Category Archive

In the mid-1950s, seeing a need for a shallow draft planing boat that would safely handle rough sea conditions while crossing the river bars off the Northwest coast, renowned boat builder, George Calkins began designing a double-ended planing boat. In 1958, the 22-foot BARTENDER design, based on the seaworthy surf dories native to the area, was fully developed at the …

Sargasso was commissioned by east coast sailor and built in brazil in 1964. Carvel planked and no butt joints as lumber choice was readily available and part of the reason boat is in such amazing shape even after almost sixty years. The boat was saved from the wrecking yard, which wanted the 6000lb external ballast, by three crazy sailors who …

North Sea fish boat/sailboat built in Esbjerg, Denmark, in 1934. Fished Dogger Bank for 40 years until her retirement in 1977. She was bought and converted to a comfortable sailing ketch. She is oak on oak. Her engine is a 100 HP, 2-cycle, 2-cylinder, semi-diesel Grenaa engine.

Barquito II is a Chesapeake Bay dead rise skiff with a D.N. Hylan design hull and a builder imagined cabin. She is intended to be a slow cruising highly efficient camp cruiser. Barquito II is a COVID-19 project. When it became evident in early 2020 that I would have time on my hands, I ordered the plans and started construction …

Helma was built in Kalundborg, Denmark in 1938, Helma sailed the waters off Kalundborg and Copenhagen until she was shipped to San Diego in 1960. Her name had been changed to Bout in 1950 by her second owner. In 1966, she was sailed singlehanded to Hawaii by her owner, Robert Sisler. We believe she is still the only spidsgatter to …

This 1958 Cheoy Lee Pacific Clipper is an early version of the Frisco Flyer. Soon after taking ownership in 2020, the boat has received 14 new sister frames, an updated dc system, and more minor systems to come.

The Ghost fly is a Mckenzie River drift boat, built by Keith Steele in 1982. She is made of 16-foot lengths of knot-free old growth Douglas fir plywood with Port Orford Cedar ribs. Keith Steele was one of the premier production builders of drift boats in the 60s through 90s. The Ghost Fly was a working boat on the trout …

A Harry Becker design from 1936, byggår 1937-1938, and originally Anne-Marie in Sweden 1938. It became Buckminster-Fuller’s boat in Maine (USA) for many years but never raced against either the Northeast Harbor (Maine) fleet of 30 squares, or the Marblehead area 30s, both from 1929+. Years later it moved to NJ, then many years in Port Huron, Michigan (probably racing …

Haven was inspired by lapstrake runabouts of the 1950s and 1960s by builders like Lyman and Thompson. I was unable to find existing plans for a boat of this type and size, and asked Paul Gartside to draw up the plan. It was subsequently published in Watercraft magazine and Paul’s book “Plans and Dreams Volume 2”. She was a pleasure …

While Avanti and Red are quite different in appearance, both hulls of these little vessels were constructed from one sheet of plywood. With some additional material used for structure decks and trim work, the goal is simplicity, grace, and usability. Both boats can easily be carried by one person and don’t take up a lot of space in the garage …