Designed by the late Renn Tolman of Homer, Alaska, Spainnear Uisce (Irish for Water Spaniel) is an owner-built cabin cruiser. As an Alaskan fishing skiff, this seaworthy design is well suited to cruising the waters of the Pacific Northwest. Tolman’s design is a robust skiff built with marine plywood bonded together with epoxy and reinforced with fiberglass. The relatively shallow draft and outboard power allow for navigating bays and rivers as well as open waters. The owner/builder took advantage of this working boat form and created a comfortable cruiser for two with modest amenities. Built under a carport over several years by the owner, Spainnear Uisce has cruised throughout Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, and the lower Columbia River.
