NEW! - The Racer X. An inexpensive open water shell for racing or for rowers with a need for speed.
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What's New?
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Feb,
2021: Plans available for
two more boats. I'm starting to diminish the backlog of older designs
that I haven't written up plans for, but it's not a quick process.
NEW! - The Racer X.
An inexpensive
open water shell for racing or for rowers with a need for speed.
And, NEW!,
too. The Shenandoah Peapod
- a fast, lightweight,
double-ended rowboat for exercise or family outings.
And an
update on my Dutch sail
and oar Punter:
This is her current state, sadly unchanged for quite some time. I hope
to get back to work on her soon.
2020:
NEW plans! Finally, plans
for both the Indian
Creek
motor canoe,
and the Great
Wicomico
family sized expedition canoe:
as well as the VELOCE' racing scull are now available - the only plans for an amateur built scull in the world. Now, not only is it practical for a novice to build their own rowing shell, it is inexpensive and easy to do as well.
Plague project: David Winter is building the prototype of our new C1 marathon racing canoe. Looking good so far!
Pre-plague project: A new Greenland style kayak, meant for larger kids and smaller adults (up to about 150lbs). 12'6" x 19" / 3.81m x 48cm. I built her to be auctioned off for my daughter's school fundraiser. I'm calling her the Walrus Bay, rather than the Kidyak II. Plans will be available at the usual pace . . . or hopefully sooner!
Stay safe, everyone.
2019:
November: Starting now, all plans sales are being handled through Duckworks! We have had a long relationship with Duckworks and they are fine people. This move will allow me more time to devote to finishing up old designs and working on new ones. Links on our plans page will take you to the Duckwork site, and ordering is dead simple. We are still selling kits directly, however.
September - Updated the Shenandoah Whitehall page, just after an article aboout her in "Small Boats Monthly."
And, we have another article in the British publication "Water Craft." This one featuring our fantastic Melonseed Skiff.
June - Kevin Flick did indeed finish the prototype of my Racer X skin-on-frame open water racing shell - literally just in time to compete in the Seventy48 - and he did great! 27th overall, and 5th among the single handed rowing boats. Congrats Kevin! Here he is at the start {excellent photo by Katrina Zoe Norbom}.
And, yet another surprise! The prototype of the Racer x-2 was also finished in time for the Seventy48! Here is my first view of her, at the finish.
May - I have refined the design of the Lanui SUP a little (for aesthetic purposes, and to maker her even easier to build), and have updated the building guide. With her speed and stability, I still consider the Lanui to be my best all-around paddleboard.
- The prototype of the Racer X-1 open water racing shell is being built by Kevin Flick. I think he may have finished, but I haven't seen pictures, yet. Here's one of the frame, though. I like it a lot.
- Yet another new design in response to a request - a marathon racing canoe (C1). The simplistic rendering shows the odd shape, which is typical of these boats. The shape results from the requirement that the boats must be 34" / 86.4cm wide at the 4" waterline. That is solely in one spot near the center of the boat, however, so the rest of the hull can be very narrow for speed and efficient paddling. The prototype build is underway.
March - Plans are now available for the Big Aloha SUP! A larger version of the Aloha stand-up-paddleboard, she is 13'6" x 30" / 4.11m x 76cm and good for paddlers up to about 230lbs / 104kgs. Like the Aloha, she is of very simple construction, , and can easily be built in a long weekend.
- Updated the Chuckanut 15 tandem kayak page. A rare occurrence, indeed.
- Big news in the new design department: Design requests came from two different teams, at about the same time, for Open Water Racing Sculls they could build and use for the upcoming "Seventy-48" human-powered race in Puget Sound, Washington. One request was for a tandem, while the other team wanted to build two solo boats. I acquiesced, and they are building the prototypes to race with. I hope they get done in time.
The resulting boats I'm calling the "Racer X-1 and Racer X-2." Here's a rendering of the double:
February - Built the 2.0 version of my daughter's Ladybug canoe. This one is much easier to build than the original, and is a bit longer, for more capacity. Plans forthcoming! And, one will be able to print the frames out on a home printer. Electronic plans will have an option for that, as well as a big format file for all the frames at once. Paper plans will be as usual. Plans do include instructions for making the aka/crossbar, which allows her to be hooked up to a "mother ship" like a motorcycle sidecar.
Here she is: 7' x 19" and 9.8lbs / 2.13m x 48.3cm and 4.4kgs
- With some encouragement from an interested builder, I decided to take a look at my old Olympia sliding seat sailing canoe. I've learned a lot since then, and had now and again given thought to improvements I could make. So, now I have revamped the design - greatly simplifying her construction, and making her vastly more user friendly. This version of Olympia should be much lighter than the original, and the cockpit has far better ergonomics. A prototype is being built, and I think I will build one myself - plans will be available some time after on-the-water testing. Here's a simple rendering - and yes, she is still very much like the earlier Olympia:
2018:
December - New boat in the works! A traditional Dutch "Punter" for sail and oar. She'll have the typical leeboards and spritsail rig, and lots of room inside for lounging. I'm only getting to work on her infrequently, as she's in the unheated shop and the weather has been uncooperative. This is only the first of a series of Dutch small boats that I will be working on - they have really piqued my interest!
- In October we went to the wonderful Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival, in Maryland, USA, and brought our Rushton Wee Lassie canoe and Chautauqua. Came home with 3 ribbons in various events, including first place in our racing division (Chautauqua is wicked fast). That's all just a segue to introduce this video, taken by our neighbor, Barry Long, who happens to be both an amazing boat builder and photographer. See more of his stuff at http://eyeinhand.com
That's Chautauqua doing her thing. After the first minute or so it sadly shows other things . . . but that's worthwhile to watch, too.
- Our latest design, built and tested. She's called the Great Wicomico - a 17' x 38" / 5.2m x 96cm family or expedition sized SOF canoe. My wife, daughter, dog and I together are all very comfortable in her, and she paddles great! Haven't yet started on plans, but hopefully it won't be too long.
- The Indian Creek motor canoe prototype has undergone testing, and plans for her are nearly ready. She goes great under oars or electric motor. I trust she'll also do well with a gasoline outboard motor (a maximum of 2hp is her rating). Test results "soon."
- The Veloce' rowing scull hit the water, finally. She is a blast, works great, and the lake seems much smaller when one goes that fast. Some testing by a competitive rowing coach to come soon, and plans shortly thereafter.
- My daughter is thrilled about her 6'/ 2m Ladybug canoe - especially now that I have finally gotten around to connecting her to the mother ship. She gets to paddle her own boat right next to Dad, and the ride is extremely stable. When she gets ready to venture out on her own (closely supervised, of course), the integral lash points can mount single or double outriggers. Plans available "soonish," as usual.
The green plywood canoe in the photo is a Chingadera, designed by the late Thomas Firth Jones. I built her for my Dad, on a tiny porch 20+ years ago, with not much more than a drill, a jigsaw and a hammer (and it shows). Now that we have a child, though, I probably use this canoe the most of all the boats we have. She's just the right size - and will take the dog, too. Mr Jones gently chided me about the shortened inwales, btw.
- Back in March of this year, I sailed the Perahu Katir at the Everglades Challenge, and did some fast and truly fantastic sailing. She had zero issues, is the dryest small boat I've ever sailed in rough waters. I think only one wave splashed over the rail the entire time. But, there were many miles of paddling required, and with all that wetted surface it got to be a chore. And, like most all multihulls, she is not quick to tack, which was an issue in some of the busy channels.
- I should mention that editing the build photos and writing a building guide takes me a great amount of mind numbing effort, with plenty of 18hour work days - and a few all-nighters. It's hard to muster enthusiasm for that . . . especially when the weather is just right for building the next boat.
2017
11/2 -Started on a new expedition style sea kayak. Big and comfortable, and will come in 17' and 15' lengths (5.2m or 4.6m).
10/7 - Finished up the Indian Creek motor "canoe." 15'9" x 40" and about 65lbs - 4.8m x 101cm 29kg Need to do some work on the motor and then do some testing. She'll also make a servicable rowboat.
10/1 - Check out the feature article about us this month in my new favorite magazine - Watercraft.
9/20 - The prototype of the Big Aloha (or "Aloha Oe"? - I havent quite decided on the name) has hit the water, built and tested by the indomitable Brian Scarborough. Faster - and less stable - than the Lanui, with a max paddler size of around 230lbs/104kg. Plans coming soonish.
8/1 - Ladybug, a 6' / 2m canoe I built for my 3yr old daughter. Assuming any requests, I'll likely have plans available in the spring.
6/25 - Updated the RUTH page and added many new pictures. Check it out!
6/21 - Plans for Chautauqua available, finally! It took me many more hours to write these than it did to build the boat . . . .
- I wrote an article about Chautaqua that will be in the next issue of the British small boating magazine Watercraft .
- I've started building my next project! She's a 16' motor canoe.
5/29 - Building of the prototype of the Big Aloha SUP should begin shortly. Testing and then plans to follow.
We are planning on attending the Eastern Messabout, June 2-4 at Martinak State Park, Maryland USA. Come join us and many amateur boat builders for fun times and good boating. Check out the facebook page, here.
New! 3/23 - Plans are now available for the Aloha stand up paddleboard, here. This is the easiest of my boats to build and - as long as it's warm enough for the paint to dry - completion in a weekend should present no problems.
New! 3/19/2017 - Plans and kits are now available for the Chuckanut 17 expedition sized kayak. Check her out, here!
New!
3/10 - The Chautauqua
decked sailing canoe is finished, and she's just fantastic. I recently
got back from sailing her in the Everglades
Challenge, along the W
coast of Florida, and she really shined - often in conditions she was
never, ever meant for. Plans and kits available "soon." Chautauqua:
Twenty one years after their last volume, WoodenBoat magazine has published another in their series of study plan books. And, three of those featured - and the first ever SOF designs - are from Gentry Custom Boats! The Chuckanut 15, the Annabelle Skiff and Ruth are my boats reviewed - but check it out for yourself.
*My new decked sailing canoe, in SOF, is almost completed, and I hope to be testing her soon. Here's a sneak peak:
* Just a pic of the Chuckanut
12"S" I recently completed
for my MIL. The "S" version is narrower than the standard C12. 
But wait, there's more!
* Plans will available later in the Spring (hopefully) for all these
boats (which need more on the water testing):
The 17' / 5.2m Perahu
Katir double outrigger
sailing canoe -
Here's a short video of her, in light winds.
*
Did you row in school? Do you want to get back into it, but don't want
to shell out thousands of $$ for a boat? Here's your answer:
The Veloce
- an easy and inexpensive to build rowing shell.
24' x 12" and 36lbs / 7.32m x 30.5cm and 16kg
* Here are a couple of "How To" videos:
*
And, finally (for now), just finished is the Cortez
Scallop Skiff - a rowboat for
kids! 7' x 3' and 18lbs / 2.13m x .91m
and 8kg
New
boats are always in the works, so check back here
regularly!
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