Building first wooden boat

[DMRM]

I want to build my first wooden boat with my 10 year old son. I am looking for resources for plans and designs. Planning on building a 12' -16' boat that will use an outboard motor. Will use boat in Lake Tahoe.
Any advise would be appreciated.

[johnw]

check out "How to Build Wooden Boats" by Edwin Monk. I'm particularly fond of his 14' 8" runabout, Sunbeam.

It's a Dover book and only costs $10.95, so if you decide to build something else, you haven't lost much.

[wharf rat]

Google free boat plans--you'll get a number of hits there. Then go to http://www.boat-links.com/boatlink.html and take look in the Designers and Plans section. Our forum hosts sell a number of books with plans. Plus a trip to any large library will turn up lots of books with plans. There's lots of really neat boats out there--you'll have a tough time making a choice.

Have fun.

[Lewisboats]

There is a couple of freebies on duckworks magazine http://duckworksmagazine.com on the plans page that would fit

[BarnacleGrim]

Tell us how you intend to use the boat. Picnics, fishing, or just plain going fast?

Do you want an economical displacement hull, or a fast planing hull?

[DMRM]

Looking for a fast planing, picnics, fishing, basically a fun all around boat that can handle a 30hp outboard.

[TerryLL]

The Ben Garvey by Doug Hylan would fit the bill. Plans available from our host. Suitable for a first build. One being built right now by a forumite.


http://www.dhylanboats.com/dhbplanbg1.jpg
15'9" Ben Garvey


Or maybe something larger. The Big Ben.

http://www.dhylanboats.com/dhbplanbg3.jpg
19' Big Ben

http://www.dhylanboats.com/

[KingKuvas]

Lady Bug Boats offers a 14 ft skiff plans start at 75.00 also you get the plans for the 18 and center console with a cd that has many photos of construction and options. Also he (Ken) gives you his cell# so you can call him if you have any questions he was very helpful to me and i am sure his cell bill was more than the price of the plans just with me a great guy and a great product check it out you wont be disapointed

[Thorne]

Just remember that Tahoe has a tendency to either be glassy smooth or VERY rough. I'm told they lose 40'+ boats out there during storms.

My only experience was sailing Tahoe for a week on my old San Juan 21, making nearly a full circuit of the shore. The last two days were quite rough, with winds and swell coming from all directions -- very much like sailing/motoring in a washing machine. Could easily have lost the boat on the rocks as there are few if any harbors or breakwaters on the east shoreline.

Depending on your use of the boat, you may want something with fore and side decks. These can help keep boat and crew dry with the large powerboat wakes you'll be dealing with, plus gives crew a comfy place to perch or even lie down.

As much as I like the garvey, perhaps a more classic speedboat design might better meet your needs? Glen-L has some, many others also availble.

http://www.glen-l.com/picboards/picboard16/pic856-2.jpg

http://www.glen-l.com/

[jehicks87]

Check out Bateau's designs. I'm going to begin on a "fast skiff 17" design from this company, and it looks simple enough. I'll be using a 35 horse merc. You may want to check out the "Garvey 15", it's in the same style as bass tracker boats, or a smaller version of the "fast skiff" designs. They seem to fit your parameters as they did mine.

Good luck and have fun!

http://bateau.com/proddetail.php?prod=GV15
http://bateau.com/proddetail.php?prod=FS17

[Wiley Baggins]

One at 14' - http://koti.kapsi.fi/hvartial/rpunt/rpunt.htm (rowing)

One at 15'8" - http://koti.kapsi.fi/hvartial/wpunt/wpunt.htm (intended for an outboard)

[mgb]

Doesn't Lake Tahoe require 4-strokes? Better choose a boat that's happy with a heavy engine.

[Thorne]

It is really not a lake for small boats -- both the wakes and weather tend to push the "bigger is better" theory. Kayaks and canoes that can be pulled up on rocky shorelines in bad weather are one thing, but boats that need to anchor or dock are another entirely.

One of my most vivid memories is how I anchored in some places along the shore. The lake is 1600' deep in the middle and has few shallows other than the southern end, so most shoreline waters tend to be deep and without soil/mud/sand -- just rocks on granite.

So I'd drop my anchor in the crystal-clear water and motor carefully in circles, winding the chain and line around the boulders on the bottom. In the morning I'd do the same in reverse.