Stitch and Glue Motor Cruiser Plans Wanted

Hi

I was planning to build a stitch and glue sailboat. I got as far as buying all the tools and even bought some plans. Yes bought. Well I have been told by my financial adviser that she would prefer a motor cruiser instead. Therefore I am wondering does anyone have a suggestion where I can get good FREE stitch and glue designs from.

My workspace is most likely going to be a small domestic garage therefore no titanic sized designs please. Something that will fit two or three people is OK. Outboard or inboard.

I just want something that I can travel up the rivers and canals of Ireland in. Just think small caravan on water.

Cheers
balood

 

Take a good look at this site. Several sizes, all S & G, has some build pics, not free but very inexpensive plans. You could design your own cabin. http://bluejacketboats.com/

 

http://www.devlinboat.com/ Not free though.

By the time you finish the several hundred Euros for a good set of plans will be a small fraction of your total expenditures.

 

There are a lot of power cruiser plans available, most not free, but also most not perpendicularly costly either. Free plans tend to be incomplete, with a long dead designer you can't ask questions of (usually important) and often the design uses materials no longer available and techniques that are less then desirable, compared to modern building methods.

What size cruiser are you looking for? What conditions will it run in?

 

Good free plans? Is that like jumbo shrimp?
Look at the Tolman Skiff The plans are in the book.
My experience with free plans was a disaster. You will save money by buying good plans.

 

Hi balood I have built two Glen-L boats and found their plans to be very good "not free" but worth every penny they also have a great forum if you have any questions, like the others say stay away from free plans as you may find yourself with a half built boat and a big hole in your pocket.
Here are some you might like, maybe I'll see you on the water sometime

http://www.boatdesigns.com/16-Cabin-Skiff-outboard-tabloid-cruiser/products/503/

http://www.boatdesigns.com/20-CS-20-outboard-cabin-cruiser/products/502/

http://www.boatdesigns.com/16-or-18-Tug-Along-SG-tugboat/products/669/

I only had basic DIY skills when I started my first build so if your not 100% set on stitch & glue have a look at some of the other boats most of them are intended for the first time builder. http://www.glen-l.com/boat-plans-catalog-300-boats-you-can-build/



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Tolman Skiff, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolman_Skiff

I built this 25' Jumbo in my 27' long garage.

 

I consider investing 200 USD, give or take a bit depending on desinger, on a set of plans suitable for 20-25' cruiser as "free" all accounted for. Even the literally free support offered by most big DIY-designers and their respective user boards is alone worth more than that.

You can save that cost in basic materials, plywood, cloth, and epoxy, on the hull alone by having a good BOM and by avoiding simple mistakes.

 

balood

What size?

What sea faring ability? I would assume little to none if you are talking a true canal boat.

But, are you talking a true 'narrow?' A wide boat? Or a European canal boat?

Or, are you talking something like a true camper on floats? A pontoon houseboat? Or, an American style 'house boat?'

One berth and 24'? Or, 2 to 3 berths and 35 foot?

Monohull, or multi?