This is the first part of a project build series in which I design and construct a Grand Banks style dory from scratch. In this first episode we begin the process of designing and lofting the boat at scale. Boat designs are recorded with a type of drawing we call a...
Hades Skiff HADES SKIFF We built this boat as a prop for a Hollywood movie called Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. We actually built two identical boats and coincidentally rented kayaks to a prop house that were also used in the movie. Traditional construction...
Glued Lapstrake Canoes GLUED LAPSTRAKE PLYWOOD CANOES The glued lapstrake plywood technique is quite common in rowing and sailing craft, but is not often used in canoes. That’s a shame, because it’s a great choice for these craft. The laps add stiffness to...
Qayapaq QAYAPAQ KAYAK The qayapaq is a latecomer to the traditional kayak lineup. Also called the North Alaska retrieval kayak, it was developed around the 1900s after firearms were introduced to the Arctic. The Qayapaq could be conveniently transported overland and...
Providence River Boat PROVIDENCE RIVER BOAT This boat, documented by Howard Chapelle in his book American Small Sailing Craft, was originally built in 1875 by a man named Button Swan. The boat was commonly used for crab fishing. It featured a live well and carried a...
