Free plan ideas please for a boat for my wee boy

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by miniman, Nov 28, 2011.

  1. miniman
    Joined: Jun 2009
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    Location: scotland

    miniman Junior Member

    My wee lad wants his own boat for x-mas. He is only 5 years old, but has already done a lot of sailing on my yacht and classic clinker dinghy.
    I want to build him a simple flat bottomed boat (skiff?) so it has high form stability.
    I want to use 8x4 plywood sheets. Size is to be 8 or 9 foot roughly in length. Its also better at this size for storage and getting it to the loch without a trailer (on the handirack blow up roofrack)
    Is there any designs out there that look like the Goat Island Skiff or similar but smaller and free as a download or simple measured offsets?
    Its to row and sail with a very simple rig. Ive looked at optimists, but they look horrible, and I dont like pram designs.

    I have 3 sheets of 6mm (1/4") ply, and 2 sheets of 10mm 3/8" to use for the build.

    Help please guys.....

    Thanks in advance:)
     
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  2. miniman
    Joined: Jun 2009
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    Location: scotland

    miniman Junior Member

    Forgot to say that the plan doesnt have to show a sail rig or any details for sailing, just the basic hull. I can add these bits myself easily.
     
  3. michael pierzga
    Joined: Dec 2008
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

    Even a small fellow can row a real boat. Years ago I had a steve redmond design called Whisp. Very simple construction and light enough for a little fellow to manhandle and big enough for him to grow into.

    http://www.sredmond.com/index_boat.htm
     
  4. miniman
    Joined: Jun 2009
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    miniman Junior Member

    I have the boats for him to grow into already.
    This just has to be a cute small boat that he can see is purely for him. Ie - fat dad wont be able to fit into it!! lol
    He can row my dinghy, and its 12 foot. He's better at rowing the inflatable dinghy off the yacht though, cos the oars are lighter.
     
  5. michael pierzga
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

    Young boys like to go fast...that redmond design is FAST,
     
  6. miniman
    Joined: Jun 2009
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    Location: scotland

    miniman Junior Member

    I can see its a slippery design.
    2 faults with it tho:-
    1- its too narrow. I want a very stable boat.
    2- its too expensive! I am a Scot remember!!

    I also need a downloadable plan so I can get building asap. I have to get this simple boat done for xmas THIS year!!!
     
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  7. lewisboats
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    Location: Iowa

    lewisboats Obsessed Member

  8. miniman
    Joined: Jun 2009
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    Location: scotland

    miniman Junior Member

    Very nice!!
    Thats more like what Im after.
    Thanks.

    Any other designs out there? I will wait until tomorrow morning to make the build decision. (its nearly clocking off time here at the moment! 4:40pm)
     
  9. lewisboats
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    Location: Iowa

    lewisboats Obsessed Member

  10. Tiny Turnip
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    Tiny Turnip Senior Member

  11. lewisboats
    Joined: Oct 2002
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    lewisboats Obsessed Member

    If you are interested I have a 10 ft version of Roamer done but I don't have the offsets for the panels done yet. I could do them up in a day or so. You supply the interior as you need it.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  12. Wynand N
    Joined: Oct 2004
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    Location: South Africa

    Wynand N Retired Steelboatbuilder

    Here are some pictures of the Portuguese dinghy on the dry - hull built as a starter project by a fellow member ManieB and finished off by yours truly.

    It is equipped for an electric transom mount trolling motor and battery box about amidships in tunnel.
    It carries me (130kg) in front with 105kg helmsman with ease including fishing tackle gear and 2hp on the transom with gunnel about 250 - 300mm above water and quite stable for such small boat :cool:
    She is made further unsinkable over and above the fact that she already is being built by marine ply by having a sealed (safe and dry personal items stowage) compartment in bow, the tunnel fwd and aft of battery box sealed and also the box below rear seat sealed.
     

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  13. miniman
    Joined: Jun 2009
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    miniman Junior Member

    Steve, that 10ft Roamer looks like it could be the winner for me!!!
    Its a better looking shape than the Summer Breeze, with fully curved rocker.
    The portugese dinghy is a wee bit caracature style for me, but its nice in its own way.

    Please dont go out of your way to do the offsets, but if you get a spare chance they would be great.
    I can make up the rest of the innards very easily.
    I can also take many pics and do a build thread on its build if you like in return?

    I look forward to hearing from you,

    Thanks,

    Barry
     
  14. pistnbroke
    Joined: Jan 2009
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    Location: Noosa.Australia where god kissed the earth.

    pistnbroke I try

    Carene software to get the basics then export to freeship to develop the plates and get the offsets ..20 min job done.... let me have a proper e mail address via PM if you want carene software and its instruction book ... its getting difficult to find .
     

  15. Collin
    Joined: Nov 2011
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    Location: Olympia, WA

    Collin Senior Member

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