Swifty 12

The Swifty 12 is the most popular boat in the Shell Boats fleet, with several hundred built from our kits and plans. Docile and easily handled, the Swifty will plane on a reach in a good breeze, but you will have to work very hard to get it to capsize. It has room for three or four people, but will perform best with one or two. It rows very well and also will give a nice semi planing ride with an outboard up to 5 hp.This simple plywood lapstrake hull (three planks on each side) is built right-side-up and can be planked in one day. Sealed flotation chambers are incorporated under the seats and front deck. The cat rig is leg o’ mutton style using a curved sprit boom. The un-stayed, folding 17′ mast enables quick and easy set-ups or take downs; the entire rig can be stowed in the boat. A trailer is very convient, but the Swifty can also be car topped: one of the first Swiftys made many trips from Vermont to Maine on the roof of an old Volvo.Check out the Shell Boats videos on YouTube.