EC 2010 - Part Three
In the first two parts, Oaracle begins the Everglades Challenge, makes it to the first checkpoint, and is now in the open Gulf of Mexico off Florida's southwest coast.

Shen Ku
This time we have a great review of the book Shen Ku.

Mark Steele’s Model Yacht Column
Mark Steele on the wonderful hobby of model sailboating.

EC 2010 - Part Two
The first big decision had to be made: inside or outside? Inside was a path with narrow channels and possible blocked wind and outside was a journey with too many low bridges for the mast. Which way...

The Texas200, 2010
This is not a report on the Texas 200, but a musing on the experience and realizations as the event unfolded by Bill Moffitt.

My Four Day Trip
This trip was an adventure to say the least. Peter managed to deal with every disaster, but it wasn't easy and he learnt a lot. Read now he did it.

Building Annie - A Navigator 15ft Yawl - Pt 2
A pictorial essay of a Navigator build. A lot of these boats have been built and a lot more will be built. These pictures will help a lot.

Two Boats
"Here are two boats built on the same mold with about 200 years difference in technique and materials. One is the most beautiful boat I have ever seen and the other,,, we'll see".

Triad
Did you know that Joe Dobler designed a trimaran? Well here it is and the plans are available through our store. Read on and see what others have said about this great 'tried and tested' design.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fan's of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter. This time he begins a series of articles about the Texas200.

Mikesboat Capsize
I managed to capsize our MikesBoat yawl during the second day, Tuesday, May 25, of the 2010 OBX130 in Core Sound, North Carolina. This is how I did it...

Stasha: The Lightest Nesting Dinghy in the World
The Stasha, the world’s lightest nesting dinghy weighs as much as a baby bird (wandering albatross chick). Stasha is a cloth covered dinghy that nests (not like a bird) - that's new...

Our Young Navy - Part Four
This is the final part of a great series on what are now old ships but, back then, these great boats formed 'our young navy'.

Cedar Key 2010
As usual the weather was perfect at Cedar Key. I tried to count the boats, maybe 75 to 100, but it's hard to tell cause they're all over the place. This is my pictorial of Cedar Key, 2010.

Ella and Light Trow
This is new release of the sailing version of the Ella skiff, and the Mk2 version of the Light Trow. If you downloaded either or both in the past, you will want the new versions.

The Keuka Whaler - Part Two
To quote Iain, "In the end, the only rule is to get it looking good. The problem with this, as John Gardner points out, is that it depends on who is doing the looking."

Building Annie - A Navigator 15ft Yawl - Pt 1
A Pictorial Essay of a Navigator Build. Sometimes it is just the one picture that helps you build...

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fan's of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter. His essays are always worth reading.

Introducing the Sandy Shoal 16
Rob's first simple nail and glue design based on Michalak's AF4B and the plans are available in our store.

The Mangrove Jack 3.65 - Part Three
The boat is finished, painted and the legal stuff is on. The concept is now a reality and the boat performs just like it did in the dream.

S.C.A.M.P
10' long, they emailed, Sleep aboard for a weekend. It should daysail an adult and two children. Really easy to build in a garage, and small enough to not need an expensive trailer or a big car to tow it. Here it is...

Mark Steele’s Model Yacht Column
Another round up of model sailboats new from Mark Steele.

SPECIAL REPORT: THE TEXAS 200

The Ollie Punt ...and other Half-Sheet Boats - Pt 2
The ukulele headed paddle is a reasonably efficient form of propulsion. Don't worry I didn't use real ukuleles... This is part two of the Ollie punt.

Koko - Part Two
Jake (my dog) and I left Tuesday's campsite too late to catch the early milder winds. Very soon I realized I'd be lucky to hang on...

Koko - Part One
We had the largest group ever, 24 souls by Dewitt's tally. Join us on the 09 Kokopelli.

Andrew OBX 130 - Part Three
It was still blowing like stink and raining puppies, so I figured my gear would be safe enough for me to make a quick run back to camp and grab some food.

Andrew OBX 130 - Part Two
The winds had increased overnight, shrieking through the rigging and filling the seas with 'white horses.'

Andrew OBX 130 - Part One
The drive had been grueling, but it had been a different kind of gruel than that which was to follow over the next five days.

Chuck's OBX 130 Photo Essay - Part Two
Part two of the OBX130 photo essay. Find out what happened on a trip that turned out to be quite a challenge.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fan's of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter. His essays are always worth reading.

Chuck's OBX 130 Photo Essay - Part One
Chuck presents a pictorial essay fresh from the OBX130.

Our Young Navy - Part Three
'As the big strong frigates inspired by Joshua Humphreys were taking shape, Josiah Fox and William Doughty continued designing ships'. Paul continues to look at America's early ships.

The Jolly Olly - Part Two
Part two of the pirate rampage. This time we get to see the finihsed result. Looks like fun.

The Jolly Olly - Part One
It's not a lot of plywood, but it is a whole lot of fun. Today an Aussie tells us how to make a mini pirate ship.

Imp
Gavin Atkin designed this canoe a little while ago, but it was recently rediscovered by a reader. So here it is again for those who have not seen it or for those who would like to see it again.

TOTER-2 Sponsons
Ken has tweaked the Toter-2 design a little and created some sponsons for it. If you are considering building a Toter-2, this is a must read article. If not, what a good idea sponsons are and they work a treat.

Money for Old Rope
This article tells you how to get someone to give you good money for old rope. You do have to play with it a bit first.

Ebihen 15/16
Another great design by François Vivier. It can be built in two lengths with several rig options.

Rechargeable Tool Rehabilitation - Part 2
This article is the second part of the series on what to do with those dead battery drills. Last time we looked at replacing and repairing battery packs in rechargeable tools.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fan's of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter. His essays are always worth reading.

SPECIAL REPORT: THE OBX130

EC 2010 - Part One
"And so it was. But fortunately – unlike launching – doing the entire 300 miles of the annual WaterTribe Everglades Challenge solo was not significantly harder that doing it with a crew."

Canoe - William Henry Harrison
This design is an experimental takeoff of the Quick Canoe 155. You won't believe what Herb and his dog does with it.

Mark Steele’s Model Yacht Column
Mark Steele writes on model yachts and model yachting.

Kids Kayaks
Two great kid kayaks of Luis' own design. This article is complete with advice on tools, materials and building instructions.

The Ollie Punt ...and other Half-Sheet Boats - Pt 1
There are a number of sites on the internet and articles devoted to the one sheet boat. Ian has fun with some of the designs.

The Mangrove Jack 3.65 - Part Two
"After the first month, the hull has been glued, turned over, and the internal joins glued and filleted, the seat boxes have been fabricated and floors cut and all panels pre-cut".

Scenes From the Dink
Steve's back West after yet another epic road trip. He shows us some great shots from last winter on the West Coast of Florida.

The Picton Castle
Paul's son Clark is going on a trip of a lifetime on a tall ship called the Picton Castle. Paul tell us about it and how to follow the progress of the ship.

The Boat Shower
This idea is a gem. A simple boat shower for a quick cleanup. And, there is a solar version as well.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fan's of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter. His essays are always worth reading.

The Mangrove Jack 3.65 - Part One
"The answer to me was a V-Nose punt. I considered designing it myself, but lack the expertise. So seeing a couple of articles by Mark Bowdidge, I rang him and discussed my concept". This is the result.

Rodent 240
"This started as an exercise to see if I could build a brand new boat very cheaply for my 5 year old son. It ended with a boat that other young sailors love".

Our Young Navy - Part Two
Paul looks at the great ships and those who conceptualized, built and designed them. This is part two of the series.

Repairing a cross threaded sparkplug hole
This outboard just had to be saved but it has a stripped spark plug thread. This is no problem with the right tool and a little delicate tinkering. Brian shows us exactly how to do it.

Ilur -The Sail and Oar Star
Today we feature a great design by François Vivier called Ilur. It can be used for fishing and even coastal cruising!

Fifth Annual Fl Gulf Coast Small Craft Festival
Join Dave at the festival and see some great shots of some great boats. He tell us what each boat is and who owns them. Take a look and enjoy!

Building Kayleigh - Part Two
"Outfitting is an ongoing process for any boat. Like an artist doing a painting, at some point you just have to quit. But I never seem to quit on my boats".

Rechargeable Tool Rehabilitation - Part 1
Robs talks us through checking batteries in this part one column on rechargeable drills. He gives us all the technical details for the job.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fan's of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter. His essays are always worth reading.

Have a Masked Ball
A great 'how to' on masking tape. Did you know not to use newspaper?

Mark Steele’s Model yacht column
Those inexpensive Nirvana’s, Sailing Solings at West Delray in Florida, a `Funny Ha Ha’ World Match Race Series, an American event at Herreshoffs, and an incredibly large and lovely Whaler!

TOTER-2 Sail
We've read about the TOTER-2 on the 30th March. Well, as promised, the TOTER2 SAIL Plans are now available.

Jim's CLC Pram
Jim decided to go for a kit rather than build completely from scratch. He choose a Passagemaker kit and was very pleased with the whole package from CLC, including the finished boat's performance.

Teddy Bear's Holiday
At times this was no picnic for us Teddys with the wind and the water on us, but Rob and family really enjoyed this cruise in their Philsboat.

Stems and Trailers
Now, you would think that getting a light fourteen-foot lapstrake (clinker) dinghy onto a trailer would be a simple matter, and so it should be.

Sailing the Michalak Blobster (A World First!)
Two years ago Miles started building the Jim Michalak design he called ‘Blobster’. He named her 'Bob' - "(why not? That’s what you want a boat to do at the very least)".

Building a Lutra Laker - A Work in Progress
After having two kayaks and one canoe under his belt, Mike felt it was time for a change. He searched for a motor boat and he chose to build David Nichol's Lutra Laker.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fan's of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter. His essays are always worth reading.

The Keuka Whaler - Part One
"I have a quixotic dream; I see whaleboats on the Fingerlakes of New York". Some years ago Craig began to dream about a community rowboat project and he tells us about it.

Power Pelican - Part 1
Rich has owned a lot of boats over the years. Now it's time to just go motoring, but at a relaxed pace. The Great Pelican is started to answer Rich's dream of cabin motorboat.

Our Young Navy - Part One
How did Hackett come to design the Hancock known immediately by the British as the fastest frigate in the world? Paul answers this question as he examines frigate design.

An Easy Waterproof Switchbox
For a new simple switch box, Gary got a hard plastic waterproof box, with an o-ring seal, hinged top, and latches to hold it closed which sells for around $6 at WalMart.

Bird's Mouth Spar Size Calculators
This is a great 'how to' article which explains clearly how to navigate those seemingly complicated birdsmouth spar calculators.

New Design: EZ2 Canoe by Ken Simpson
...I have redesigned the EZ CANOE to be more technically current, and a little more roomy. It now employs features I find to be easier to assemble, and at the same time provides a more durable little boat.

Now, Where Was I?
Sometimes we have been away from our project for so long that we forget what we were doing and where we put those bolts. It takes time to refigure things out, but once Paul did he gained momentum.

Pathfinders Kitchen
Do you go cruising and forget the can opener or frying pan? Perry's solution to this problem is a kitchen box with everything that opens and shuts. He gives us the free plans to build it.

Edge Tool Envy - Part 3
Last time we looked at getting a sharp edge. This time let’s look at reviving a dead block plane.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fan's of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter. His essays are always worth reading.

TOTER-2
This updated version of the original TOTER has some added desirable attributes. It now can seat 2 people in tandem, it can use a nonmodified trolling motor for power and it has built-in buoyancy.

Kiwi PDR
Jackie Monies, who's boatbuilder husband Mike had just built a PD Racer, commissioned this design for herself. The result is this stylish PDR with lateen (Sunfish) rig.

Where the Winds Blow...
Six fine schooners, piratical Footy rambustifications, an intriguing Scandinavian Barquentine and time spent zailing and zizzing!!

Drag Boat
Fred has built a canoe that he can paddle, fish from, drag around and fit in his car - well amost fit in his car.

I Do Stitch-and-Glue
For many years now, I’ve been keeping a dark secret. But now the time has come for me to confess – I like Stitch-and-Glue as a building method for boats!

Building an Aleut Baidarka
This article by Peter includes the history of the boats and a great lesson on how to make a tailor made one.

Drifting on the Rio Grande
The river is low and the no swimming sign makes no sense right now, but Paul cook has a great trip along the Rio Grande.

Boat Canvas
A great article on 'how to' get started in the boat canvas business. The advice here is actually priceless and will get you started for less.

Building Kayleigh - Part One
The Kayleigh design has a generous cabin and very clean lines. The displacement hull incorporates a lot of rocker and tucked transom with a hull speed of around 6 mph with 6hp outboard engine and Terry built it.

A Season Saved
Bad weather and outboard trouble did not deter Bob Throne who went on to have a great season and he shares it with us.

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fan's of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter. His essays are always worth reading.

SPECIAL REPORT: EVERGLADES CHALLENGE 2010

Pepita
New Design: This Lightweight Dinghy or Tender Taped Seam Construction was designed in 1979 by Joe Dobler and the plans are now available at Duckworks.

Take a Bow to Design
This month Paul Austin takes a close look at design, especially the shape of bows.

Vacuum Infusion
A new adhesive to assist with the vacuum bagging process for you today and it works a treat.

AWOL
A new sloop design by John Welsford today and it's fast.

Lucky Town 7
Dissatisfied with the available production boats for what he terms mini cruising, Bill Longyard decided to design and build his own, to "show what could be done with 14 feet". And show he did, and then some.

Lighter and Stronger
An article by Paul Butler with some terrific tips for building light and strong boats. "...a graphite-coated bottom can be dragged without harm across parking lots, down launch ramps, and over gravel beaches".

Madisonville Wooden Boat Festival 2009
"The Lake Charles Sail and Power Squadron chartered a bus to go this year’s festival on Saturday, October11, 2009". Join Ken and view his great photographs.

Cruise Control 5.2
New Design: This is a S & G Fishing Boat/Runabout with Cuddy design by Mark Bowdidge. It's light, quick to build, easy on the pocket, and yet it still retain its strength, seaworthiness and performance.

Edge Tool Envy - Part Two
Rob's article shows us how to sharpen our tools to a good edge. "You can do it while watching TV once you’re good at it".

Jim Michalak's Newsletter
We are big fan's of Jim Michalak's designs and like to let you know when there is a new issue of his newsletter. His essays are always worth reading.