Boats, Dories and other Watercraft

The idea for this pram came to me as I sat in the shade beside the dock of a small Breton port in late summer. A small boy not much older than my six-year-old son was playing in a round-bilged little simulated clinker pram; he was an expert at rowing and sculling and he seemed to be having a grand time.

A good canoe, cleanly cleaving a glassy lake or haystack wave as it transports its passengers in silence and harmony with the outdoors, has a functional beauty that is unsurpassed by any other of the tools that connect humanity with the natural world.

The character and object of this book are set forth on its title page. It is a manual designed for the practical assistance of those who wish to build their own canoes.

I think this boat could be quite something - a fast 14ft one-man rower that comes out of two sheets of ply. Designed for flat water, you will notice that in order to reduce the fuss at the waterline to a minimum, I have worked the waterline at the design displacement so that it just kisses the chine.

This is a miniature version of the same punt, adjusted to be made of one and a half sheets of plywood. Or two boats out of three sheets. As it happens, the boat scales down very nicely. The overall shape is conserved beautifully.

Welcome to the home of free boat and model airplane plans. Plans at this site are large and slow loading so be patient.

Welcome to the home of free boat and model airplane plans. Plans at this site are large and slow loading so be patient.

If you like your sports speedy, try this lightweight 12-1/2 foot outboard hydroplane. Welcome to the home of free boat and model airplane plans. Plans at this site are large and slow loading so be patient.

This boat makes a stable fishing platform, and its big cockpit makes it safe for family boating.

This little gem is from a 1948 edition of Boat Builder is Annual.

This boat is designed to be quickly built by kids using modified Bolger/Payson tack & tape construction methods, with techniques that minimize the use of hazardous materials, and maximize suitable childrens skills.

This little gem is from a 1950 edition of Boat Builder is Annual. Also a note from Tom Dacon who had one as a boy.

Mouse started life as a one-sheeter, that is, an exercise to develop the smallest, cheapest possible boat. As a result, it is not a boat to which you can safely trust your life in any sort of waves - as anyone who climbs into a Mouse will quickly realize.

This is a one sheet version of the same punt, adjusted to be made of just one sheet of plywood. As it happens, the boat scales down very nicely. The overall shape is conserved beautifully. Both length and beam are 3/4 of the original, so the L/B ratio is the same, about 2.2.

This updated and completely revised publication follows an exhaustive study by the author in collaboration with research institutions and engineers on structural timber design applied to wooden boat construction. The designs included are appropriate for inshore and coastal fisheries and emphasis has been placed on relative ease of construction and minimum wastage of timber.

The Qivitoq is an Inuit-style Sea Kayak, and was heavily based on native design. The original inspiration came from the Chewonki Kayak. That article and others on Greenland type kayaks were the foundation.

This is a link to a Google 3D SketchUp drawing for an easy to build stand to support your small water craft. You will need the SketchUp software to download this drawing and its freely available online. We do not provide support for this software. Not all drawings have the measurements displayed but you can use the measurement tool in SketchUp to easily and accurately determine the dimensions of each lumber part. Most drawings do not have instructions, its assumed you can build it based on the completed drawing provided.

Flying Mouse is an exercise to develop just about the smallest, cheapest possible sailing boat I can conceive. As a result, its not a boat to which you can safely trust your life in any sort of waves - as anyone who climbs into a Flying Mouse will quickly figure out.

This runabout is designed for speedy transportation over protected waters.

These drawings have been made available by John Kohnen, keeper of an amazing set of Nautical and Boatbuilding pages.

Flat bottom cajun style boat. DXF Format

Welcome to the home of free boat and model airplane plans. You will find many interesting plans to inspire yourself and those you care about.

A sailboard rig is going to be a winner on looks and also efficiency, but everything else about this boat has got to look cool and be efficient too - in order to match that sail in the kids minds, even the daggerboard and rudder have got to have a little something about them. It also has to be a sit-on boat rather than a sit-in one. The basic dimensions close I have chosen are close to those of a couple of plastic mass-produced designs aimed at the young and intended for the same sort of purpose as here.

Welcome to the home of free boat and model airplane plans. You will find many interesting plans to inspire yourself and those you care about.

A 20 foot cabin cruiser. Be patient when downloading, images at the site are large.

This little gem is from a 1950 edition of Boat Builders Annual. Hi Sibley may have foreseen the Bolger Box boat movement! You think?

The Ozarks has many things that are all its own, One of the most interesting products of the Ozarks is the johnboat, a combination of the ingenuity of the people and the natural features of the region.

By Paul Butler - First-time boat builder? Try this easy project over a weekend.

The Big Sister design is a 19 ft 5 inches x 5 ft 6 inches (5.9 m x 1.6 m) banks type dory. Based on the design criteria presented above, with the ability to carry at least three or four people.

There are also about as many ways to build a boat as there are boat builders. This web page is not intended to be a how to lesson, but rather an - I did it this way - show and tell.