Launchings

“Talisa” is a Creek Indian word meaning “beautiful waters”. Designed specifically for shallow protected waterways, Talisa has been perfect for exploring the waters and backwaters of the St John’s River and springs of Central Florida.

Jonathan White of Victoria, Australia built this Acorn dinghy in just five months. It is made of 6mm marine plywood and hoop pine with five coasts of varnish all around, and another five coats inside for good measure.

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.

I built my John Welsford designed Houdini cat yawl in my garage. It took almost five years. The boat is constructed of okoume marine plywood, douglas fir and mahogany. The multi-chine hull was built with sawn plywood frames and douglas fir stringers.

Yankee Tender per Asa Thompson plans revised by Wooden Boat. Trim and transom modified. First boat made. Rows beautifully and very stable for a small boat.

Weighing only 20 pounds, this "mini-canoe" was designed and built by Robert Van Orden. He writes that it cost just over $50 and took about 20 hours to build. He used a single sheet of 3/16" plywood for the planking and made the stems and ribs from pine. It is 7'8" long and 27" wide.

Peter Philips summered on China Lake, Maine as a child. His cousins Sherman and Ray Kelsey owned this Jacoby Class step hydroplane (9' x 46"), which Peter has recently rebuilt. Named ME-53, she was relaunched in June 2004 after 6 years of restoration work.

PRISCILLA C is a small steam launch based on a Stuart Turner 5 A single cylinder engine of 2 1/4" bore and 2" stroke. It produces about 1/2 HP at 30 PSI from a water tube, wood fired boiler.

Bruce Lee writes of his newly built Arch Davis design Penobscot 14, "I built the boat in British Columbia, Canada before moving Sydney, Australia where I continue to do business as Lee Wooden Kayaks Canoes (Winner of Best Small Boat, Vancouver Wooden Boat Festival, 1999).

Here is a Jeff Spira designed Pescadero I recently completed. It’s a Carolina style dory style that's been customized for fishing the central west coast of Florida. The boat performs well and makes a great fishing platform.