor was OK but this past spring I decided to heck with it, I'm going to build a tender.

Lofting Today - Part Five
Now that we know a few things, let's put them to work. We begin with the space in which we'll work and the loft floor.

Building an Aluminium Trailer - Part 3
Now it’s time to test out the theory. The previous two articles were just talk, this is where I get a few more scars on the hands.

Building Sliding Hatches/Doors
Gene's Yellow Goose had been constructed a couple of years before with a large "Bird-Watcher" type cabin, and was a great sailboat.

The Day I Almost Drowned
Ever year, we looked forward to the beach, and as each child came along they learned to look forward to the biggest sandbox a kid could imagine.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fans of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter.

Second Trip to the Tortugas
I drove to Kevin's house on Friday night so we could make an early start the next morning.

Dinghy Lessons
As time went on, I began to worry about the storage of the dinghy on the deck.

Lessons Learnt
Don't buy a boat. Building one is not a loop hole either; in fact the very distant horizon seen when going down that path is no less bleak than the previous option.

The East End Classic Boat Society
Boat Shop & Classic Boat Society Activities.

Something New from the ORYX
In September Splash the ORYX build (KD 860) by Pete Hill was introduced. In the meantime he has been very busy finishing/preparing the boat for his next journey.

Pathfinder Main Track & Sail Stowage Bag
I liked the Pathfinder the minute I came upon the plans with a description of its concepts and mission.

The Keuka Whaler - Part Eleven
The Whaleboat hit the water to the sound of viking horns. It floated!

Carawhale
I wanted to build a neat boat to play with the kids.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fans of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter.

What a Difference a Line Can Make
This set of lines has been lurking in my head and on the computer since September 2011, and I've drawn at least nineteen major versions...

Boat School Launch First Boats
The 32nd year of classes began at the waterfront School on October 2nd, 2012.

Lake Powel Adventure - Part Two
We hauled the boat cushions out and lay on our backs naming constellations and watching for shooting stars and satellites
(and UFOs, of course).

Lofting Today - Part Four
The only aspect of lofting which gives anyone trouble is the curved transom.

Building an Aluminium Trailer - Part Two
Now we need to look at the specific design and size of the trailer.

A Few Days in San Diego
In December I went on a trip with my wife to San Diego.

Propulsion - Part Two
Technical Details on How the Propulsion Force By Product is Produced.

Propulsion - Part One
Hidden Propulsion via Modified Application of the Leeboard, Mizzen, and Rudder.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fans of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter.