clancy sailboat plans pdf

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New Yankee Workshop: The Clancy Boat

Norm Abram builds himself a small but seaworthy boat

Season 7 of New Yankee Workshop is now streaming on the TOH website.

One memorable project from the season spanned two episodes (8 and 9) and featured Norm at his maritime best: building a small wooden sailboat called a Clancy, an example of which Norm had seen at the Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle. Norm used marine veneer mahogany plywood and an epoxy and fiberglass system to ensure his Clancy would be watertight.

The 10-foot-long boat consists of just 29 parts, and on the show Norm carefully goes through every step, from the first plank to the finished deck. If you’d like to follow suit, remember the measured plans are available to Insiders for free .

To get the free plan, start here .

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Sailboat Plans

Free Sailboat Plans

A selection of some of the Free Sailboat Plans (pdf) that were published in magazines such as “Popular Mechanics”, "Popular Science" and the "Boat Builder Handbook".

If you need help with lofting out the plans click here for an article here which should help.

• Open Dayboats/Dinghys
• Rowing Boats

Open/Dayboat, Free Sailboat Plans

Everyone who digs boating has heard of the Hobie Cat, the sleek little catamaran that burst on the scene and captured the attention of all the fast-action sailors.

Marked by asymmetrical hulls and special trampoline supports, the Hobie can reach speeds above 20 mph and perform with a rare agility.

But it has one drawback.

It costs mucho dinero.

Thus, we introduce the Hobby Kat, sailboat plans, a build-it-yourself version of the “Hobie” that should cost from half to a third of the commercial version. If you have the moola, of course, go for a Hobie and have the time of your life on the water.

If not, try our Hobby

The homebuilt is not quite the same.

But she sails sweetly and fast—qualities which have made the “Hobie” popular

Even in a light air she’ll slip through the water at a fast clip.

She has no centreboards, leeboards or keel, and needs none.

The inside of each hull has built-in lift, like an airplane wing, so that as the boat heels and one hull digs in the boat is pulled back to windward.

Click Here for the Plans

She can run in very shallow water and the rudders kick up for beaching.

You can carry her on a trailer or even disassemble her.

Many a “stink pot” addict will take a second look at Tern because she planes in modest breezes, is easy to handle, and her streamlined prow arid pod-shaped, “inland scow” type hull offer slight water resistance. Then too, there’s a charm about the tiller of a sailer that’s not matched by the wheel of a motor-powered boat. Part of it is the challenge of making the most of nature’s free-wheeling breezes. Even with her 72sq.ft of sail, this Free Sailboat Plan is remarkably stable, and packs as many as four persons aboard

For thousands of inland lakes, Tern is the answer to sailing water sport, she is rugged and easy to launch

And she’s remarkably easy to build.

Falcon is a small, speedy, sporty sailboat which handles well. Tests on the original Falcon showed that she could easily out-distance boats of comparable size such as the one design class Snipe and Comet sailers.

And she will pace neck and neck with 18 footers with considerably greater sail spread.

This strong, beamy, eight-foot pram may be sailed either cat-rigged or sloop-rigged.

The dagger-board may be adjusted forward to balance the helm when sailing with the addition of a jib sail.

Oars or a small outboard motor may also be used to power this versatile Free Sailboat Plans.

Dart” is a small two or three person sailing craft, designed for use on protected waters such as bays. lakes, rivers or wherever sheltered waters are found. Its construction will repay the builder handsomely and provide a fast sailing craft, light in weight, easily transportable and cheap to construct with all difficult joinery eliminated

It provides thrilling and economical sport.

The 'Crescent', designed by C. T. Allen, is the ideal sailboat for day sailing on a small lake, river, or protected waters of a bay.

Centreboard design (Fig. 2) reduces Crescent's draft, so Shallow is not a problem.

Its broad beam of over 5½ft. makes it an ideal family boat because there is room for a cockpit large enough to accommodate four adults or two adults and three kids, and side and forward decks big enough to stretch out on when sun bathing.

"Jewel" is a 16' Crescent Sailboat being built by Mike Allen from the free sailboat plans by C.T .Allen in the 1958 "Boat Builders Handbook". And what a superb job Mike is doing check out his photos here .

Click Here for the Free version of the Plans

Sailing enthusiasts and backyard boat builders are not likely to find free boat plans for a sailing pram that can be built faster, lighter, stronger, or less expensively than Graefin-10. Two men can begin work on a Friday evening and have a smart, lively 10-ft. 85-pound sailboat in the water by Sunday evening (it’s been done).

Zephyr Is a refinement of a type of boat developed by the English for use in the rough open waters of the English Channel. Not only is it fast under sail, but it can stand up under punishment. And it’s light enough to be easily loaded atop an auto or light trailer.

Breeze-Baby

Skimming off a brisk wind or with the wind abeam, Breeze-Baby actually planes with one person aboard. Despite her rowboat lines that make her easy to build, she handles easily under her simple sail, an ideal first boat. Simple lines are adapted to plywood construction that’s strong, light and that keeps Breeze-Baby’s bilges dry

You can take her with you atop your car or on a lightweight trailer for summer fun wherever you vacation or get in a week-end’s sailing.

Cat’s Paw is easy to build because of the straight-sided hulls. The sheer line is flat and that simplifies building the form. Bow and stern are straight, so there’s no cockeyed bevel to fit and fuss with

She Is an Ideal boat to learn or practice sailing in because she will forgive so many mistakes.

Cabin Cruiser, Free Sailboat Plans

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I am perfectly aware that the majority of Wooden Boat aficionados are sensible folk. However, I need to point out that I am an amateur wooden boat enthusiast simply writing in order to try to help other amateur wooden boat enthusiasts. And while I take every care to ensure that the information in DIY Wood Boat.com is correct, anyone acting on the information on this website does so at their own risk.

• Skerry from plans
• How to decide what to build
• Tender plans Some Free

Free Plans for Stitch and Glue Boatbuilding

Some free boatbuilding plans are very good, others are worth exactly what you pay for them. If you choose to use free boat plans, do your homework, and try to find others who have built from the plans. There are many Yahoo and Facebook groups out there. It's worth it to do a search. It's a good idea to check the measurements and to build a model from the free plans just to make sure you understand the process.

Here is my page on stitch and glue boatbuilding

Stitch and glue plans are good wooden boat plans for beginners.

Making a model will pay back later and save you time when you build because you will have figured out how the boat goes together.

Your model will also help you decide if you like the look of the boat BEFORE you spend a lot of time and money building a wooden boat from scratch.

In a more complex boat, free is not always less expensive because the designer of bought plans will usually have taken the time to give you better instructions, material layouts, and is often available to answer questions.

I built the green pram using the stitch and glue method of boatbuilding. The plans were free. Follow my day to day diary building Gavin Atkin's Apple Pie dinghy.

Free Stitch and Glue Boat Plans in no Particular Order.

Email me if a link is broken. I try to update everything often but the internet is a fast paced place. (and I'm not so quick)

I've included some plans that are free but not strictly pure stitch and glue. Some are combination methods and some are build with little support pieces, chine logs, that are used to screw onto or glue on. They are easy techniques.

I have not built most of these boats and cannot endorse them. It's up to you to figure out if they are suitable for you.

• Apple Pie Pram I built this and found it to be a lovely usable tender.
• Clown 450 Free sailboat plans and instructions IN FRENCH but nicely illustrated. Have a look.
• Micro Folding Dinghy Free Plans. Since the seams are glued but not rigid, it is not really Stitch and glue but interesting to look at.
• Thai Inspired Longtail Boat
• Free Stitch and glue plan for a Simple to Build Cruising Kayak from Spira International
• Free plans for Doris the Dory from In the Boatshed. Combination building methods.
• Herring Skiff Free Stitch and Glue Boat Plans 12 Ft Motor Skiff
• 4. Metre Dayboat by Radoslaw Werszko. Can be use with outboard. Nice contruction photos.
• Several free plans also by Radoslaw Werszko.
• Very simple Sailing Dinghy Designed to be built very quickly. Simplicity boats. Not strictly stitch and glue but simple. There is even a song!
• Free Guillemot Kayak Plans from Guillemot Kayaks.
• Guillemot Kayaks offsets for Ganymede Kayak PDF. Also instructions on Instructable
• Mini Sharpie is a one sheet boat from Simplicity Boats.
• Ella Rowboat Free online plans. Stitch and Glue Assembly.
• Cinderella Rowboat Also from in the boatshed
• Blondie Sail trainer and yacht tender designed by John Bell, pdf file
• How to build Cheap Boats Sailing Canoe. Includes sailing rig. Not very detailed but interesting as a historical document.
• Elf designed by Steven Lewis and available from Duckworks Magazine. Offsets and diagrams. 12 ft long sailing and rowing boat.
• Mouse Boats on Yahoo groups. Plans from Duckworks also. Lots of fun in a tiny boat. Good project and very popular, for children or adult to use in quiet water. Stitch and Glue.
• Free plans for a Bernarda 10 Well not quite free, you have to send the designer a photocopy of your money!! This is a great funny web page.
• Free Pirogue boat plans from Morten Olesen, Naval Architect. You need to email for the plans but it's free. Also other plans for sale.
• Gavin Atkin's "In the boatshed" has several free boat plans . A mother lode of nice designs. Lots of easy to build stitch and glue plans
• Free 3 sheet dory Instructions and photographs. Hannu's Boatyard, he has several models. Can easily be built stitch and glue along with the frames.
• Bateaux Bois Free and paid Plans for some respectable boats. Look under 1- Plans Bois. In many languages. Get Mr. Google to translate but it's well worth having a look.
• Free Stitch and Glue plans for single and double kayaks from Kayakyak. These have been built and tested. Nice looking boats. The Plans are actual plans not offsets.
• Portable Boat Plans has several designs for free. Many other of his plans are very inexpensive. Ken Simpson designs inexpensive easily built boats.
• Duck Punters Free Plan Fairly tender sailing canoe type. Wander around the website some. Designed for chine logs but can be converted.
• Plans for U , Almost free ($3) Expired copyright plans. Norwegian pram looks promising. Not much detail but documentation of how the boat was built in the past. 10 plans for 3 dollars.
• Puddle Duck Racer , the little boat that could. Very simple 8ft boat. Free plans. Usually built with chine logs but could be adapted to stitch and glue as long as you glass tape the seams.
• Mike Waller Design has Pippie8 Tender Exceptionally well laid out and documented free plans
• Bateau.com has 3 free designs A 7.5 ft sailing dinghy, a folding kayak and a canoe.
• Free rowing flat bottom boat from Mark Wallace. Table of offsets. Can be sailed.
• Mike Gill mini Tugboat free plans. Cute boat.
• Free rowing skiff from In the Boatshed
• Flo-Mo Amazing collections of plans. Some great experiments from a meticulous craftsman. 1-2-and 3 sheet designs. Great fun.
• Free Optimist Sailing dinghy plans are in Italian! Get Mr Google to help you translate. Proven design. If you plan to race make sure dimensions are exact so you're class legal.
• Free Optimist Sailing dinghy Original optimist plans
• Wooden Boat Magazine free plans for a Motor Holly Point Skiff.
• Many free plans from the Toledo Community Boat House Some Stitch and glue and some other methods. Great resource.
• Plywood stitch and glue Kayak Instuctables are a greatre source. Go to the website and do some searching. Changes all the time.
• Useful Boatbuilding Books My page on boatbuilding books, most of which I have in my library. Some good information.
• Rodent, Sailing Dinghy for a youngster Could be built as stitch and glue. Shown as chine log construction. Email for plans.

Many people offer free plans from old publications such as Popular Mechanics. Since epoxy was not available then, they are not stitch and glue. They could be adapted however. It is usually possible to replace chine logs (strips of wood that connect bottom and side with screw and glue) with an epoxy fillet and fiberglass cloth. It is important to strengthen the seams, inside and out, with fiberglass strips if you remove the chine log.

More Free Plans hiding in Books.

A very good way of getting free plans is by purchasing designer's books. For 20 or so dollars you can get plans for several boats AND detailed instructions on how to build them.

Many designers offer plans at very small cost. It's often a better bet to purchase these than some of the free plans. Check out Duckworks plan pages There are many good designers here and a few free plans as well.

If you are looking for wooden boat plans for beginners it's hard to beat stitch and glue.

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I try to be accurate and check my information, but mistakes happen. A good set of plans can save you lots of time and if you've paid for them you can actually often contact the designer and get help.

The ads on my pages connect to Amazon. If you buy something from a link on my page, I get a referral fee that pays the web page expenses (not my time, that's for sure.)

Free boat, paddle & oar plans

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Boatbuilding and sailing articles.

Small Print

This information is for general knowledge. Before you start, do your homework. Make sure you understand the plans before you start and work safely. I don't endorse any of these designers or plans. After you've decided to build, enjoy yourself.

LIST of WOODEN BOAT PLANS – By Michael Storer

Plywood boat plans and wooden canoe plans. sailing dinghy . power . row . paddle . overnight, a boat building course in a book.

Click on an image for more information about our inexpensive, highly detailed boat plans and wooden canoe plans

Viola 14 Sailing Canoe Boat Plan

A sailing canoe to make dinghy sailors happy – 75lbs and for a simple boat, beautiful beyond belief – visit page.

Viola 14 Sailing Canoe is fun and exciting. But easier than a sailing dinghy to transport and store.

Canoe performance and Dinghy stability. 14ft – 75 pounds (34kg)

Viola is extremely stable allowing the crew to stand up and step and unstep the lug rig mast while on the water. Try that in a symmetric paddling canoe hullform! If righted correctly she is almost dry after capsize.

Three Sailing rigs with two piece masts 4.7 and 6.0sqm full batten rigs. 6.3m balance lug with three reefs for distance sailing. 75lb hull. Four sheets 4mm plywood.

More about the Viola 14 Sailing Canoe Plan here

Kits For Viola 14 Canoe Europe – Viola 14 Sailing Canoe Precut Plywood and Timber Kits Americas – Viola 14 Saling Canoe Precut Plywood and Timber Kits

16ft Kombi Sail and Paddle Canoe Plan

A 50/50 Sail and Paddle Canoe for one or two with more stabililty for sailing – visit page

The Kombi Canoe is a development of our recent sailing canoes to bring paddling ability up equal to the sailing ability.

Great for families as it can be used as a pure paddling canoe, but also sail well with one or two adults aboard.

More about the Kombi Sail and Paddle Canoe here.

NEW Plan – Mini Outriggers for Adding stability to sailing canoes and small dinghies

The Mini Outriggers are to add stability to a sailing canoe or small dinghy and aid stability to reduce the risk of capsize on other relatively slender boats.

They are set above the water to allow a sailing canoe or narrow dinghy to be sailed normally .

More about the Mini Outriggers here.

Taal Stand Up Paddleboard in Plywood

Both speed and stability at the same time.

A beautiful plywood Stand Up Paddleboard designed for distance paddling.

The user feels the stability, the water thinks it is a low drag pintail. 12ft

We created a board that hits the numbers for a good canoe or rowboat. Less wetted surface with a stable midsection and excellent weight carrying.

12ft and Stable for beginners but with the low drag of a kayak/pintail type hull (see the stern photos).

More about the Taal Touring Stand Up Paddleboard Plan here

Goat Island Skiff Sail Boat Plan

Simple, modern performance and famous worldwide.

Justifiably famous.

Simple to build but light, fast, pretty.  Fast with 1 to 4 adults

Rows and Motors and will sail rings around other character boats. 15.8ft

More information about the Goat Island Skiff Plan Facebook Group for asking questions about the Goat Island Skiff

Quick Canoe 155 – build in 2 weekends

Very simple plywood canoe that handles well and looks right.

Quick DIY wooden canoe that works better than most flat-bottomed canoes and many fibreglass ones.

Even looks good on the beach. 15.5ft

First one took the builder 4 1/2 hours to get on the water – but most take 2 weekends. Half the weight of many fibreglass canoes. Lighter than most plastic. 55lbs from big store plywood. Another took 5 1/2 hours .

It has been designed to be as easy to build as possible while keeping most of the qualities of a nice paddling wooden canoe.

In particular the ability to track – excellent first boat plan. Click here for a comparison between our fast and our classic paddling canoe plans

More Information about the plywood Quick Canoe Plan

Eureka Canoe – Classic Plywood Canoe Plan

Light and lovely to paddle. simple plywood boat plan.

Light on the land, Prettiest Plywood or wooden Canoes anywhere. 15.5ft

Excellent distance touring boats.

15’6″, simple construction for a wooden canoe. 32 – 45lbs (15 to 20kg)

Click here for a comparison between our paddling canoe plans.

Click here for more information about the Eureka Plywood Canoe

Quick Canoe Electric Cargo Canoe Plan

Wooden cargo canoe for electric trolling motor 34lbs thrust.

5 to 6mph using a 34lb thrust Minn Kota or other electric trolling motors. DIY plywood canoe for fishing and roof racking.

Keeps the simplicity and low materials cost of the Quick Canoe Family. 15.5ft

Cartop transport. Very detailed Wooden Canoe Plans.

Click here for more information about the Plywood Quick Canoe Electric

Oz Goose Light Family and Club Sail Boat Plan

Low-cost family sailing dinghy, regattas and club training and learn to sail.

The Oz Goose is a small boat that is super easy to build.

Cruising or teaching with three adults or excellent club racing performance sailing with 1 or 2 in the boat. 12ft

The famous line is we can build 10 of these in the Philippines for the price of importing a single Laser sailboat. Boat speeds are very matched for excellent tactical racing when not heading off for a family picnic with two adults and a bunch of kids aboard

For training, the goose will carry an instructor and two adults to sail with good sensitivity and speed. In stronger winds, we commonly see downwind speeds of 10 to 13knots and sometimes much more.

Also, visit the  Oz Goose Group on Facebook More information about the Plywood Oz Goose – see the website

“BETH” Sailing Canoe – Elegant plywood boat plan

Simple, brilliant performance – one person cartop – sailing canoe portability.

A touch of the 1870s but fast about as much fun as is possible on a plywood boat. 

Yawl Rig with speed – a wooden canoe that can scare the Lasers at your local club .

Racing dinghy experience recommended! 

A small boat for amateur boat building that is light enough for one person to roofrack 70lbs plywood canoe hull. Sailing Canoe boat plan

Click here for more about the  plywood BETH Sailing Canoe Plan

Drop-in sail Rig Plan for Canoes and Kayaks

Convert a canoe or dinghy into a serious sailboat.

Convert most Kayaks or Canoes into an INSTANT SAILBOAT.

Everything removes as one unit except for the mast step

Also fits some rowing dinghies that are small or narrow.

Very cheap beginners plan.

Read more about the Drop-In Sailing Rig Boat Plan

Drop in Outrigger Canoe conversion Plan

Convert canoe, kayak or dinghy to a fast sailboat trimaran with amas..

Create a paddle or sailing outrigger canoe from a fibreglass or wooden Canoe or Kayak.

Even an elderly Grumman!

Convert your old canoe into an awesome sailing machine or fishing or diving platform.

Each component is under 10 pounds and everything removes cleanly from the boat apart from 4 small fittings and a mast step.

These Amas and crossbeams work for fibreglass and wooden canoes and dinghies, Fibreglass, Aluminium and some plastic canoes.

Performance sailing (see the video on the plan page ) or as a stable fishing platform or to make a super quick sailing multihull.

If you buy the plywood boat plan for the outriggers there is a free supplement available to set it up for sailing. Very cheap plan for a big boost in performance.

Find out how to convert your canoe, kayak or dinghy to a fast sailing outrigger canoe

Handy Punt – simple fishing punt Boat plan

Light cartop load, simple to build and stable – ideal first plywood boat plan.

Outboard motored Punts are the simplest plywood boats.

Good performance, easy construction, stable fishing platforms.

And lightweight for cartopping on roof racks.

An easy first boat plan for first-time boatbuilders.

6 to 8hp – 10 in some regions

Click here to find out more Outboard Punt Boat Plan

Russki Wave Ski, Surf Ski, Sit Down Paddleboard Boat Plan

Easy to build sit down paddleboard from two sheets ply.

Simple plywood waveski or paddleboard from two sheets of plywood.

Paint it and keep it on the car roof ready for use after work.

Small light boats usually are used more frequently than complicated and expensive boats.

Find out more about the Russki Plywood Wave Ski Plan

15 1/2 ft Storer Rowing Skiff Plan

Easy pretty plywood rowing skiff plan for oar.

Simple lightweight rowing skiff for one person and maybe a passenger based on the Goat Island Skiff.

Or Adult and a couple of kids.

Pretty and quick rowing boat on the water.

Simple lightweight rowing skiff for one person and maybe a passenger or a couple of kids. Based on the Goat Island Skiff. I used to get enquiries about using the Goat Island Skiff sailboat hull for rowing. It does row well but blows around too much.

This is much, much better. Pretty and quick rowing boat on the water.

Find out more about the plywood Rowboat Plan

Dayboat/Launches Boat Plan Bundle 23 plus 27ft (7/8.4m) Venezia

Boat plans for two simple prefabricated cruisers for low power outboard in one package – 23 and 27ft.

Picnic boat, party boat, river-cruiser, camp aboard, mini home-away-from-home. 

Cuts through river and lake chop with zero bouncing and pitching.

Pack includes 23 and 27ft Dayboat versions in one plan pack includes Venezia below.

Simple plywood construction. 10 or 15hp 4-stroke for 8 to 10 knots. Venezia and Dayboat Launch Boat Plan Package

More about the 23ft Plywood Dayboat/Launch Boat Plan

“Venezia” 27ft trailerable canal boat

Stretched version of 23ft – both included in the plan above.

An 8.2m (27ft) boat for gentle cruising in rivers and canals.

Great appearance, sleeping accom., separate toilet – your layout.

10 to 15hp 4-stroke. 2 wooden cruising motor boat plans for the price of one –  Venezia and Dayboat Launch Boat Plan Package

Read more about the 27ft Venezia cruiser canal boat plan

TC35 Riverboat – Prefab, Economical Liveaboard for Two

Minimal liveaboard plywood boat 35ft.

Very economical, near wakeless cruising motorboat.

Light on the gas and light on building materials.

Revised wooden boat plan for an extremely economical, efficient low horsepower riverboat.

35ft. 1 x 15hp or 2 x 10/15hp. Simple Prefab Plywood Construction.

Find out more about the TC35 River Cruiser Plywood boat plan.

OZ RACER – 8ft Sailing Dinghies. 

Smaller versions of the 12ft oz goose sailing dinghy – 8ft for easier storage..

12ft Oz Goose  for Capacity and Performance

• Same easy construction
• Same Sail and Foils
• Much higher performance
• Much larger capacity

OzRacer RV 8ft – General purpose version

OzRacer RV is the same small boat hull but with more space in the cockpit and is a slightly simpler build.

4 sheets plywood.

These Boat plans are a modern boatbuilding course in a book. Capacity 1 adult and one child or maybe 2 adults

Find out more about the OzRacer RV

OZ RACER Mk2 8ft – Race Version

OzRacer Mk 2 has a centreboard for more performance but a bit less room for extra crew.

Three sheets plywood. Simple Plywood Boat Plans. Capacity 1 adult and one child or maybe 2 adults

Find out more

Free plans Oars and Single Paddle & Double paddles.

Simplified paddles and oars based on classic designs – free plan.

• Free Plans for Wooden Oars
• Single Paddles
• Double Paddles.

I didn’t want to charge extra for nice paddles to go with our nice wooden Canoe plans

Download Free Oar and Paddle Plans from this page.

Tips and Tricks for Boatbuilding, Woodwork, Use of epoxy.

CLICK HERE for many helpful articles about the selection of materials, boatbuilding and boat repair techniques. All to help home boatbuilders.

The Master list of Articles we have written to explain and help out home boatbuilders

Blog Articles about a whole range of design, building, sailing technique articles.

57 thoughts on “LIST of WOODEN BOAT PLANS – By Michael Storer”

Dear Michael Storer, After purchasing your design of the Viola 14 I am in the process of building now and looking for the sail plan for the 6.3m lugger sail which is not in the building description. Can I find the sail plan somewhere on the website or can I get it in another way? Thanks in advance and best regards, René

For these sorts of questions it is best to use the email on the cover of the plan set or the facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/storerboatplans/

But having seen this now I will send this to you.

Best Regards Michael.

Hello Michael,

it is possibel to get a Plan from your Goat island Skiff but 50% bigger and with a standard Rigg with Fock and main sail ?

Best regards Volker

No, I am a afraid it isn’t possible. It changes so many things that it becomes a new design. I choose new designs on the basis of how many I feel I’m likely to sell. I am interested in designing a bigger boat but it won’t be for some time. Maybe years. But there are other excellent designs that may suit your needs. Have a look at B & B designs. Similar performance type but already bigger and with and without a cabin.

Best Regards

Hello,, Michael, I am interested in building a hull like your Handy Punt, but at a length of 14 to 16 feet and a maximum width of 5’11”. (48-inch width would be adequate.) These dimensions are dictated by the covered slip where the boat would live. I will customize the interior for fishing in a 100-acre lake that does not allow gasoline motors. It can be lifted by an electric hoist for storage. Power would be a Minn Kota bow-mounted trolling motor with 80 pound thrust. It would be laid out for two-person fishing. Pilot would sit in the front to steer motor and consult bow-mounted sonar. Passenger would be in rear on chair or bench. It would need two 12-volt marine batteries. Could this work?

Increasing the length doesn’t really create any significant problems if another bulkhead is put in somewhere.

But increasing the beam creates all sorts of structural loads not anticipated in the original. It would no longer be a Handy Punt, but an original design from you. That’s not necessarily a bad thing – but there are risks involved.

Cheers Michael

interested in building a handy punt catamaran using an enlarged ozgoose plan 16 x 4 making the air chambers 2 x16 for the pontoons for a outboard motor of fairly low hp I am thinking 20 hp

It is possible to modify plans.

Yours is either the glory or the recriminations – or possibly both :)

Hi Michael Do you have any 17ft plans for coastal camping and cruising? David Australia.

I don’t.

I would suggest looking at John Welsford, B and B yachts and Iain Oughtred designs.

All good designers of very different styles of boats.

hello Michael,

would you be the man formerly behind Q-Craft ? If so, can I get your advice regarding the 3-person canoe model. There’s a used one for sale nearby and our buying decision based more on price than anything else. Being fibreglass, weight’s the prob but I’ve owned the same Canadian type many years ago so know what we’re in for at least. Solely calm waters intended for our paddling Appreciate your feedback if appropriate

I’m afraid I have never had any connection with Q-craft.

Hey Michael,

I recently bought your GIS plans, and then I found out that you may have a smaller version in the works. Will that be available any time soon?

Hi Rick, No, the timeframe is quite long term to get another plan fully documented. Probably 100 pages to write, lots of illustrations, drawings etc

God day Michael ! I am following the VUELTA (cycling Tour of Spain) and I enjoyed for 10 mn ago seing the young Australian Michael Storer winning the very hard “etape” (day competition). He had to climb the last mountain with two others guys 100 yards back and the suspense was terrible until the line, but this Aussie was a tiger today. Conclusion : two Michael Storer on top of the wave in Australia now ! (I enjoy your boats and I love Australia – living in Cottesloe, Perth, in the last century).

Thankyou Yves!

I don’t actually have many namesakes. For years the only Storers in the Sydney phone book were my family and my Aunt.

But other Storers have clearly been more (re)productive!

Best Regards and thankyou for the kind words.

Hi Michael I’m finally (FINALLY!!) building the Eureka Canoe. I purchased the plans way back – this is the set from 2006 (!) – but I wanted to check the temporary spreader dims for the higher volume boat. In the plans I have, it’s middle spreader = 857mm, and 2 end spreaders = 646mm. What are the higher volume dims?

Hi Richard … Send you an updated copy. Ah … was good fun living in Adelaide!

Hello, I have decided that my next boat to build will be a Shanty Houseboat as a retirement project, some place to live and be near fish, ya know? But, my journey in boat building started back somewhere in 2005 in Balad, Iraq. I was deployed at the time and was having severe anxiety so I did some meditation to calmer, more serene places and times, which eventually led me to a particularly fine memory of about 10 yrs old. Then, I was the middle child of 3 to a single mother on welfare, which did not afford many options on luxury or entertainment. I am sure you’ve heard the tale a thousand times already… I had a friend, named Eddie Dean, who’s Mother had a boyfriend who wanted to take her sailing. Being a single mother also, she couldn’t leave the kid behind, so they took me as a playmate. I had never been on a “real” boat in my life up until that time (a couple of ‘canoes’ at Six Flags, maybe.) I cannot even tell you the color at this point. But we went sailing, night sailing also, and it was a hidden, joyous memory for me! Fast forward to the war, and I find myself struggling for sanity in an insane place. I find that gem and I latch onto it like nothing else, this was my ‘safe’ place! I order “Sailing for Dummies” from Amazon, Sailor-talk Flashcards, and a book on knot-tying. I am determined, I am going SAILING again!!! Yet, I am in a desert and don’t have a boat… So, when I rotated back to the World, I do research and find the PDR, easy enough. Then I find the OZ version of that boat, which is the FIRST boat I built! Before this, the ONLY thing I had ever built out of wood, was a lopsided bookshelf in 8th Grade woodshop. A truly tragic abuse of wood, in hindsight. Your plans were straight forward, easily read and thorough. It was an immense pleasure to craft something from nothing. I took a month on it because I did not understand some terminology. More research… Once she was built and rigged, I still didn’t have a name. I floated her on the south marina of Willard Bay, Utah and dubbed her “OMGIF” (Oh My God, It Floats!) Afterwards, I applied all the book learning and taught myself how to sail. It wasn’t all peaches and cream, I had underbuilt some things and over estimated my skill A LOT! But, it was a GREAT beginner boat! I even taught all the “feral and orphan” children (this is a generic term for ALL kids that are not mine) around the neighborhood, those that were willing to learn, how to sail. I eventually gifted the boat to the prodigy for his 10th birthday. Since that first incursion into boat building, I have built 3 more: 2 day-sailers and a sloop, cabin cruiser, which I now currently own NONE! My ex-wife would let me build them, but not sail them. She is NOT an issue anymore

So, to make a short story long, I have been searching for a tender- type fishing platform for the Shanty I will build. I am quite excited about the prospect of a 12′ OZ sailer to fill that function, and I cannot wait to start building!

You do good work Sir, I thank you for it!

PS. Not that it really matters, but I posted on the PDR website 2 records the year I built my OMGIF: Highest Elevation and Fastest Speed. Was quite proud until I realized that I was the ONLY person that posted that year. So, to cure my depression, I also posted a PDR World Record for the Pinkest Boat! (mine was green…)

That is all excellent!

Congratulations on your records!

We have a great and active Oz Goose group on Facebook – if you use facebook. https://web.facebook.com/groups/opengoose/

Hugely useful.

Best Regards and Good Luck with the next project

Hi Gary, Wayne, Michael – I am also interested in outriggers+Kombi. has anyone pursued this idea? If one were to go down this route, are there any design considerations that need to be in mind from the beginning? Is the only real change to the Kombi increasing the mast diameter to 60mm? With the increased stability of the outriggers, is there any merit to considering the larger rig from the Viola instead of the standard Kombi rig? Or would this throw other things out of balance? Thanks, Colin

There are other ways to go with outriggers.

The idea from Solway Dory of smaller hulls gives a lot more reserve stability – plus they can be kept out of the water most of the time for a negligible effect on performance.

the mast would not need to be changed over either.

Look up the Solway Dory Outriggers on Google and see what you think. This is also a better topic for email.

hi Mik Following Garys query about outriggers for Kombi and/or Viola. I have been thinking for a while about an rooftoppable allrounder for our extended road/camping trips in the campervan. So all in protected water, two septigenerians with one “boaty” and one a “tourist.. Single or tandem paddling (rivers estuaries and such) Sailing (safe not high performance) Fishing.(again safe platform) Of course such a wish list threatens to result in something that doesnt do anything very well. When Viola appeared I thought this could be it? But a bit wide for paddling, a bit flighty and a bit heavy. The along came Kombi! And I already have your drop in outrigger plans…Perfect! Could you perhaps suggest a layout for a Kombi Tri including any hull mounting reinforcement. As we age needs change and I am going to jury rig a couple of amas to the GIS this summer as a proof of concept experiment. I hope thats not too “rude”. The Kombi Tri I would build as a package , concept already proved. Thanks Wayne Fremantle

The Kombi is the boat for this use pattern. Mast diameter will have to go up to 60mm to handle the greater stability from the outriggers.

I would suggest setting up two spreader bars set the same distance apart as the outrigger crossbeams with the mounting points for the outrigger tie downs just behind the spreader bars.

For hull mounting reinforcement for the crossbeam tie downs a piece of ply at each point 50 wide by 75 to make a pad for through bolts and a “saddle” or “deck eye” using 3/16″ Bolts (or 5mm metric).

I think it would be quite a satisfactory boat. I would definitely carry paddles as I suspect the tacking technique will be like a roll tack for the standard Kombi so it will spin fast. With the outriggers it may be a bit sluggish … or maybe it will be fine. Also there is a free supplement written for buyers of the outrigger plan to alter the crossbeam curve to match canoes with lower freeboard. That would match the Kombi too.

Mr.Storer, I am thinking about combining your drop in outriggers with either the new Combi or the Viola sailing canoe. Has it been done? Your thoughts? Thanks, Gary Moore

Hi Gary, It will put a lot more load on the hull because of the large increase in stability.

It might be OK. The mast diameters would probably need a slight increase.

Hi I’m interested in the possibilities of cruising in a Goose and sleeping under a boat tent, for which the rectangular hull would be very well suited. Would it be possible to move the daggerboard case to the side – even against the buoyancy tank, perhaps – and narrow the bottom of the frame so it doesn’t dig in to your legs, in the interests of comfortable sleeping? Thanks.

There are some options.

If you have facebook, Thomas Newton made some changes that seem to have worked out well removing the need for the centrecase bulkhead and associated seat.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1622720037971725/search?q=thomas newton

Hi, Michael !

I am interested to learn how many plywood sheets go in 27ft Venezia and 35ft TC35 builds. And also the TC35 resulting hull weight estimate. Can you share on that?

Kind regards, Aleksei

Hi Aleksei,

Here are the plywood quantities.

12mm x 2 9mm x 57 6mm x 4 4mm x 1

– there will be some variation here as the interior layout can be changed substantially by each builder. 12mm x 1 9mm x 20 6mm x 28 4mm x 3

Best wishes Michael.

Dear Michael,

I wish to build a Mundoo electric boat for european canals, but I can’t find the plans. Is it available? Thanks in advance,

Pal Horvath

You need to contact DuckFlat Wooden Boats in Adelaide Australia.

Their website is duckflatwoodenboats dot com (change the dot to a . and remove the spaces)

I was simply employed as a draftsman for that project. It is not one of my designs.

Thanks for the reply Michael.

I’m actually one step ahead and already had a good look over your pages of sailing tips! Really good stuff that simplifies everything considerably, especially in regards to point of sail.

The reason I chose the RV was purely for space reasons. I figure that if I ever get to a point where I’m longing for the extra size of the goose, I can always sell the RV and build a goose. I’ll never turn down the chance to build something.

Another question I had was in regards to whether the RV is suitable for roof rack transportation? I couldn’t find any info on the weight of the RV and whether this would be a viable option. Not having to buy a trailer would also cut down on costs :)

No problem at all with the principle of cartopping the OzRacer (or the Goose).

It can be tricky to find roof racks for some modern cars that can handle even the 70 odd pounds of the OzRacer RV hull. But if you can do that, then no problem.

Hi Michael,

I’ve never sailed before, however i’ve recently taken an interest in sailing after coming across various youtube videos on boatbuilding. I then went down the rabbit hole and started digesting countless books, researched terminology and watched demonstrational videos. However, I obviously don’t have the practical experience.

I’m particularly interested in the Oz Racer RV, mainly due to the simplicity of the build, but also because I can easily store and transport the boat. This also seems like a great beginner boat.

My big question however is would you recommend I take sailing lessons before building and sailing the RV? I don’t have a lot of money, so i’m in a bit of a dilemma about whether I spend money on learning to sail or building the boat and teaching myself to sail through research and practice alone.

Thanks! Drew

Sailing lessons don’t hurt at all.

But I would also have a careful look through the basics of my online lessons as they are closer to the state of the art than many sailing schools.

There has started to be large difference between what is taught and what the best sailors are using.

The importance is that the methods of the best sailors actually make sailing easier and make it easier to extend a beginner/intermediate sailor into the stronger wind ranges.

Many courses have moved with the times. But many have not.

Also, have you considered the 12ft Oz Goose. http://opengoose.com/plans/oz-goose-2016-plan-now-available-from-our-agents/

The biggest reason for choosing the shorter OzRacer 8ft is the storage after building. The cost is only a little more because the sail and everything above the decks and the fittings etc are all identical. Building difficulty and time is identical too – about an hour different actually)

Hi Michael, Thanks for your prompt reply. I replied yesterday but had issues with my browser. Anyways a putt putt boat is fine and the ability to trailer the boat is paramount. Getting down around southern moreton bay or the Noosa river, lake Cootharaba. Do you know of any builds in my neck of the woods, sunshine coast. Kindest Regards Tony

Hi Anthony,

There are/were two in South Australia on the Murray River and lakes and one in NSW on the Hawkesbury River .

But none in Queensland as of yet.

Hi Michael, Would your Dayboat come launch Venezia handle Moreton Bay. That is the water from say inner Bribie Island through the Moreton Bay Islands to Runaway Bay?

Kind Regards Tony

With the high thrust 10hp Yamaha it has substantial grunt. But despite the cabin you really need to think about it in terms of being like the old open Putt Putts.

There would be conditions that would be unwise to go out in, but plenty of conditions and parts of the bay that would be available as they are quite protected.

It would start to get tricky heading up to the North part of the Bay parallel with Moreton Island with one of the strong North Easters. But down toward the South you would just pick the location relative to the water conditions on the same day.

Best wishes Michael

hi Michael .way back in 1979. I bought plans for optimus maximus from you. I got to the frame complete stage, then a friend took over construction. as I moved to australia, He and his 3 boys finished and sailed it Often beating my brother and his sons in their bought sail boat. and had a lot of fun in the process

I think Optimus Maximus was designed by my friend John Welsford.

I will send his contact details to your email.

Best wishes. MIK

Hi, so it’s me, my wife (who is not a huge fan of sailing), and our 3.5 yr old son.. I’m trying to figure if I should build a eureka canoe for our family outings, and then the amas and sail rig for me to sail .. or.. go for the Viola 14 and hope we can all fit for short outings on lakes and ponds.. could we all fit for a paddle in the Viola? Also, how does sailing performance compare with Eureka and amas, vs Viola? With this crazy pandemic, seems like a good time to build a boat out in the carport!

The Viola will be OK while your son is really small. I designed it around being optimal for one adult. But I left enough margin for decent sailing performance with two adults providing they are not too large. Maybe it tops out at around 350 pounds or a bit more. With that weight it won’t be a great paddling boat but would be fine for messing around in a bay or a couple of miles in good weather with that weight. One up the Viola paddles pretty well, but it not optimum so will drop behind a proper paddling boat.

The Eureka or Quick Canoe would have a much better ability to travel as a paddling boat with the family. If adding the drop in outriggers it makes sense to leave out the central spreader on these canoes and put two spreaders at the same distance apart as the crossbeams of the drop in rig but a couple of inches forward of the crossbeam locations.

As far as performance. The Eureka with outriggers will have a significant and sole advantage when reaching. But upwind and running the Viola will have significant advantages as it is set up like a racing dinghy.

With the outriggers a 60 to 70sf sail seems to be about right. There is one in the free supplement for the buyers of the outrigger plan but we also make one at our sister business Really Simple Sails

The thing with the drop in outrigger setup is that not to fixate on pointing high. Get heaps of speed and then point up without losing the speed. If light winds sit to heel to leeward so the leeward hull is well immersed. Or make a leeboard for the eureka.

Hi Michael, Thank you so much for all the information! The Eureka with outriggers and sailing setup seems like the right way to go I think, especially fur versatility, plus allowing more people aboard comfortably .. One more question.. what type of sail setup do you recommend for the Eureka in the 60 to 70sf range? I’ve seen bermuda rigs and gunter rigs on this type of canoe and outrigger arrangement .. I couldn’t find the specific sail on the sail makers website.. just trying to cost out this option to see if I can afford to add the sail .. thank you! Hope you are well RP

A basic sail is part of the free supplement available to purchasers of the outrigger plan. It provides a mast support built into the front crossbeam a flatter crossbeam curve to suit the Eureka and other boats and dimensions of a homemade lateen sail to be made of polytarp, or even regular sailcloth.

Our partner business Really Simple Sails does a 70sf lug sail. However we are stuck down with quarantine which I think will add a month

to the normal 10 week timeline at this time of year. In Northern hemisphere winter it goes down to 4 weeks. That sail is USD392 at this point April 2020

Maybe that will fit in with your timeline unless you are a very fast builder.

Hi Michael, I’ve got a Laser Radial sail mast and boom setup, and I’m wondering if you thought this could work well on the Eureka canoe with outriggers, with plans on building a leeboard setup. Also wondering if I should go with the larger volume and wider Eureka. Would this sail better with the outriggers? Harder to paddle? Thanks! RP

It will be a bit big as the wind gets stronger but sparkling performance in up to 12knots of breeze. Might be exciting by the time the wind is at 15 and hard to sail in much more than that.

Could trial it with the full rig and then get a local sailmaker to cut some sail off the bottom if it is too frisky and cut a similar length off the bottom of the mast.

Another way, though not very good upwind would be to wrap the sail around the mast a few times when the wind gets up. Though the sail shape will become a big baggy for going upwind well.

There is also a supplement for the Eureka and other canoes as the freeboard can be a bit low for the drop in outriggers. I provide a drawing on request for making a mod and it also includes how to build the upper mast support into the front crossbeam.

Hi Michael, Sorry just one more question about Eureka (or I guess all of your plans in general) Do you mail a full size printed pattern to trace the cuts from? If not how do you transfer the lines to a larger scale from the manual to plywood? Thanks! RP

The plan itself is more like an instruction book for boatbuilding techniques to build the particular boat. Do the steps one by one and you will have the boat.

The method for marking out is super accurate and has a failsafe.

Basically you draw straight lines across the narrow width of the ply sheets at a set interval – dotted vertical lines in drawing below. 300mm apart. Blue is the plywood. Green is the curve of the panel. The dimensions are purple.

Then put the end of the tape on the edge of the plywood and measure along each dotted line (it will be a solid line on the ply). Put a mark at the distances from the edge shown in the plan. After marking the points on the first line vertical line, do the same for the second line and so on to make a series of dots in a curve.

Finally put a thin nail in each of the measured points and use the piece of timber from the plan list as a batten and a pencil to “Join the dots” or nails in this case to make each curve.

If there is an error it will stand out either when you stand at the end of the sheets and look along the line, or the batten will tell you the point is out of place.

If the point is out of place it is very likely a misread or a mismeasure as most of my plans have been corrected over time. But if it isn’t then you can contact me and see if I made a mistake. The CAD plans on the computer are super accurate, but sometimes a dimension arrow can be a little off.

with the article , images of the trimaran canoe – what is the canoe design. Is it a Eureka . If i wanted to build a trimaran canoe, what centre hull design would you suggest?

There are many centre hulls that are suitable. Many canoes as long as you can attach the strong points for the crossbeam lash down points. So almost any variation of wood, fibreglass or aluminium. Plastic canoes may be difficult but some claim great successes with the WEST system G-flex epoxy.

The Eureka or either the Paddling version of the Quick Canoe or the Electric version of the Quick Canoe would all be suitable. s

Good Day- i would like to chat to Michael about some design work. Is there any direct contact info for him many thanks wayne

For which type of waters(salt or fresh) was the Gooze designed? This never occurred to me until someone told me that I could navigate north on the “Rio Grande de Loiza” river and exit out into the sea, turn right, after some time I would see the exit of “Rio Espiritu Santo ” river and turn right again to go south on that river which heads inland or vice a versa (depending on wind directions on that time of the day).

Hi LAlverio,

The Oz Goose can be out sailing any time that other sailing dinghies are out. It can go conditions that are a bit rougher than many conventional dinghies will not handle well.

The goose is very stable and that stability gives it a lot of power. Also if you do capsize the Goose comes back up with no water inside.

This article about sailing in stronger winds and rough water from the Oz Goose Website may be useful for background.

If you mean the Ooze Gooze, the cabin version by Perttu Korhonen it has less capability than the Oz Goose in rough water.

Best Wishes Michael

Hello sir, I am in the process of converting my 12′ wood sailing dinghy to the Oz Goose balanced lug sail. I have purchased from Duckworks the sail and hardware kit and now I wish to build the wood mast, boom and yard. Can you tell me where I might locate and/or purchase the plans for these alone as I don’t need the entire boat plans, just the wood spars. Thank you

I have provided basic information on our Really Simple Sails website for each of the five stock sails we sell through Duckworks. https://reallysimplesails.com/rss-stock-lug-sails-other-boats/

It lists the spar lengths and cross sections in timber for each of our stock sails. It also provides guidelines for Aluminium or timber spars.

If you need details on how to actually make the parts (and a lot more including accurate foils) the Oz Goose plan is USD40. A boatbuilding course in a book.

Best Regards Michael

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Here's the instant download version of the print-ready SCAMP plans. Eight detailed sheets that print at  24 x 36". You also get a PDF of the SCAMP Builders Manual which we will email separately. Welcome aboard!

SCAMP Building Plans PDF DOWNLOAD

Jon's Adventures Building and Sailing a CLC PocketShip in the great Pacific Northwest

Sunday, October 3, 2021

A project named clancy - i. introduction to clancy.

Introducing the latest boat building project at the Lee Boatworks: a Clancy.  

The story of the Clancy begins with Bob Pickett was something of a local fixture.  Born in 1929 and raised in Florida, Pickett was a boat nut.  He his wife Erica settled in Anacortes in 1971, opening Flounder Bay Boat Lumber.   His sister-in-law would later note that Pickett "had a strong sense of how to enjoy life, include others, and build community.  Boating did all three..."   He helped found OARS, a rowing club in Anacortes, and pushed for the establishment of Seafarer's Memorial Park.   He also took an interest in making boat building more accessible to amateur builders.  Along with journalist J.D. Brown, Pickett wrote "Rip, Strip and Row," his first do-it-yourself manual in 1985 for a cedar strip rowboat, the Cosine Wherry.  (side note: a few years ago, my Dad finished a Cosine Wherry originally begun be a cousin.) 

Two books were spawned from the design effort, 1992's "Build a Clancy" and 1997's "A Boat Named Clancy" (I only have "Build a Clancy," so I do not know if or how different the books are).  As with "Rip, Strip, and Row," both Clancy books were authored by Pickett and Brown.  Supplies to build  Clancy were available through Flounder Bay, and Pickett arranged for sails and hardware packages to be readily available through local suppliers .Tech support was offered via the "Clancy Hotline" -- listed in 1992 at 1-206-293-2369 -- with Bob or Erica Pickett answering all your Clancy questions.

In "Build a Clancy," Pickett and Brown wrote that while Clancy is perfect for first time boat builders, "but veteran do-it-youselfers, experienced carpenters, and Old Salts, too, will enjoy the challenge."    

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• Basic Kayaking Knowledge , Learn

15 Free Boat Plans You Can Build This Week (with PDFs)

Boatbuilding is one of the most ancient forms of craftsmanship still alive today. As long as our ancestors have had a curiosity about exploring open waters, they have been practicing and honing their boatbuilding skills.

To be honest, however, building a boat is no small task. It will require a lot of work and patience to ultimately create a finished product that you are happy with and that is actually seaworthy.

Of course, we have also included a few free boat plans. You can keep in your back pocket for the next time you are asked to build a cardboard boat as part of a contest or lakefront teambuilding adventure.

We hope that these resources help you in your journey to build your own boat!

Photo by SeventyFour via Shutterstock

Free Boat Plans

• The Wanigan
• The Slipper

The Handy Andy

• The Jolly Roger
• The Hobby Kat

The White Duck

• The Sea Midge

The Crazy Cardboard Boat

Why Build Your Own Boat?

Photo by Halsey via Shutterstock

There are a lot of reasons why you should explore building your own boat versus buying a pre-made model. Here is a quick breakdown of the most obvious benefits:

• You will know the ins and outs of your finished boat better than anyone
• It can be a great project to work on with your teenage or even adult children
• You will gain valuable skills molding and shaping wood and other materials
• You can design your boat for your specific needs
• You don’t have to trust the sometimes-questionable manufacturing of mass-produced boats
• You can create a boat that functions as your second home on the water
• You can save money if you source materials mindfully

Of course, most first-time boatbuilders still experience some level of trial-and-error. With patience and perseverance, however, you can craft a one-of-a-kind vessel that has no equal anywhere in the world.

Free Boat Plans You Can Build This Week (with PDFs)

1. the wanigan.

PC Duckworks Boat Builders Supply

The Wanigan boat began as a garvey design, which is one of the older boat plans known to the Americas. Traditionally, these boats were built as work scows and were very popular among American summer camps.

The design itself is very simple, but these boats can carry heavy loads. It can also handle a trolling motor being mounted to the stern so you can cover more ground if you want to use it as a fishing boat.

The creator of this boat plan became aware of some of the downsides of the garvey design, such as the heavier weight that made it less efficient than some other designs. So he combined elements of dory and wanigan designs to create a hybrid.

The main changes include an enlarged beam, tilted lathes to provide a stiffer hull, and knocking off the top strakes to reduce the boat’s overall weight.

The Wanigan text

These additional The Wanigan drawings   may also prove useful for your build process!

2. The Mouse

The Mouse is one of the most compact and nimble boat plans we have found for this list. It is an easy build and also a great boat for two kids or a single teenage paddler.

The original builder began with a one-sheet boat design in an effort to create the lightest and most affordable boat possible. This means it is only suited for calm waters and should not be used in high winds or wavy conditions.

That said, it was built in roughly 12 to 24 hours of work time and doesn’t require a full workshop to construct. The main material that is required for building this boat is quarter-inch plywood. But the builder recommends using one-inch by half-inch pine or something a little sturdier.

The plywood and pine components are held together using a method called ”˜stitch and glue’. This method requires choosing one of the best glues for kayak outfitting , which are typically made of epoxy and glass tape rather than something cheaper like polyurethane.

The Mouse Instructions

Also, here are a few extra useful The Mouse Notes for builders

3. The Slipper

The Slipper is the first of many sailboat plans on our list and it is faster, easier, and cheaper to build than most. It also features a deeper cockpit than many other sailboat designs, which makes it safer for intermediate sailors.

This sailboat plan features dual steering stations so that you can sail from inside or outside of the helm. It also includes a centerboard trunk that hardly intrudes into the cabin at all. So that, it is easier to work around while you are in the cockpit.

The exterior hull and cabin of this sailboat feature a modified dory design using two sheets of plywood ripped to three feet wide before being joined together. The resulting hull is a modified V-shape that reduces drag.

The centerboard of this boat can also be winched up to the level of the top of the cabin or lowered down to alter the draft. This allows you to customize the boat design for a stiffer and more weather-worthy vessel if you need it.

The Slipper was also intentionally designed with an aft cabin that naturally helps to keep the bow pointed into the wind whether you are underway or the boat is anchored in the port.

The Building Slipper

4. The Handy Andy

PC DIY Wood Boat

The Handy Andy is a great little 10-foot portable rowboat for hunting, camping, fishing, and other recreational uses. It is actually the only folding boat design on our list, which makes it best for folks that need the most portable boat plan possible.

This boat features a 42-inch beam and a depth of about 15 inches at the mid-section. It also weighs roughly 80 pounds when assembled and can handle up to three average-sized human passengers.

The design boasts a flat bottom with canvas-bound edges and the primary material used for construction is ⅜-inch marine-grade plywood. Despite its lightweight nature, this rowboat can handle trolling motors or even outboard motors with a maximum of five horsepower.

Once finished, the hull can be folded or unfolded in less than a minute’s time.

This design makes it one of the only boats on this list that can be stored in a truck bed or easily carried by two people to be launched at more remote locations.

5. The Junior

If you are looking for an all-purpose dinghy that can handle almost any use you might imagine, look no further than The Junior free boat plan. It can carry three or four average-sized adults and is much easier to row than a traditional dinghy.

It is also durable enough to be equipped with a small outboard motor. You could even set it up with sailing equipment if you want to use it as a sailing vessel. As we said, this is truly an all-around boat design!

This boat plan requires constructing three frames that will provide the majority of the load-bearing support. The builder recommends using ¾-inch framing with ⅜-inch plywood as the exterior material for this boat build.

Resin glue and flathead screws are also required to hold this boat together. But there is a full list of materials included in the plans we have linked to below. Sticking to that plan should also give you enough leftover materials to construct two six-foot oars for rowing this boat until you install a trolling motor or outboard motor down the line!

6. The Jolly Roger

Channel your inner Captain Morgan when you are following these plans to build your very own Jolly Roger boat. This flat bottom boat design is designed for pond fishing . It can also be a useful yacht dinghy for getting from your dock to a larger vessel anchored offshore.

The plan follows conventional dinghy construction methods but also includes a few modifications that will save you time and energy. The wide design is super stable for boaters of all ages.

The keel, frame, chines, and risers are all cut from ¾-inch oak, ash, or any other trusted hardwood you can get your hands on. For the smaller components, the builder recommends using cedar, cypress, fir, or white or yellow pine.

Because this boat plan is also sturdy enough to handle a small motor, it includes important points for protecting the wooden hull from spark plug damage.

Be careful to follow these guidelines to build the safest boat possible if you imagine installing a motor down the line.

The Jollyroger

7. The Cork

The Cork is another simple rowboat design. This one trends away from the flat bottom plans that we have included thus far. Instead, it features a deeper, V-shaped hull that makes it better suited to more efficient rowing and easier maneuverability.

It can be rowed easily from either seating position and is durable enough to handle up to three average-sized adult passengers. The ends of the boat are identical, which allows for multi-directional rowing.

The list of materials required for this boat plan should cost you between $30 and $50, depending on your location and hardware costs there. The resulting build is lightweight enough for two people to be carried and also to be transported on top of a vehicle .

Inside the boat, the builders use aluminum tubing to secure the struts that hold the seats. This material choice keeps the overall weight of the boat down while still adding the necessary rigidity across the beam of the boat.

8. The Hobby Kat

The Hobie Cat is one of the most iconic and recognizable small sailing vessels ever made. This Hobby Kat plan is your answer to building your own iconic sailboat without spending thousands of dollars.

Your finished boat will be able to handle speeds of up to 20 miles per hour. It will be a super fun vessel for windy days on the lake or bay. The builder was able to construct the hulls, decking, and rudder for this boat while spending little more than $200.

From there, they purchased and installed the mast, boom, sail, and rigging, which brought the total amount spent to roughly $650 (still much less than a name-brand Hobie!). Without the mast and sail, this boat weighs roughly 165 pounds and is constructed using primarily 3/16-inch marine plywood.

You can also elect to build your own mast, boom, and sail if you have the time and skills to do so.

Those elements are not included in this boat plan, but they do offer some recommendations for where to buy these components!

The HobbyKat

9. The Tern

Named after the common seabird found around the world, the Tern is a lightweight and nimble sailboat with a 72 square foot base design. She is made for inland sailing and planes very well in moderate breezes.

The hull design also provides minimal water resistance and the small floor plan makes this boat easier for intermediate sailors to handle. Even though it offers a small footprint, this boat is sturdy enough to handle up to four adult passengers.

One of the best things about this boat plan is that it can be built almost entirely by using only common hand tools.

Of course, you can speed things up if you have power tools and you are skilled enough to use them correctly.

The Tern boat plan includes a 20-foot mast, but you can shorten that length if you desire. The plan includes a complete list of materials and step-by-step instructions on how to plane and assemble each element.

10. The Falcon

As you might expect from its name alone, the Falcon is an incredibly speedy sailboat for its size. It boasts a 14-foot centerboard and can handle two to four passengers, depending on its size and weight.

In tests of the original build, the creators claim that this boat out-distanced many Snipe and Comet sailing vessels as well as pacing evenly alongside longer 18-foot sailboats. When finished, your boat will have a six-foot beam and a total weight of roughly 475 pounds.

For the main framing components, they recommend using white oak and plywood will be the main material used in the hull construction. The hull features a V-shaped that was inspired by larger schooners.

The Falcon is best suited to sailing on bays, lakes, and wide rivers. It is also a boat plan with just under 120 square feet of deck space and it is a great build for amateur craftsmen and sailors.

11. The White Duck

The White Duck is a flat-bottomed rowboat with a total length of 13’6” and a four-foot beam. The cockpit is approximately 15 inches deep all the way around and this boat can handle up to five passengers while maintaining buoyancy and stability.

When fully constructed, it will weigh roughly 200 pounds, but the final weight will depend on the type of lumber you choose for your build. This boat plan features plywood planking over solid wooden frames.

The White Duck is built with a pointed bow that cuts nicely through the water. The flat stern of this boat design will make it easy to attach a small outboard motor with a maximum of six horsepower.

As you might expect from its name, this rowboat is a great option for duck hunting trips. That being said, it is a highly versatile craft that can also be used for pond fishing or casual rowing on your nearby lake.

12. The Sea Midge

The Sea Midge is one of the smallest rowboats on our list and it is ideally suited for one average-sized rower or two small paddlers. It is only about 8 feet in length and offers a 52-inch beam at its widest point.

The Midge’s small dimensions make her ideal for navigating narrower creeks and streams. With an approximate weight of 62 pounds, she is easy to maneuver on the water and can also be much more easily transported than some of the larger boat plans on our list

The Seamidge

13. The Zephyr

The Zephyr is a compact and speedy dinghy sailboat that measures roughly 14 feet long and approximately five feet across. This boat style was originally developed for safely crossing the English Channel. This means it can stand up well in rough waters.

When finished, it is also light enough to be transported on a small trailer or on top of a larger vehicle.

The boat plan calls for using hemlock or fir for the framing and oak or Douglas fir for the keel and chines.

14. The Gypsy

The Gypsy is a small cruising sailboat that is meant to be equipped with an outboard motor for powered locomotion. The original design resulted in an incredibly seaworthy vessel that logged more than 6,000 nautical miles in her lifetime.

It includes a comfortable cabin that makes it well-suited for multi-day sailing adventures. This boat plan includes improvements on the original design that will help you build an extremely durable and long-lasting sailboat.

The Gypsy boat design will help you construct a vessel that can handle a motor up to 25 horsepower so that you can enjoy cruising speeds of up to nine miles per hour.

While it may require a bit more of an investment in time and money, it will also help you produce one of the best boats you can build with a free boat plan!

15. The Crazy Cardboard Boat

PC Saint Dominic Catholic School

Finally, let’s talk about a crazy cardboard boat plan that you can build in less than a day. This is a great boat plan to bookmark for your next teambuilding project so that you can earn bragging rights with your coworkers.

The plan calls for using 1.5 sheets of cardboard. But you can use the remaining half sheet to build your own boat paddle if you want to get creative.

Triple-thick cardboard is best for this boat plan. But you can always double up thinner sheets if that is all you can find.

These plans include an easy-to-follow diagram for marking, cutting, and folding the cardboard sheets to create the hull of your boat. From there, it calls for using contact cement and construction adhesive to seal the edges and corners.

If you are looking to save a little money on this build you could also use duct tape and then wrap the entire design in plastic sheeting to provide waterproof qualities.

Overall, this build is one of the cheapest and easiest on our list. It is also a great project for hot summer camp days on the lake or river!

15 Free Boat Plans You Can Build This Week (with PDFs) – Final Thoughts

Photo by Alexandra Soloviova via Shutterstock

We hope that you now have a couple of free boat plans to inspire you to begin your own construction project.

Don’t hesitate to check out YouTube for some useful boat-building videos when you are getting into the nitty-gritty of these build processes!

Enjoyed 15 Free Boat Plans You Can Build This Week (with PDFs)? Share it with your friends so they too can follow the Kayakhelp journey.

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Peter Salisbury

Pete is the Owner of KayakHelp.com. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, he grew up kayaking, fishing, sailing, and partaking in outdoor adventures around the Great Lakes. When he’s not out on the water, you can find him skiing in the mountains, reading his favorite books, and spending time with his family.

BIG DEAL sale now thru Sept 8th! Get storewide savings and save up to 70% in the clearance section. SHOP SALE  

• Plans & Kits
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S.C.A.M.P. Printed Plans

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Description

Additional information.

S.C.A.M.P. (Small Craft Advisor Magazine Project) For Plans Instant Download, click HERE Original Designer: John Welsford Additional Development: Kees Prins Kit Adaptations: Turn Point Design Our own youthful dreams often featured small boats in starring roles. Aboard these simple, stalwart little vessels we'd venture across nebulous bodies of water in search of distant wild shorelines or uncharted islands. We'd land, hike into the interior, and make camp. But always our boats offered refuge from any threat, including summer storms, which we'd wait out beneath our boom tents. At night we'd read sea stories by oil lantern and sleep under a blanket of stars.

Curiously, never once did these visions include negative images of wrestling with a heavy mast and complex rigging, fussing with a smelly, recalcitrant outboard, or being held off shore by our boat's draft. And even when we pictured the afternoon breeze kicking up whitecaps, never once did the vision include a chilly capsize.

It was the dream of returning to those simple pleasures that inspired thoughts of SCAMP. That and a persistent desire to go over "there" - that place we often see but are unable to reach. It seems to happen on every cruise. Never mind that we're usually sailing the smallest boat around for miles, we always come upon some ultra-shallow lagoon or serpentine tidal stream that disappears into the reeds, trees and rushes. To get in there - to really commune with nature - a boat needs to be light, shallow and easily propelled - and preferably flat-bottomed in case we decide to stay right though the ebb.

SCAMP features an offset centerboard, massive flotation from sealed seats and stowage cabin, a water ballast tank holding 173 pounds of water, an after cabin "veranda" that functions like a hard dodger, and a flat bottom and skegs for beaching.

PLANS: Complete plans now available on 7 24 x 36" sheets. A complete "Building guide" with suggested steps Is available in printed or digital format. Additionally, there are several boats beginning construction and documenting progress at the Small Craft Advisor message board and elsewhere online.

LOA - 11 ft 11 in Beam - 5 ft 4 in Draft (board up) - 7 in Water Balast - 173 lbs. Weight (including rig) - 420 lb s.

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Racing Sparrow Plans

Check out these plans and resources, ranging from a 375mm boat to a 1500mm yacht. Pair these with our eBook guide for a fast, easy, and affordable home build RC yacht.

RS-RG65 - 650mm plans, measures to international RG65 rules

A full forward hull and a straight stern. This boat has proven to be a very fast and competitive racer.

Free Book Sample - PDF

A few pages from the eBook absolutely free

Racing Sparrow 750 plans

The plans that come with the eBook.

Racing Sparrow 1000 plans

A one metre version, scaled up lines. Bulkhead only plans. Look at the 750 for full schematics.

Racing Sparrow 1500 plans - A scaled up Racing Sparrow

A larger size model yacht. I haven't seen many of these surface. It's a good challenge to build.

Racing Sparrow 375 plans - The smallest sparrow

A miniature RacingSparrow. A great introduction to building with balsa.

RacingSparrow Footy plans

A double diagonal design footy from RacingSparrow.

Logos & Sticker Sheet

Downloadable logos and an EPS file to be sent to a printer and printed out on navy blue cutout vinyl.

Common questions about the plans

What tools do i need to build a racingsparrow.

1. Chisel 2. Craft-knife 3. Drill Bit - 2mm (5/64in)bit 4. Drill Bit - 5mm (3/16in) bit 5. Electric Drill 6. Felt Marker 7. File 8. Hacksaw 9. Hammer 10. Hole Punch 11. Lighter 12. Pen 13. Pencil 14. Pins 15. Pliers 16. Ruler (steel) 17. Sanding Block 18. Scissors 19. Screwdriver 20. Spirit Level (optional) 21. Sponge Brush (several) 22. Vice Grips

Do I need the eBook to build this cool rc sailboat?

No you don't. The book is designed for the newcomer to model yacht building. The book does make it a much simpler process with every detail figured out and covered in the book. Seasoned builders can simply have a go with the free plans.

Are the plans really free?

Yes all the plans are free to download and use as you see fit. The most comprehensive plans are the RS750 A1 full size.

Are there CAD files or 3D files?

Yes there is a 3D dxf file inside a zip file that you can download for free and use how you want. Some people use this in CAD programs or in 3D modelling programmes to great effect. Look under Racing Sparrow 750 plans on this page. An STL file for 3D printing is in the pipelines. Email me if you want a copy.

While we think 3D printing is great, we believe old-skool strip planking balsa is a wonderfully simple way to make a very lightweight boat with excellent longitudinal strength and beauty.

Builders eBook

Dive into the world of boat building with our eBook. Discover the craft of hull planking, fibreglass strengthening, and lead keel ballast casting.

Master the art of electrics installation, spray painting, sail making, and tuning of sails. Download a sample today and embark on a rewarding journey of boat construction.

What the builders and sailors say:

Being a complete novice, I purchased your book a couple of years ago and built two racing sparrows. Building on this experience I then went on to build, from scratch, an IOM (Triple Crown design). I've since joined a local club and sail virtually every weekend. I would just like to thank you for your endeavours which have allowed me to enter a world I never thought was in my reach.

John Sterland, Australia

Coming upon your book, "Build your own Radio Controlled Yacht" in the Napier Public Library, I am hugely impressed. The combination of your superb photos and illustrations with your easy writing style make it a standout publication and I hope it does well for you.

Richard Spence, New Zealand

Thanks for an excellent design in your RG65. I trialled her again today in a solid 20 knots gusting higher. Even so in a steep chop and fingers off the rudder she drove upwind remarkably well, balanced perfectly. Very impressed that a model boat can handle that with a large rig. I found the book excellent. Ive built several big boats, plus a few skiffs and without that resource building such a good boat would have been impossible.

Mike Bennett

Look at all these cool boats folk have made at home

There is also a full gallery with a boat load of photos of Racing Sparrow's

Graham Long , Auckland, New Zealand

Dec 17, 2009

Racing Sparrow #1 and #2(front)

Mar 1, 2005

Andy Saunders + Son , New Zealand

Sep 9, 2021

Bryn the Authors 750

Jan 19, 2006

Build a sparrow in less than 3 hours!

Oct 18, 2013

Take a look at the blog section for a full write up about this model.

Rod Patterson , Christchurch, New Zealand

May 4, 2012

Royal Declerk's - RG65(Foxy Lady) Sisters: 650 & 750 , Mount Martha, Victoria, Australia

May 2, 2018

Royal Declerks' Black Pearl , Australia

Apr 2, 2017

Hi Bryn, let me introduce you to “Jack Sparrows” sister, Black Pearl, yet to have sail markings done and some rig adjustments.  Regards Royal.

Bradley , Kaiapoi

Dec 29, 2007

Alan Brown Catamaran Racing Sparrow derivitive , Perth, Western Australia

Jul 23, 2020

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clancy saiboat

Discussion in ' Materials ' started by Guest , Apr 17, 2003 .

Guest Guest

does anyone have info on where I might purchase new/used (prefer used) sails and rigging for a boat called clancy. I just recently finished one (first time builder/sailor)  

J & J Junior Member

Well my friend Clancy is what kind of boat? also what is your location. You have Sailorman in Ft Lauderdale Florida they deal in used sails. Also their is a big store in Annapolis Md whoes name slips my mind but I could track them down they have used sails and will cut them to fit if they don't have your size. Another store is in St Peatersberg Florida same MO used sails and gear. I think the big question is do you want to pay the shipping have you contacted the builder to see if they have sails cheep. Sometimes if a boat is out of production they still have some sails laying around and would love to get them out of the loft.:idea:  

Bob Perkins New Member

The Clancy is a boat that I believe is made out west. (Seattle maybe??) However - Norm Abram (New Yankee Workshop) built this boat in a 2 part episode a few years back.. I don't have the plans - but his plans specify where to get sails and deck hardware,etc. for the clancy.  

cliff Guest

clancy Guest said: does anyone have info on where I might purchase new/used (prefer used) sails and rigging for a boat called clancy. I just recently finished one (first time builder/sailor) Click to expand...

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Micahel Guest

More info You built a clancy? How did it sail? compaired to other boats of the same size? How much did it weigh? cliff said: I have a beautifully built clancy complete with sails and rigging for sale. Click to expand...

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• Lazy Bee (oz2278)

About this Plan

Lazy Bee. Radio control sports model. Classic design. This is the original 40in wingspan version of the Lazy Bee. Plan is on three sheets.

Note 07/08/2020: the rights to this design remain with the designer Andy Clancy, who has graciously agreed to have the PDF plan remain here on Outerzone as a free download. See the new Clancy Designs website (and store) at https://www.andyclancydesigns.com/ for details and to order online your own laser-cut kits and accessories. International shipping is available.

Quote: "The Lazy Bee has grown steadily in popularity since I first began offering kits for sale in 1993. This popularity is due in part to the incredible versatility of the design. The Lazy Bee has flown successfully with two-stroke and diesel engines (.049 to .15), four-stroke engines (.20 to .26), and as an electric (.035 to .075) plane. It also makes an excellent float plane (Lazy Sea Bee.)

I have learned that the Lazy Bee can support a much higher wing loading than I initially thought practical. I have seen Lazy Bees that weighed less than a pound, and others as heavy as three pounds. My original intent with this plane was to use it to fly in my backyard (which is too small for control line flying!). I accomplished this with a Cox Texaco .049, Ace throttle, and micro-radio gear. I successfully flew this plane indoors, inside a small hangar built to hold two Cessnas. The delightful flight characteristics of the Lazy Bee are due in part to the very low wingloading. I have introduced a Lazy Bee 48 inch Extended Wing (oz2316) to reduce the wingloading on heavier planes. It was developed with the electric Lazy Bee in mind, but it works just fine with gas powered Lazy Bees.

There are, of course, a lot of possibilities for the Lazy Bee that have yet to be explored. I have heard of tri-motor versions, 1.5 scale, double scale (we will have plans available soon), triple and even quadruple - scale. I have heard of ultra light projects, half-scale versions, and Lazy Bees modified for payload contests. They are used as glider tugs and glider launchers, same have ailerons, some have dive brakes. There are two-channel and rudder only versions flying with the Cox Fail-Safe radio.

I cannot possibly cover all of these variations in this instruction book, but I can address the most common variations and answer sane of the more frequently asked questions.

Four-Cycle Lazy Bee: The Four-Cycle Lazy Bee requires a 'soft mounted' engine. This is because the engine vibration can cause structural cracks if mounted without any dampening. The details of the soft mount are covered in Chapter Eight - Final Assembly. In addition, the stab should not have lightening holes and the radio gear will have to be moved as far aft as possible, in order to achieve the proper balance.

Extended Wing Lazy Bee: This option is available in kit form directly from Clancy Aviation. Special plans are included. The only change is to the center section of the wing. There is no other change to the plane. The building procedure is the same; there are just two more ribs in the wing [see plan at Lazy Bee 48 inch Extended Wing (oz2316) ]. I decided not to add a special section and draw a bunch of new assembly diagrams. Just use a little imagination or cross your eyes a little bit while looking at the wing assembly drawings.

Lazy Bee Float Plane (Lazy Sea Bee): The Lazy Bee Floats (oz7209) are designed for fast installation and will allow the Lazy Bee to fly from water, snow, and even wet grass. You can convert the Lazy Bee from a land plane to a sea plane (or vice-versa) in less than 5 minutes! The floats come with detailed plans which include installation details. There is nothing special that needs to be done while building the plane. If you plan on using your Lazy Bee as a float plane, I recommend that you seal the wood before covering. You can use clear dope, Black Baron Clear Epoxy, or similar products. This will help protect the wood from the moisture. You should also check the prop clearance to be sure that the prop will not strike the water. This is more likely to occur with heavy planes which ride lower in the water and with props over 10 inches in diameter. One solution is to switch to a 3-bladed prop, which lets you reduce the prop diameter by an inch or so. The pitch should stay about the same.

Electric Lazy Bee: There is a wide range of possibilities for electric powered Lazy Bees. Generally, geared motors work better, but are not required. No modifications need to be made to the plane in order to build as (or convert to) an electric. The gas tank shelf is a structural member and should not be removed. There is ample roam Inside the fuselage for a good sized battery pack, and the motor mount shelf can accept a wide range of motors as well. I recommend that you attach the battery pack to the plane with velcro so you can swap battery packs quickly. You may want to build an extended shelf in the first couple of fuselage sections (to improve access.) You can do this by placing 1/16 plywood on top of the balsa sticks which are right above the bottom longerons. A hinged door can be added, too. For details, see the 'Electric' section following the 'Options' section.

Other Options: Two popular options for the Lazy Bee are the Bolt-On Wing and the Removable Tail Feathers. The Bolt-On Wing is covered in the next section. The Removable Tail Feathers are covered in Chapter 5. If you think you may want a Bolt-On Wing on your Lazy Bee, read the instructions first, as it changes how the fuselage and the wing are built..."

Update 07/04/12: Added full kit build instructions, 40 pages complete, thanks to JedBond. Includes useful notes on further modification to the standard Lazy Bee, including electric power, floats, etc.

Update 02/05/2018: added kit review from Radio Modeller, October 1995, thanks to RFJ.

Update 27/05/2018: Unpacked the previous zipfile and replaced with the more usual format PDF files.

Update 30/09/2019: Added kit review from Flying Models, February 1995, thanks to RFJ.

Supplementary file notes

Instructions. Reviews.

Corrections?

Did we get something wrong with these details about this plan (especially the datafile)? That happens sometimes. You can help us fix it. Add a correction

• (oz2278) Lazy Bee   by Andy Clancy from Clancy Aviation 1993   40in span IC R/C Cabin Kit clean :) all formers complete :)
• Found online 18/01/2012 at: http://lazybeebuild.ueuo.com/Plans.html Filesize: 706KB Format: • PDFbitmap Credit*: JedBond Downloads: 13945

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• Plan File Filesize: 706KB Filename: Lazy_Bee_40in_oz2278.pdf
• Supplement Filesize: 872KB Filename: Lazy_Bee_40in_oz2278_instructions.pdf
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This model plan (like all plans on Outerzone) is supposedly scaled correctly and supposedly will print out nicely at the right size. But that doesn't always happen. If you are about to start building a model plane using this free plan, you are strongly advised to check the scaling very, very carefully before cutting any balsa wood.

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Affordable Sailboats You Can Build at Home

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

September 13, 2023

‍ Key Takeaways

• There are many sailboats that anyone can build from home depending on tastes
• Budget will be the biggest deciding factor on a majority of the process
• Consider kits that come with most of what you need or choose ones that are all-inclusive
• Design complexities and new materials may make the building time process longer
• Plan the best you can ahead of time to save money and your working hours

‍ Buying a sailboat can be expensive, but building your own can save you money. So what are sailboats you can build from home?

Sailboats that you can build from home will likely be a small boat under 20 feet. These could be from many different boat suppliers such as B&B Yachts, Brooks Boat Designs, and Chase Small Craft. Boat plans will vary based on your budget and how much time you have on your hands.

Based on my previous experience, building your own boat will take much longer than if a professional were to do it. You also have to be able to study plans, consider various sailboat designs, and have tons of supplies such as fiberglass tape or fiberglass cloth. On top of that, you will also have to be good with your hands.

Table of contents

‍ Top 10 Affordable Sailboats Anyone Can Build at Home

Building your own pocket cruiser or other styles from boat plans is an impressive feat, as this will need dedicated time and money to assure your boat sails safely. Boat building takes a lot of patience as well, especially since this will not be completed in a fast manner.

Finding boat plans and materials that fit your budget will be key to being able to complete the project. The time it takes to complete these projects will vary on your overall experience and needs. Below are 10 of the most affordable sailboats that you can build in the comfort of your home.

B&B Yachts

B&B Yachts have 14 different boat plans you can choose from to find the boat of your desires. Their shop is located along the Bay River in North Carolina where they construct all of the kits and have a 100 foot dock to show off your project once you complete it.

One popular model to check out is their Core Sound 15, as it is the perfect size for those wanting to build a modest size boat for a handful of people on board. Their website features some videos of completed projects and the plans or kits for purchase.

• 14 different models to choose from plus some dinghies
• Various monohull and multihull options
• Friendly customer service with attractive prices
• Might be too many options for some that are indecisive
• Not ideal for those wanting to have a motor sailer

Brooks Boat Designs

Brooks Boat Designs has a handful of options to consider for your next sailboat building project. They are located in Brookline, Maine and give the option to buy the kits or have them build one from scratch for you. They have plenty of knowledge, so do not be shy to ask about modifications or custom features you are looking for.

Depending on your specifics, they can attempt to accommodate some of their plans to help fit your desired outcome. By checking out their site, you can see many examples of their construction in progress and what the boats will look like when completed.

• Offers a variety of kits
• Plans vary around $50 and up, while materials will obviously add more costs
• Some plans can be rowing boats that can convert to sailboats
• Might take a while to hear back from them, as their contact section is a little outdated
• Their plans may not accommodate a ton of extras for your taste

Chase Small Craft

Chase Small Craft offers a simple process for building boats. Their kits are equipped with everything you need and will help save you time than just buying the materials outright and other parts you could need. This is arguably one of the best bang for buck instances if you want to save time and money searching for pieces to your boat.

They are located in Saco, Maine and will ship everything to your home from there. All the necessary materials are included and all you need are the proper tools and working space.

• All-inclusive kits with what you need
• Tons of knowledge on their site for boat building
• Easy process to order and customize
• Complete kits can range over $20,000 for larger boats
• Kits may take up to eight weeks to ship out

Chesapeake Light Craft

You can expect high-quality boat kits from Chesapeake Light Craft . They feature 18 different sailboat kits that vary from eight to 20 feet in length. This should be more than enough to find one for you if you are newer to boat building.

They also have a wide variety of other kits in addition to the sailboat, in the event that you wanted to order a small kayak or paddleboard in addition to your sailboat. The prices vary considerably when considering a small or larger boat, so check the complete list of options to in order to potentially fit your needs.

• Plenty of sailboat offerings to choose from
• Different beautiful hull form options to consider
• Easy to build and perfect for sailing
• Only has basic materials needed for kit, so you may need to purchase other items
• Has epoxy shipping fee no matter if you pick up item

Dudley Dix Yacht Design

Dudley Dix Yacht Design has an extensive list of plywood and single skin sailing boat options. They have plenty of sail plans and kits to consider depending on your goals. These follow a classic look for sailboats, which are aesthetically pleasing.

If you are wanting one to accommodate a small family, they have more than plenty to look through. The cost is not as bad compared to others, but keep in mind that you may need to throw in your own supplies or specific tools to get the job done.

• Plans start at $30 and range up to $7,500 or more for kits
• More than enough of options to consider
• Affordable variety of sailboat offerings
• Might be too many options for those new to sailing
• Most are wood without the use of aluminum or steel

Farrier Marine

If you are in search of a multihull to build, then Farrier Marine is what you need. They offer a unique folding catamaran that is trailerable and give you the option to build it yourself. This not only makes it an appealing option, but anyone can take this multihull boat wherever they want with ease.

It features a thorough construction guide once you receive all of the materials. These also come with stainless steel fasteners and an aluminum mast for high-quality materials. Pricing will vary since you must request which model type you are considering.

• Ability to build a unique catamaran
• In-depth construction guide to help
• Easily handled and trailerable
• Price may be too high
• Limited offerings since only a few multihull options

Glen-L Marine Designs

Building a boat from Glen-L Marine Designs can save you time and money. They feature an easy system to order and receive the kits, as well as an in-depth guide to building them. This is an appealing option compared to most boat kit sellers.

The beauty about Glen-L is that anyone can build these from scratch, so you do not have to be the best boat builder in the world to get it done. They offer guides and helpful insights from their team to point you in the right direction. Plans vary around $15, while kits can range well over $1,000 depending on boat size.

• Nearly 50 designs to choose from
• Complete guide to help anyone build it
• Plenty of price points depending on size
• Might be overwhelming with the amount of options
• Could take a while to get parts since they are popular

John Welsford Boat Designs

John Welsford Boat Designs invites new and veteran boat builders that want a taste of quality small wooden boats. The boat plans are designed to meet your specifications and are catered to your desires.

There are seven sailboat designs to choose from so you do not feel overwhelmed in the process. However, they do not sell kits all the time, so you would need to have the materials or be on the lookout for the best prices when they are available.

• Seven sailboat plans with different sizes
• Quality boat builder and supporting community
• In-depth knowledge provided to you when you order
• Might be too small of boat size
• Kits are not always available

Iain Oughtred

There are plenty of options on the wooden boat store, but you should narrow down your search for Iain Oughtred’s line of sailboat kits and plans. There are 25 different plans to choose from, which should accommodate most everyone looking to build their own boat.

While they do offer some kits, they do not routinely offer sailboat kits. You would need to purchase all of the materials if you are considering one of their sail plans. Keep this in mind if you are considering, as you would need to hunt down the parts yourself.

• 25 different sailboat plans to look through
• Various sizes to contemplate for you sailing needs
• Prices will vary but are not bad compared to market
• No sailboat kits, only plans
• Newer boat builders might find too many options unappealing

Paul Gartside Boat Builder and Designer

Gartside Boats is a boat builder company based in Long Island, New York that showcases a variety of boats from traditional and newer methods of boat building. Within that variety, they have boat plans meant for six to 50 feet in length.

With an abundance of options, you will need to contact them regarding prices and any customizable options. Kits may vary as well, as they typically design in-house and build for you.

• Experienced boat designer that can accommodate with custom plans
• Many options are trailerable
• Can have plans for up to a 50 foot boat
• You will need to contact them for prices
• Customized options may make process more complicated for new boat builders

How Much Does it Cost to Build a Sailboat at Home?

As you have likely already done so, the math between building your own boat and buying one may be a huge difference. Likewise, you may even enjoy the challenge of taking an older boat that is gutted and restoring with parts from a kit to build one new again.

But how much does it cost exactly to build a boat from the comfort of your own garage or workshop? The prices are going to vary dramatically depending on your situation and material needed to get the job done. In addition, the time that it takes to complete this will also vary.

Sail plans are rather inexpensive if you are aiming to build a small boat. These plans allow you to see the workings of the boat design and what you need to build the boat.

Without these plans, you will not know the exact details of the design and it can cause major issues with the boat’s hull or other areas of the boat. Think of these as the backbone or instructions of the boat’s infancy before being built.

Price Per Square Foot

You should assume to pay anywhere between $300 to $600 per square foot if you are interested in building a boat. Buying a kit outright can be a good way to save time, but oftentimes these do not come with everything you need.

Instead, you should try to source as much of the materials at the best price as possible. Thinking ahead is part of the process and you might be able to score a deal at a lumber yard or hardware store for parts.

Boat Designs Matter

The design of the boat will be much different from one boat to the next, regardless if they are the same size in length. If you are pondering boats that range anywhere between 16 and 20 feet, you should factor in the shape of the hull, any rigging, and various appendages.

Prices tend to increase when there are more complexities within the designs. If you are considering a kit with more details than others, you will also have to pay more for the designs on that as well.

Kits Can Differ

It is important to understand that all kits are not going to be the same. As you gander at sailboat kits online to stitch together, you need to thoroughly look over to see if you have everything you need before buying.

It would also be at your advantage to ask the seller if any additional parts or supplies are needed. This may change your dynamic on the kit buying process and you may pass up one for another if it has everything you need. An all-inclusive kit may cost several hundred, if not thousands, of dollars more to have the convenience of everything in the bundle.

Construction Approaches

Some boat plans may require you to have certain tools to get the job done. This means special saws or planers, which the average person simply does not have.

Purchasing specialty tools might be expensive upfront and hard to find depending on what it is. Your best bet would be to check locally for others trying to sell their tools or consider a boat plan that does not require extensive tools to finish the job.

How Long Does it Take to Build a Sailboat?

An easy to build sailboat could take a while to build from scratch. Many different variances come into play that are difficult to pinpoint for everyone. But how long is that exactly and how will your experience play into this?

A fun project to sail in the wind could take you several months to well over a year depending on the boat plan and how big your boat is going to be. In addition, the materials all need to be accounted for prior to starting in the event a hardware store does not have them in stock.

Time Varies

The time that passes for simple boat designs on small sailing vessels can be done in a few weeks. This is assuming you have everything you need and work non-stop around the clock.

Certain complex situations may make the process long, such as the difficulty of working with some materials. If you are a skilled laborer, it may take you half the time compared to a novice. The amount of time it can take will vary on your availability and skill level.

Planning ahead will undoubtedly offer the most time-saving features. It also helps if you can tackle parts of the project at your own pace.

Complexity of Design

The design of the boat may make the construction process longer. For example, it may take you longer to build a catamaran compared to a similar lengthed monohull.

More complex designs might require more materials, therefore making the process a bit longer to complete. Furthermore, you will also need more experience working with difficult designs and that will affect you more as a newbie.

Be sure to manage your expectations well and do not allow yourself to become too stressed over this fun project. If you can, seek expert boat building advice from a local builder or the company you purchased sail plans through.

Quality Materials

The quality of the materials will matter significantly when building a boat and will greatly affect the time it takes to construct it. Handling fiberglass or carbon fiber might require specialty tools, while wood also demands a certain level of craftsmanship.

If you are not skilled at working with the material at hand, it might affect the quality of the build and you may have to go back to fix mistakes. This will definitely add more time to your project, because mistakes are bound to happen with your first project.

To save time, consider adding the tools and materials throughout the year or as often as your budget allows. You may want to try testing your skills on fiberglass or other materials to get a feel for how to work with it.

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I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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