Lightning

As always the advice and guidance from the forum is appreciated. My Lightning plans have come and it is not going to be my first project for several reasons. Space and budget, also probably skill, are going to make it a future boat. I will say it looks like a great boat and at some point I hope to sail a Lightning of my own. I am still on the lookout for a day sailer of about sixteen feet for 2 to 3 people but can be sailed by one. Preferably it will be open as possible with a shallow draft with centerboard or daggerboard up.
Robert

 

At the risk of being struck by 'lightning' by fellow members - may I suggest you start with a 'Mirror' dinghy. It fits all your requirements.

 

Also good boats, the Windmill and the Snipe. Simple hard chine plywoodable boats.
Bear in mind, weight determines a boat's real size, as affects building time, as long as the method of building isn't exotic.
Hence, a simple dory, which might weigh 250 lbs at 20 ft, is a far easier boat to build than a 12 ft Beetle Cat sailboat at 600 lbs.
As a matter of fact, one really great project is the Bolger Gloucester Gull dory.
The plans are cheap and there's a book, I think, devoted to the building process. I'm thinking of building the boat myself as a rowing platform. I already have all the materials, even a small sail, so it will make a nice winter project and allow me to more easily part with my bigger daysailer, which will roll over into another bigger project.

Alan