News, Stories & Photos

Congratulations to Vince, again.

One of the requirements for advancement for Sea Scout members is to participate in a boat maintenance project. The project has to include woodworking, prepping for paint and varnish, and all the other things that would go with such an endeavor. One of the youth members working on this requirement suggested that the group build a dinghy as a way to include all the members and perform all the tasks needed to be demonstrated.

So in January 2011 a few designs were considered. A selection was made that was thought to be within the ability of the Sea Scouts to complete. A set of plans for a “Jiffy 9-7” skiff were purchased from designer Arch Davis. This design features a plywood hull with a double bottom to make the boat self bailing. The Sea Scouts anticipated that it would take three months to complete the boat.

On Saturday December 3, the skiff was removed from the building site and carried to the water’s edge, launched and completed the inaugural voyage. No leaks, plenty of freeboard, and a job well done to bring years of use, pride of building and ownership. This handsome craft is only a little boat, but it represents great strides in learning about how they are built, and seeing a project through to successful completion.

” Building the boat was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. To start with a pile of wood and end up with a boat was amazing even to myself.

” I made the boat as a row boat only. The vision was to take it out on early morning rows on Long Island Sound. The vision is now a reality. The plans and video were great...I only had to call Arch one time and he was very patient in helping me through my confusion.

” The boat is beautiful with great lines, tracks very well when rowing and is amazingly fast! Thanks Arch.”

“Thank you for all your assistance during the building process. I had no significant prior woodworking skills, but your plans and drawings were very clear and thorough, and I appreciate your availability for assistance and guidance during the building process. As much as I enjoy sailing the boat, I miss building her, too. Your design is easy, functional, and very pretty - the boat’s lines are beautiful, and I get compliments all the time!

“Thanks, again.”

Vince modified the sailing rig, combining two of the sail plans shown in the drawings, using a lug mainsail with the jib of the gunter rig. The combination is obviously a success.

To learn more about Vince’s project, you can go to his excellent blog at http://penobscot14-sailboat.blogspot.com/.

Hearty congratulations to Vince on a superb job!

I hope you like the video. I will be adding content to the facebook page over the next few days.

A feature of the oars is that the looms – shafts, if you like – are not round in section like most oars, but are more or less ellipsoid (kind of egg shaped). This has several benefits. One is that you can make them from “two by” lumber, e.g., 2 x 6 or 2 x 8, which actually measures 1 ½” thick. It also makes the oars lighter, and it makes them easier to make.

The ones in the photo have spoon blades, which makes them more efficient, but of course you could make them with straight blades, which is a bit less work (I think the spoon blades are worth the extra effort).

I am currently working on plans and building instructions for making them. If you are interested, let me know, and I will contact you went they are done (hopefully in a week or so from now).

As I told Greg, sometimes I am quite overawed by what people do with my designs. This is another project that I can’t do justice to here – I recommend that you go to his web site, where you will see what can be done by a dedicated builder.

I can now announce that I will be offering these boats, complete, ready for the water, at the introductory price of $3,500.00. This doesn’t include oars, or the sailing rig. I don’t have a price for the oars yet. The sailing rig will add about $1,500 - $1,800 to the price, I think. I will only be able to build a very limit number of these boats each year – probably not more then three or four. I am only able to keep the price so low by doing everything myself.

Dimensions are: length, 12’ 3”, beam 4’ 1”. I haven’t properly weighed the boat yet, but I believe she weighs about 80 pounds, light enough to cartop, or to carry in a pickup.

The prototype is now officially for sail for the very low price of $3,000.00, without the sailing rig. Including the sailing rig the price will probably be $4,500, but I have to finalize that yet. The catch is that I can’t let the boat go until I have taken photos of her in the water. We still have snow on the ground, so it will be a few weeks yet, before I can get to that.

Let me know if you are interested – you can call me at 207-930-9873. I will be advertising the boat soon - at the price, I don’t think she will be available for long.