Interested in building your own boat? Cape Fear Museum in Wilmington, NC sells Simmons Sea-Skiff boat plans in 18′, 20′ and 22′.Thomas Norwood Simmons was born in 1908 in Wilmington and lived most of his life on Myrtle Grove Sound. He was a carpenter by trade.
The boat was finished, and was trailered over to a boat shop for the installation of a 15 hp Tohatsu outboard, on February 2. I am a first time boat builder and found that building the CLC kit was a fun fall/winter project. The boat will be on Lake Couer d’ Alene the next sunny weekend.
Backbone timbers are white oak from the Eppick farm in Newberg, OR. Keel is Douglas fir; planking, Port Orford cedar. Deck is 1″ marine plywood covered with a felted polyester fabric and epoxy. Frames are white oak, the separate bulwark stanchions are black locust.
I had a great time learning and building this 17′ Tillamook Pacific Power Dory. I chose this boat to do some fishing and take my kids out on the water here in Florida and the boat can handle it all.
John Laudano Jr. of Middletown, Connecticut, designed and built this 61″ model runabout, with some help from his dad, over the winter of 2014–2015. SAUNDRA MAE has sapele planking on plywood frames. John made the windscreen, steering wheel, and fittings from scrap aluminum.
When his first granddaughter was born, Todd Roberts wanted to build her an heirloom cradle. He thought a canoe cradle would be just the ticket as he could use birchbark from his land for the cradle’s hull. Todd developed his own design after researching canoes and cradle boats.
Jeff Parker recently launched this cypress and mahogany Petrel Kayak in Lake Bluff, Illinois. The 53 lb Petrel Kayak is designed by Nick Schade, who runs Guilllemot Kayaks, www.guillemot-kayaks.com.
John Gotjen of Chocorua, New Hampshire, took some time during the 2015 Christmas Holiday season to build this 6′ lapstrake skiff for his friend Frosty. CHOCORUA is built from 5/16″ underlayment plywood and luan plywood transom, and some leftover tubes of adhesive caulk.