The above photo was taken on the third day of our Canoeing trip on the Loire River in France. The two black canoes didn’t even exist a week ago.

When I wrote the original article on Disposable Canoeing I had no idea at all what it would lead to me and a bunch of adventurers, wine and cheese connoisseurs. Most of us didn’t even know each other! The picture above is the result of this adventurism, but what happened to make it happen?

What technology was involved to make the boats faster to build than most stitch and glue boats and what weather conditions did we have to overcome to make it all happen.

The first New Zealand Goat Island Skiff has been launched by Ian Howeth.

He has taken a year to build it as spare time became available.

It was launched during the Xmas break

John Goodman and I sailed the immaculate Goat Island Skiff he built from my plan in the Texas 200.

The boat showed itself to be one of the faster in the fleet despite loading up such a short boat with food, water and camping gear for six days with little outside support.

We played with sailing the boat by the lee – a method used by racing boats to gain both speed and control.

I document the method here including a video showing how the angle of heel can be controlled using the mainsheet.

AlexN, who is building an Oz Racer and I drove up to Toronto at Lake Macquarie for the Classic Boatfest 2011. I think I will go again in 2012 and try to have a boat to sail around.

Shows on the water are the nicest type and this one has good access for small sailing boats and canoes.

We met up with Bruce (Woodeneye on the storerboats forum) who had is “for sale” Goat Island Skiff.

Csaba is my agent in Hungary.

He has translated several of my plans to Hungarian.

This is some of his promotional material in Hungarian.

Jack is rather happy with his newly launched Eureka Canoe.

He has built it as a woodworking project over the last couple of years as time became available from his busy architectural practice.

Anyway … a bunch of nice photos and some of Jack’s writing.

More videos of John Goodman’s Yawl Rigged Goat Island Skiff.

He is trying out some rigging variations to see if we can simplify the building of the yawl rig version.

At the moment this is inconclusive, but wow, he got some good videos

Michael Storer will be attending the 2011 Woodenboat Show in Mystic Seaport. He will be running a workshop for families building the Quick Canoe – choice of either the electric or the paddling versions along with Duckworks and J.O. Woodworking.

Photos and slideshow from the Goolwa Wooden Boatshow 2011.

Over 250 boats – mostly in the water. Wooden hydroplanes, “restricted 21s”, riverboats, putt putt launches, classic sailing boats, kayaks, canoes and more.

I had the quick canoe, the eureka canoe and the OzRacer on the stand that was shared with Duck Flat Wooden Boats and Boatcraft Pacific. Good time was had by all.

Dete Hasse and his family built a Goat Island Skiff in Geelong, Victoria a while ago. He has just written to me about his experiences trying to sail on Port Phillip Bay and more happily on the recently refilled (the drought is over!) Lake Eppalock.

Also he makes some good comments about reefing and how it changes an overpowered boat into a much more rriendly beast in stronger winds.

The Goolwa Wooden Boat show is on the coming weekend.

Storer Boat Plans and Duckflat are having a joint stand as per normal.

The show itself is free this year with 250 boats entered in events or on display.

You can pay money for dry bags to store gear in when canoeing, kayaking or sailing. Or pay even more for buoyancy bags that keep you boat afloat after capsize.

Here Ian tells us how we can make our own cheaply.

A nice little reverie from Clinton who built a Quick Canoe this year.

After a hectic day in the city he paddled out into the middle of the lake to watch the eclipse in his $300 canoe.

The dot in the bay above is Perttu’s Microcruiser sailboat on a three day trip on the extensive Finnish waterways.

The boat is tiny – 8ft long and is based on my successful OzRacer design (formerly OZ PDRacer)

It is a brilliant concept and sails well upwind and down on inland waters.

A new plan specifically for an electric trolling motor. 5 to 6mph from a 34lb thrust Minn Kota.

This is a purpose designed low power boat for daytrips and fishing. The plans are $30 and many will be able to build the boat for less than $200.

For the Goose – a first sailing report in moderate winds – and it works.

Also a free plan for a ketch/yawl version, and …

… Michael goes on a bit about the real differences between a ketch and a yawl

An economics graph on a wooden boat plan website?

I am talking about getting out on the water in hard economic times – wooden boats can be very cheap and very, very good.

Do a Huck Finn and drift down the Mississippi in a light and simple plywood canoe or sailboat. Adventuring is cheap!

A few more pictures from the duckflat spring school.

Boats from Oughtred, Storer, CLC, White and Wooden Boat Magazine