Construction

Preparation

Introduction Preparation Crew Orientation The Work Area Hull Sides Stem, Frames & Transom Assembling the Hull Chine Logs &, Keelson Attaching the Bottom Gunwales & Half Frames Knees, Breasthook & Inwales Seat Risers Centerboard Trunk & Braces Mast Partners & Step Bow & Stern Seats Centerboard Rudder, Tiller & Skeg Mast & Spars Sails & Rigging Sanding, Filling & Finishing Final Rigging & Outfitting Back to Home Page

I took about a month after deciding to do the project to get ready. I needed to order my own copy of Building the Weekend Skiff, find local sources for marine plywood, epoxy, bronze ring nails and screws, clear pine, and spruce for spars. I also had to add a few tools and accessories to my collection, including a low angle block plane, a good Workmate, some sturdy sawhorses, and some large plastic tubs to tote stuff around in.

The other thing I had to do was learn a lot more about some of the methods, processes and materials that are different when you're building a boat than when you're knocking together some furniture or a patio deck.

I had the good fortune of being able to spend an hour with a friend of a friend who works in yacht repair and has many years' experience with wooden boats. That one brief conversation did more to prepare me for the project than all my other efforts combined. He answered the questions I had, and many more I didn't know to ask. If this is your first wooden boat, finding an experienced local builder who's willing to coach you along will be of immense help.

You may also want to make the acquaintance of the folks at the WoodenBoat Forum. There are many good and helpful people there with seemingly boundless enthusiasm for wood-built watercraft.

Here are some other publications and web sites that you may find useful ...

Sites by and about some other weekend skiff builders:

• http://www.herknperk.com/myboatsweekendskiff.htm
• http://www.main.nc.us/openstudio/sweetwater/boatbuilding.html
• http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/projects/mathews/weekend_skiff.htm
• http://www.alaska.net/~fritzf/Boats/CloveTruck/CloveTruck.htm

If, like me, you insist on trying to make a gaff rig sloop out of this small boat, Frank Hagan's gaff rig pages will likely be helpful: http://www.messing-about.com/gaffrig/

Books from Tiller Publishing:

• Building the Weekend Skiff, by Richard Butz and John Montague
• Boatbuilding Manual, by Robert M. Steward
• Devlin's Boatbuilding, by Samuel Devlin
• Gougeon Brothers On Boatbuilding, Wood & West System Materials, Rev. Edition
• The Gaff Rig Handbook, by John Leather

Other books:

• Hand, Reef and Steer, by Tom Cunliffe
• Knowing the Ropes, by Roger C. Taylor
• Building Small Boats, by Greg Rössel
• Learning to Sail, by H. A. Calahan

Many of these books are also available through amazon.com.

And, of course, there's Wooden Boat Magazine

Continue with Crew Orientation