Launchings

When I retired from Coast Guard active duty in 2007, I made a promise to myself to build a boat. Purchased a pirogue kit and plans from Uncle Johns in 2008.

Phyxius is a kayak race boat. It is a CLC designed kit — West River 180. It is 4mm plywood built super light. I have over 250 miles of competition. John Harris got this design out of his obsolete files and retooled it for me. A very good boat for moderate distance racing.

CAPITAL GAINES is a glass over plywood boat constructed with sapele frames, meranti marine plywood, with sapele and cypress accents. It’s powered with a Yamaha 70hp outboard motor.

Dave Quillen writes that he built and named this boat for his daughter, the actual Lila Wildy. The boat is 14' long, and is constructed of 1/4" marine plywood hull planking, western red cedar stringers, with cypress keel, stem, and rail caps.

Lil Tyke is a 15′4″ (on deck) x 5′ 4″ beam sloop, designed by Edwin Monk. The design and construction information was published in the 1958 issue of “Boats you can build” by Popular Mechanics, #592.Built, using fir frames, 1/4″ plywood and sheathed in Epoxy/Fiberglass.

This Calkins-designed double ender wanders the waters of Alberni Inlet under the command of her owner and builder, Walt Kusmin. At 26 feet long, she is on the large side for a home-built boat. BEAUFORT RANGER was first built in 1966, and relaunched in 2003 by Walt.

In August 2023, David O’Halloran of Sparta, NJ and Manhattan, NY, launched the Meli-Ha-Ha, a Francois Vivier deigned Morbic 11, on Lake Mohawk. Measuring 11′ LOA with a 5′ beam, this traditional French sail and oar dingy was built with a Clint Chase kit in my garage using the strip plank method.

Bob Linton of Rainbow Canoes designed and built this 20' x 37" asymmetrical flat-bottomed canoe with extreme tumblehome, caned seat backs, and a fan-shaped down wind sail.

Herb Friese built this 16' x 35" cedar strip canoe, Abenaki model, from plans and materials supplied by Newfound Woodworks, Bristol, NH. Herb said it took about eight months of part-time work in his garage. The canoe will be used in the waters around Catskill, NY, by owner Kathleen Farrell.