Launchings

At the age of 12, Kevin McDonnell decided he wanted to build a boat. He sought advice from a family friend, Steven Schoeck, who had already built several boats. Steven agreed to help, provided Kevin did the work.

John T. Brunson writes that, at 70, he has refinished his Alcort Super Sailfish with all new bronze hardware and the original decals.

These are 10ft flat bottom skiffs built by 5th graders at the Dennis Haley Elementary School in Boston. Materials are: 3/8″ fir, marine ply bottom, white oak stem, frames, knees, rails and keelson, old growth eastern pine planking, silicone bronze fastened.

J. Keith MacKenzie started construction on this Jay Benford dinghy in 2002. A 74 years of age, Keith thought it was time he built a rowing boat. He got materials and help from Captain Jim Shotwell of Nescopeck, PA.

Rick Miller of Miller Marine Systems completed this Penobscot 14 in 2003. She is a pulling version of the Arch Davis 14' x 4'6" design, using a daggerboard. LOLLYPOP was delivered to her owner, Charles Ward of Barbados, West Indies and launched on December 25, 2003.

Customized Solo PortageThe canoe was completed in 2013. The overall dimensions are of the Solo Portage scale with the modifications made by adding both an inner and outer stem in the bow and stern.The boat is designed as a single blade paddle canoe. The length is 14′6″.

Seth Behn writes, "Knowing that having two would be both more economical to build and more fun in the water, these two Shellback dinghies were built by my father and I in his garage in Fort Lauderdale, Florida." KIM'S KETCH (with the blue stripe) was launched in early 2007 and TOUCAN DEUX was lau

This is my 18′ Carolina dory. Materials are from local lumber yards except for the bronze screws. This was a fun project, the plans from Spira International were easy to read and the boat gets plenty of compliments.

Carl Sylvester built this 15′3″ Gloucester Gull dory as an economy boat using fir marine plywood on pine frames. He fiberglassed bottom of the hull designed by Phil Bolger and Dynamite Payson.

Relaunched after nearly 30 years. The boat has been refinished, the engine has been thoroughly serviced and a fuel pump added. What a sweet little boat, they just don't build them like this anymore. The hull is molded birch and as sound as new.