Launchings

When designing The Ashes Solo Day, I imagined a boat where the paddler could stand to look over brush, or apply leverage to push through a mat of grass.

Inspired by George Cockshott's International 12 dinghy, Rein Schermerhorn "kept the main characteristics" of the Int'l. 12 in mind as he designed and built JOLi for use in the canals and shallow lakes near his home in the northwest of Holland.

Steve Redmond designed this 20' Elver Canoe Yawl built by Jeff Waddington of Sidney, BC, Canada. Launched Friday, July 13, 2001 Jeff sails her out of Port Sidney. He writes that the hull is strip-planked Douglas fir, with epoxy and nails between strips.

Tom Shives built this Glen-L Drifter, from Glen-L Marine plans, with a small group of men from his church.

Keith Telfer writes "A group of seven volunteers from Wellspring Cancer Support Center, both cancer patients and caregivers, built this canoe in ten weeks. We built it for a charity auction to raise money for the Center.

Jim Wharton built his Handy Billy launch singlehandedly over the course of seven years in an unheated barn, so the work was confined to warm weather months. Working part-time for most of the years, he reports that much progress was made in the first spring and summer after he retired.

Peter Philips summered on China Lake, Maine as a child. His cousins Sherman and Ray Kelsey owned this Jacoby Class step hydroplane (9' x 46"), which Peter has recently rebuilt. Named ME-53, she was relaunched in June 2004 after 6 years of restoration work.

After building a kayak for himself, and one for his son, Geoff Meissner's wife wanted him to build a canoe for her. He picked a Nipmuc kit from Newfound Woodworking. At 17' long and 35" beam, it was big enough to hold all three of them and the dog.

I started building my Melonseed Skiff in 2017 and finished it in 2021. Because I do not have a garage or large shed, I did work outdoors from May to November (living in Sherbrooke, Québec).

Connie Nelson sent in a report of the construction of the canoe LOUISE. In 1998, her husband Earl was forced into retirement for health reasons and needed a project.