I started this group to show that there are some positive sides to the quarantine. Many of us are stuck at home, so what boats are good candidates to build from my plans or some others.
Maybe you can go sailing too!
Criteria for boats to be home built during virus quarantine.
- Boat should be easy to build for first time builders
- Plan should be very detailed
- Materials should be available locally
- Some specialist materials may need to be ordered online and delivered
- Time to build should not be too long but not too short
- Suitable for kids to be a part of the building process
- No truly fancy parts unless these are to be fitted later to a basic hull.
Many suppliers and manufacturers have been closed down or short of workers…
…so order materials early
One exception in many countries are hardware and big box stores. They are classified as essential in many countries – leaky taps, broken toilets, leaky roofs need to be fixed.
Recommended boat plans from us to build at home while practicing social distancing …
The Quick Canoe
This canoe comes from three sheets of 1/4″ (5 or 6mm) plywood.
The plan includes methods for builidng with polyester resin, fibreglass tape and alternative glues like Tightbond 2 or PL Premium.
It can carry a sail or be converted into a trimaran with a bigger sail (see below).
50 to 60lb finished.
If you have access to the materials they are even better built with epoxy glue as a simpler building method becomes available.
Measurement points are marked direct on the ply. Nails are put into the ply at each point and then a batten or electric conduit or similar bent around the nails to mark out the shape. Any mistake in measuring is easy to spot and the measurement rechecked.
They can be pre assembled with duct or gaffer tape. Then fibreglass tape in resin is put along the seams inside. Then the tape removed from the outside and glass tape put on the outside.
Some timber around the top edge and along the bottom middle and the shell is ready to add the seats.
There is an awesome video that uses epoxy.
Video image can take a moment to load.
The Quick Canoe Electric
Takes an inexpensive electric trolling motor to go much faster than paddling.
Has a lot of volume to carry a good weight
3-4 sheets of ply. Polyester or epoxy resin (see comments for boat above)
Builds in the same method as the video above. 60lbs depending on built-ins.
Strolling through a big box store while visiting the USA I was amazed at how low the prices were for trolling motors. A 34lb thrust outboard moves this at much more than paddling speed.
One was fitted with a 2hp outboard and it went fast enough to give me nerves about the structure and the chance of flipping it – about 15mph.
Stick to low power. Comments about the boat above apply to this one too. Two batteries will keep you moving for most of a day.
See Joe and his family explore the backwaters of the Snowhomish River with electric power.
Turn an existing canoe into a fast outrigger sailboat or a diving platform.
Drop in outriggers
Convert that old canoe into an awesome sailboat.
Only limitation is that the material of the canoe has to allow strong points to be mounted to lash the crossbeams.
So sorry … plastic kayaks are out. But fibreglass, aluminium, wood and plywood are OK.
2 sheet ply 5/32 to 1/4″ (4 to 6mm_ and timber
For purchasers of the outrigger plan we have a free supplement (just email me) giving a sail design for a 50 square foot sail that you can make yourself from polytarp.
Also makes a stable platform for diving. The outrigger canoes throughout the Pacific are not an accident! Here are our outriggers being used for just that out on the islands.
Another one for the Canoe you have now … a drop in sailing rig without outriggers
The sail area is more modest but it still sails well.
The leeboard is part of the support structure for the mast so only need to fit and remove one part.
Some timber and a bit of ply.
Recommended sail area 20 to 35 sf and we get sails here at Duckworks. The one in the pic right is home made.
Also Models are great to get the idea of what you are building or as an activity for kids.
Making models can have two functions.
- An activity of building a model boat for kids at home or for home schooling.
- To give you an idea if you want to build the actual boat.
This is where to get some fully legal free plans of real boats that can be used show you where to get some free plans as an activity for kids
- Free – Duckworks catalog page for free plans. They have all been checked by the team at duckworks, so they are complete and buildable.
- Paid – My plans. Duckworks (USA and the world) or Boatcraft Pacific (Australia) or Fyne Kits (Europe).
Here are some pics of a model of our 23/27ft dayboat. A model helps you understand the building process and will save you heaps of time on the actual project.
A Stand up Paddleboard if you can get 3 or 4mm ply (5/16 or 1/8″)
The advantage of this design is you can sit indoors with a carpet/stanley knife and cut bits out. All the prep work can be done on a dining table. Don’t cut the table though!
The downside is finding the thinner ply, preferably in gaboon/okoume. Might be possible at this time of outbreaks and quarantine.
Look at all the lovely little pieces to cut out.
Two things to remember while we have Corona Virus circulating
Find some positive activities
Plan for getting outdoors again after it is over
My other plans are here
Click this Link for boats that are only slightly more elaborate than the selection above.
Hello Michael. A couple of years ago I purchased the canoe sail from Really Simple Sails ( 36 sq. ft. sail). I have since purchased the Osgoose sailboat plans. My question is is there any way I could use the smaller sail initially once I build the Ozgoose. I realize it will be very much under canvassed but would I be able to use it until I purchase the proper sail.Thank you for any advise you can provide. Take care.
Hi Michael,
I’m sorry, but at 36ft it will be very underpowered. With a light crew you may be able to go downwind and some reaching in medium to strongish winds. But I think it will be very difficult to get back upwind with such a small sail so far forward.
Best wishes
Michael.