Mike Hughes had hoped to build a Columbia dinghy for himself but, "as life, family, and business crowded in I never got past the stage of milling and seasoning the keel, and laying in the New Zealand kauri." Some years late, Mark Jack contacted Mike about building a Columbia for him.

Seth Behn writes, "Knowing that having two would be both more economical to build and more fun in the water, these two Shellback dinghies were built by my father and I in his garage in Fort Lauderdale, Florida." KIM'S KETCH (with the blue stripe) was launched in early 2007 and TOUCAN DEUX was lau

Art McRobbie of Edmonton, Alberta, outfitted his Nutshell Pram with a forward-rowing mechanism. Art can reached at mandamcrobbie@shaw.ca.

Tabor Academy in Marion, Massachusetts, offers a one-semester "Practical Ship and Boat Design" course that "aims to get students comfortable with lines drawings by lofting a sailing model full scale," writes instructor David Bill.

Tabor Academy in Marion, Massachusetts, offers a one-semester "Practical Ship and Boat Design" course that "aims to get students comfortable with lines drawings by lofting a sailing model full scale," writes instructor David Bill.

After 19 years of paddling on 20 lakes and rivers from Lake Michigan to Florida, including many rocky rapids on Ohio rivers, Glen Rahtz saw that his canoe was ready for some attention. He built the red cedar and redwood hull from plans in Canoe magazine.

"There once was a group of retirees, Sitting around in old dungarees, What were the old fogies to do? Why, build three wood-strip canoes, So they all simply rolled up their sleeves.