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Design 1150 Venturer


This big beauty was built by the Henry Hinckley & Co. yard of Maine, and launched in 1956. The only image of the complete boat we have on hand is this newspaper clipping shown above. We have quite a few of her under construction such as the one below.


There have been numerous ownership changes over the years: ex-Venturer, ex-Northern Light, ex-Audacious and finally Windigo II. She is often described as a gold-plater.

Note the lack of jumpers in her sail plan. This is due to the aluminum main mast (built by Bath Iron Works) - all other spars are wood. Also note the big coffee grinders amidships in the image at the top.

Here are the plans.


Principal Dimensions
LOA 73-3"
LWL 52-6"
Beam 15-5"
Draft 9-6"
Displacement 94,000 lbs
Ballast 31,964 lbs (outside) 1,200 lbs (inside)
Sail Area 2,487 sq ft
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Sneak Preview

We have a new small sailboat taking shape in a remote workshop in rural North Carolina. It is a performance dinghy with a twist. It will be an exciting boat with a trapeze or two, or a ballast bulb can be added to the daggerboard to make a more docile small sportboat or family funboat. This is the first time that we are showing it anywhere public because it is not yet ready for plans sales. The design has taken a backseat due to pressure from other designs, so it has gone rather slowly


This hull shape was requested by my client, in preference to a simpler hard-chine or multi-chine hull form of stitch-&-glue hull construction. It is a direct development of the Didi Mini Mk3, scaled down to a smaller size.


This is a project that is suited to builders who have already built a stitch-&-glue boat or two and want to develop their skills further. It is built mostly with sheet plywood, to a shape that comes very close to those used for the latest breed of Volvo and other high performance raceboats, with a chine above a rounded bottom.


In these photos we have clamped the flat sheets to the framing on one side of the hull, to check that all fit correctly. This is a CNC kit, so we need to be sure that it goes together properly. The turn of the bilge will be skinned with two thinner layers laminated together to form a compound curve.

This first boat should be ready for the Wooden Boat Show in June 2012, at Mystic Seaport. Make plans to be there if you want to see her in the flesh.

See our design range at http://google.com .
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Are you preparing a trip to Newport Beach? Adventures Boat Rentals invites you, as well as your friends, colleagues and loved ones to celebrate your trip to Newport in great style and take pleasure in a fresh taste of paradise. They enable you to in providing luxurious boating knowledge in Boat Rentals Newport Beach. Newport Beach may be the lovely city situated in Orange County, California. This city has countless Beaches that assist their tourist to appreciate their thrilling trip without having any hassle.

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These Boats are really easy to operate for adults of all ages and delivers you on an hourly basis for any time of the day. Beside all this, they give a special guides and informative maps with points of interest and public dock data that guides you regarding the boat and cruise functions for driving and numerous more. This will likely aids to possess a relaxed and comfortable journey of Boat Rentals Newport Beach.

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Job Opening Captain Program Supervisor Schooner Brilliant


The Mystic Seaport Museum has asked us to mention that they are currently advertising for the position of Captain and Program Supervisor for the schooner Brilliant, design #12. Brilliant is an extraordinary vessel and her program is wonderful. There are numerous postings about her on this blog site. Simply do a "search" in the search field at top.

Click here for details as found on the Mystic Seaport website.
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PDF Plans Classic Motor Boat Plans How To DIY Plans UK USA Australia

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A fishing vessel is a boat or ship used to catch fish in the sea, or on a lake or river. Many different kinds of vessels are used in commercial, artisanal and recreational fishing.
According to the FAO, there are currently (2004) four million commercial fishing vessels.[1] About 1.3 million of these are decked vessels with enclosed areas. Nearly all of these decked vessels are mechanised, and 40,000 of them are over 100 tons. At the other extreme, two-thirds (1.8 million) of the undecked boats are traditional craft of various types, powered only by sail and oars.These boats are used by artisan fishers.

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Zimba Design 2365


This 51 cruising sloop, named Zimba, was built for an experienced offshore sailor. She is constructed of aluminum. The boat was built by Paul E. Luke of East Boothbay, Maine and launched in the summer of 1979.

Design requirements specified a yacht which would provide all necessary cruising comforts and at the same time would perform well and be easy to control, without any considerations for any rating rule.

She has a fairly low displacement-length ratio of 210, generous keel and clean lines and as such she is fast to windward, reaching and running and handles well in heavy seas. The rudder is partially balanced behind her skeg which makes steering easy. This is an early example of that type of balanced rudder which is common today.

She currently makes her home port in England.

Here are the plans.


Principal Dimensions
LOA 50-10"
LWL 41-9"
Beam 15-0"
Draft 8-6"
Displacement 33,200 lbs
Ballast 12,000 lbs
Sail Area 1,120 sq ft
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Designing the Backwoods Drifter

Another Mississippi Backwoods Drifter is currently coming together in the shop, this one for a customer in Louisiana. Ill update on this particular project as it nears completion, but writing about the sharpie type of sailboat yesterday got me thinking about this particular design again.

The latest Backwoods Drifter under construction

A Flat-Bottomed Design:

Yesterday I wrote about a unique type of sailboat with a flat bottom, called a Sharpie. Flat-bottom craft of many other sizes and types have been around a lot longer than the specialized sharpie sailing vessels. As a stable cargo carrier nothing beats a flat bottomed vessel and ancient versions have been unearthed throughout the world and are still found in use today, from giant barges pushed or pulled by diesel towboats to the ubiquitous outboard-driven john boat skiffs that are so popular among fishermen.

In 1998 I built a 12-foot stitch and glue wooden john boat for my father to replace the aging and heavy fiberglass model he had owned since my childhood. This older johnboat was a better design for creek fishing than many of the newer models available today, as it was narrow and therefore easier to paddle than john boats designed strictly for accommodating an outboard motor. I based the new wooden boat loosely on the lines of this older johnboat, staying with the 12-foot overall length, the 30-inch maximum width on the flat bottom hull, and the maximum beam at the gunwales of 40-inches. Although my dad used it with a 3.5 hp outboard for lake fishing, my canoeing buddy, Ernest Herndon and I took it out for a paddle of several miles on a large lake and found it quite easy to move along. Ernest asked me if I could design a similar boat with double ends, like the original johnboats and bateaus from the days before the advent of outboard motors. The result of this casual conversation, completed a few weeks later, was the original Backwoods Drifter, which turned out to be everything Ernest and I expected and more.

Ernest Herndon’s enthusiasm for this boat remains strong ten years later, and he has used it for countless day trips and a few multi-day river camping trips across the Deep South. Experienced canoeists and kayakers might at first glance look at this flat-bottomed design and dismiss it as oversimplified and unsophisticated. But besides the barge and johnboat, flat bottom craft are still used in rough, windswept bays and even in unprotected coastal waters. The flat-bottomed dory is one type that can handle breaking waves, and some of these are used off surf-bound beaches and to negotiate some of the most difficult river rapids in conditions that would destroy most boats. And as Ive already written, the Sharpie type of sailboat evolved as a flat-bottom working vessel designed to carry loads disproportionate to its size, but is still found in use as a cruising yacht due to its extreme shallow draft and seaworthieness.

The key to designing a good flat-bottomed boat is incorporating the right amount of rocker in the bottom and flare in the sides for the intended purpose. Extreme rocker along the bottom is good for rough water and quick maneuverability, such as in rapids, but the trade off is decreased tracking ability, and load-carrying capacity. As the speed and ease of paddling increases with waterline length, it is an advantage to have a fairly long waterline with just enough rocker at the ends to allow quick turning. A strong upswept sheer with raised bow and stern can be an advantage in a choppy, breaking sea, but too much freeboard in the ends creates excessive windage and makes the boat hard to control in breezy conditions. Since the Backwoods Drifter is designed for quieter, more protected waters, the sheer has been kept a bit flatter and the ends, though square, are substantially narrower than the amidships sections.

Some might wonder why not bring the ends to a point, like a canoe or a pirouge, but to do so in such a short length would compromise a lot of the stability of this boat. One of the chief advantages of the design over a canoe is the stand-up stability. With a bottom that is still 18 inches wide at each end, the Backwoods Drifter is much more stable than a canoe this short, which is why most canoes are at least 14 feet or longer. Unlike in a canoe or pirouge, in the drifter you can stand in any part of the bottom or sit right out on the end platforms without fear of capsize.

This photo of a finished Drifter shows the long flat midships section

On the subject of stability, the flat-bottom design, of course, has lots of initial stability. Although many flat-bottom boats are lacking in secondary stability, that doesn’t have to be the case if the right amount of flare is incorporated into the hull sides. This flare allows the boat to be paddled in a “heeled-over” angle, putting the chine edge into the water to form a “V,” which aids in tracking, and providing a stable surface for the boat to grip the water in this position. The Backwoods Drifter is stable on its side right up to the point where the gunwale dips into the water. Paddling in the leaned position is ideal for solo river travel, as you can reach the water easier and use a guide or J-stroke to paddle on the low side of the boat.

The symmetrical ends and sliding middle seat makes it easy to set up the Backwoods Drifter for solo or tandem paddling. A solo paddler can sit on the middle seat with it moved aft or with two paddlers one can sit on one of the platforms (which would then become the stern) with the forward paddler on the middle seat slid to the forward position. Since like a canoe, both ends are the same, either end of the boat can be the bow or stern. On a gentle flowing backwoods stream like Mississippi’s Black Creek – the kind of waterway this boat is perfect for – one can sit or stand, paddle leaned or upright, and spin around to drift backwards or turn in slow circles while looking up at the overhanging trees and daydreaming. On such streams the boat allows you to become one with the water, and its this connection that is what backwoods drifting is all about.

If you want to see more photos of this design you can find them on my Backwoods Drifter page.

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Integral Tanks and Floor

Mark Smaalders hung around and admired his design after the "Roll the Hull" party. It must be interesting and gratifying to see your design come to life. Can you ever really imagine how sweet her lines will be?


Of course, I did manage to get a quick pic of the two guys together with their girl...




Almost every bit of lumber that had been used for the rolling frame and old strongback was used to create access to the inside of the boat.



Its on the steep side, but has a roomy landing for all the implements.



Next on the agenda was the integral water tanks.



They needed to be thoroughly glassed and sealed so that no leakage in the future would rot the hull.



Each section had a 3" baffle hole drilled and sealed to connect it to the adjacent section. This will keep the water from sloshing and shifting violently.



Two larger water tanks were created by joining the sections on each side of the keel to each other. Each section was designed to have its own lid, set into the section of tank, making the top flush for the subfloor. Each lid needed a frame to be fitted and epoxied in for the lid to be mounted to, thus ensuring a water proof seal.



A huge amount of scribing was needed to fit each frame.




Richards knees and feet did not appreciate the lack of flat floor. Lots of twisting and uncomfortable perching.



Blue "chalk" was used on the tank edge to see if it transferred to the frame when pressed in and would show areas needing more scribe.



Each frame over and over again.



Each was labeled and meticulously fitted.



Forward of the main saloon, a slanted floor area was prepped to become the shower sump. The small upper area is where the toilet will sit under a bench. The two small cells will be sections of bilge.



The shower pan was shaped with fillers and glass so that it would drain down to a pick up area for a sump hose that will be run through into the lower bilge area and to a manually activated pump.



A subfloor of marine ply was scribed but not yet attached. Working on a flat surface was much nicer.



Starting to get a feel for space in the boat. Building a boat seems similar to building a house. There are times when it seems small, and then as more things are added it grows and seems roomier.


Underneath that subfloor, each tank was prepped for finishing. The blue tape prevented the epoxy from slopping up where the frames would be mounted. Each tank was sanded thoroughly.


A 2-part waterbased potable tank coating (BrewCoat from Sound Coatings) was used to cover the epoxy in the tanks. There seems to be conflicting info on whether epoxy tanks are safe for storing potable water. We felt the expense of the coating was worth it, and also helped smooth out any imperfections, and help keep gremmies from growing.


As seen in the open tank section, the frame was screwed into the hull sides and epoxied in place. Each screw could then be covered with glass and epoxy to prevent leaks. The lid would ultimately be secured to the frame with no screws or hardware exposed to the water.



A tiny limber hole at the bottom of the tank, under the baffle hole is needed to drain the water from one tank to another. There is a similar hole as high as possible up under the frame to create a vent between sections. These holes were drilled slightly oversized, filled solid with epoxy, then re-drilled through the epoxy plug. This created a water tight hole.



This view is aft from the mast. Far back is the largest bilge near the engine compartment with its frame around it. The white tank section will have a lowered lid. This is where the bulkhead fittings for the starboard tank access will come up. The centerboard configuration created the need for creative tank access solutions.



It was decided that cleanouts/access holes to each tank section was a good idea. We didnt want to rip apart the floor at a future date to clean or maintain them, but we also worried about strength. We could not find any access covers that seemed secure and strong enough to prevent leaking under the pressure of water sloshing, so Richard designed and manufactured his own covers.



He manufactured a backer ring and a cover from a sheet of ultra high molecular weight plastic on our CNC router for each 4.5" diameter hole. Using stainless steel bolts from the inside, pre-drilled and epoxied in place, the nuts would hold the cover in place on the top side.



Here, the bolts are peaking through the pre-drilled holes.



The little white nipple in the forward bilge is as high in the tank as possible. It will be the 1/2" air vent for the starboard tank. The flat solid area in the center is the mast step. (coin still needed)



Since there is a subfloor over the lids, hatches have to be cut in it.....and of course, a recessed area for each access cover must be cut on the router, in the exact location.



The layers of the scribing of the subfloor, due to hull shape, is obvious as Richard is showing off the fit of his hatches. To be honest, he is getting VERY sick of these tanks....



The finished subfloor for the main bilge area wraps around the centerboard.



Here is the bilge, as seen through the galley sink cabinet. Time to get off the floor and on to the joints.....
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