Launchings

Decked double-paddle canoe. Plywood hull with pine strip decking and mahogany trim.

James McGorry of Aurora, Colorado, built this 17′ LOA kayak relying on information from Nick Schade’s two articles on building the 10′ Nymph kayak that appeared in WB 199 and 200. He made the hull and outer rail from basswood, and the  stems, seat, backrest, and inner rail from mahogany.

Iain Oughtred of Findhorn, Scotland, designed this 10' dinghy that Larry Dow built over the winter of 2002. After 200 hours of construction, he launched her in Eliot, Maine, in July 2002. He used 6mm marine plywood with a laminated fir stem and mahogany trim.

I built this Nutshell pram in the strip method of construction for my two daughters to learn to sail and row, hence the name “Double Trouble”. I have yet to add the mast for the sail rig, but we managed to put it in the water for rowing this past week.

Sven Östenson of Oxelösund, Sweden, bought this ocean racing yacht for about US$700 when he found it lying derelict in a local boat yard. He writes the boat, a Lage Eklund design, has a rounded turtle-deck, which leaked and caused a great deal of rot.

This is a Carolina Dory, designed by Jeff Spira (International) Boats. Built with (mostly) materials from the local Lowe’s/Home Depot store. Exterior hull is 1/2″ exterior plywood covered with 6 ounce fiber glass cloth and about 6 coats of MAS Epoxy. Very easy plans to follow...

Daniel Swenson "just followed  the instructions" in "How to Build a Shellback Dinghy" by Eric Dow and found the process "very straightforward." Building NATANGA took five years, during which Daniel experienced the loss of "three close people...but the project was always there for grounding.

This is a copy of the XVIII century boat. She belonged to the Russian emperor Peter first. The original is now stored in the Naval Museum, in Sank-Petersburg, Russia.

In May 2012, Jay Thomas launched his 15′6″ Voyager Solo canoe in Coot Bay Pond in Everglades National Park at the southern tip of Florida.

Though it was his first attempt at boatbuilding, Herschel Payne took just 4 months to build this 16′ Stevenson Weekender, SEA RABBIT. He built it from common lumber materials and regular hardware fittings, spending just $1500 for the boat.