Launchings

Columbia Dinghy. Classic lapstrake dinghy from early 1900’s designed by Herreshoff.

Brian and Brenda Isaacs built this Melonseed skiff in the early 1990s. They used the information in Howard Chapelle's book "American Small Sailing Craft," extending the length by 18" to make room for their cargo of children and dogs.

Glassy water is pretty easy in a 1960s fiberglass Alden rowing shell, but when the afternoon southwesterly comes up the New Meadows River in West Bath, Maine, the flat bottom craft wants to surf, yaw and roll as she’s headed downwind for home, John Van Orden went searching for a more sea kindly s

Built at our winter home in Belize from local woods:  Honduras mahogany for frames, stringers, etc; Spanish cedar for the planks.  

Andre Cloutier took a course in March 2007 at the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, NY with John Summers on how to build a 16/30 canoe. He took home the unfinished boat and continued working on it until the launch in early August 2007.

Ryan Dewsbury spent many hours sanding his Chesapeake Light Craft Sassafras 16 before launching it last May with Heather Bal on Lake Huron in Kincardine, Ontario.

Construction began in 2002 with a set of plans and a stack of wood and finally finished in 2018. Starting a business, raising three kids, selling a business all got in the way — excuses, excuses, I know. Lola was planked with okoume plywood with mahogany knees, inwales, skeg, and breasthook.

Rowboat #17 was developed over the course of 5 years. I had built 16 models to evaluate performance and ease of building. The main purpose was for pleasure rowing with my dogs Rowdy & Nala.

I’ve been building this auk for the last five years in my garage. The idea was that I would learn how to build a boat with this one and then move onto something a little larger, but I am not too sure how my wife will take to the news that I’m starting another one.