This section of our web site, an extension of the Launchings department of WoodenBoat magazine, is dedicated to sharing news of recently launched wooden boats built or restored by our readers. If you’ve launched a boat within the past year, please email us at launchings@woodenboat.com, or post your news here.
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Jack Lightfoot has been busy. He built a Francis Herreshoff/John Gardner pram, then an Iain Oughtred McGregor canoe (15'8" x 33"), and has now started a Phil Bolger dory. Jack writes the McGregor took him six months to build, and that was without using any power tools.
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.
Alyssa Drake and her father, Peter Drake, built this Phil Bolger–designed 8′ Elegant Punt. They launched CHUPI at Mystic Seaport in the fall of 2011. Plans are available from Phil Bolger & Friends, Inc., P.O. Box 1209, Gloucester, MA 01930.
Bill Spring and his grandchildren got a thrill from BILL’S THRILL, his Swifty 12 catboat kit from Fred Shell in St. Albans, Vermont.
Gerald Ely and his son, David, built this 16' x 35" Chestnut Prospector canoe. They built her using red and white cedar strips covered with 6 oz fiberglass cloth. The gunwales, seats, yoke and stems are of cherry.
SPIRIT is the first wooden kayak that Rod Chelberg has built. He started with an ocean kayak kit from Newfound Woodworks in Bristol, New Hampshire. Rod used red cedar strips with accent strips of white cedar on the 44 lb. hull.
I recently completed the construction of my own Matunuck surf kayak. Last Sunday I tried it in the local swimming pool and it really feels good, and it was surprisingly easy to roll (Greenland roll)!
Watch out for Greg Henzel and his two young daughters rowing around in A-K SUNSHINE on Puget Sound near their home in Gig Harbor, Washington.
Mark McGinley built this Iain Oughtred–designed 7-1/2′ Auk ELSIE KAY from okoume plywood as well as locally cut quarter-sawn oak, ash, and pine. She is the tender for his Pacific Seacraft PS-25 located in the Apostle Islands area of Lake Superior.
Hand built, One of a kind. Hull is sound, roof and rear wall of pilot house need repair.
BOAT HAS SOLD! "Thank you, Autumn. It took some time but it was well worth it." B.
Designed and built by the late Ray DeFir and his best friend, my late Step-Father, Gary Griffiths
Classic wooden rowboat (possibly Old Town).
Approximately 12’L x 4’W.
