Where to start? A first project.

OK all you boat builders.

In my youth I used to sail a lot of small boats, almost all plywood construction. I am talking VJs , moths, sabots, 16 footers etc.

Now I am older and sillyer, I want to do it again, but I want to build the boat.

I have spent the past few weeks reading everything I can here and other places and I am pretty well convinced that something like the Goat Island Skiff is going to do all the things I want the boat to do. I want to fish as well as sail and just generally muck about on the lake.

Before I commit to anything like that I want to build something truly easy. Something that needs a minimum talent, not too much money , I have pretty much unlimited time and I think enough tools , although I think the sentence " I need more clamps" will probably be heard. My woodworking skills are , I think, up to the task and I have the space. I am thinking a canoe , kayak, punt, tender, whatever.

Where should I start?

Avery,

you cannot get anything much simpler than A GOAT ISLAND SKIFF,

It is really just a long narrow sharpie hull with a flat bottom.

They will only require q simple building stock and all the panels straight forward and so are the frames.

My first Boat was a JARCAT 5, and I had very little wood working skills or tools.

I have since built 2 others A 17Ft inboard and my current MANGROVEJACK 3.65.
and I am currently building a 3.65Mt power canoe for a friend.

Jeff

Quote:

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Originally Posted by vk4

Avery,

you cannot get anything much simpler than A GOAT ISLAND SKIFF,

It is really just a long narrow sharpie hull with a flat bottom.

They will only require q simple building stock and all the panels straight forward and so are the frames.

My first Boat was a JARCAT 5, and I had very little wood working skills or tools.

I have since built 2 others A 17Ft inboard and my current MANGROVEJACK 3.65.
and I am currently building a 3.65Mt power canoe for a friend.

Jeff

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Maybe I overstated my woodworking skills a tad. and I actually only have 5 clamps.

I have really looked hard at the GIS but i would still want to have a GOOD PRACTICE on something smaller/ less parts. I have a fallen stringybark in my backyard and I have thought of a dugout

Hi Avery,
You should look into the Michael Storers Oz Racer plans. For $20 you get the plans which are pretty much a book on boat building.

I too am tool challenged but I managed to turn out a decent Oz Racer. Now I am looking to build somethings faster.

Tim

For simple, simple, simple, then the Storer Quick Canoe is the ticket.

It will also let you get used to using epoxy, however only the edges on the bottom and outside are glassed. You could add glass somewhere else 'just for the practice' if you didn't mind the extra expense. Adding the Storer Beth/Eureka sailing canoe sail plan will give you experience in making a mast and centreboards.
The Beth or Eureka is probably the next step up in 'complexity', but still simplistic and very functional.

Thanks for that Tim. It looks like it might just be the right thing.

I have here several sets of MIK's plans (but not for the Goat.)
All of them contain MIK's complete course in boat building & using epoxy.
Reasonable to assume the Goat plans do too.

GIS vs OzRacer...
They are about the same complexity. The Goat has more parts purely due
to the spacers in the gunwale. Spend some time in the Michael Storer forum
to get an idea of the comparison. Several builders have blogged their builds
in varying detail.
The OzRacer is an amazing 8ft boat, but the Goat is far & away more capable,
and in my opinion, a better fit for your background & proposed uses.

Whatever you you build, you will need more clamps. :U

cheers
AJ

Hi
Im a novice boat builder andhave just started a dudley dix argie 15. My build blog is ashlingcat.wordpress.com you will find the build under the dingy tab.
Good luck
Mick

Hi Avery,
I am in the very beginning of building a Goat Island Skiff and I can only recommend that you start on a GIS too. It's a very good looking boat, imagine people looking at it and asking "what kind of boat is that?" and you telling them "It's a Goat Island Skiff, I built it myself". Much nicer than people looking at the OzRacer and saying to themselves "He probably built it himself, it certainly looks like it...." I would imagine that one is more or less as complex to build as the other. The GIS plan is excellent, the people in the forum is very helpful, it won't be too difficult for you I am sure. If you think you need a canoe, the quick canoe seems nice and simple, but if you want a Goat, by all means go for it directly. 5 clamps ought too be enough for anyone...
Pontus

Howdy,

Good rundown of advice on choice of boat and thanks for suggesting my designs! For the specific comparison of the Goat and the OzRacer a couple of points.

First is that I would probably recommend some sailing experience before jumping into a Goat. A number of people have learned to sail in them but one or two have become a little disheartened too. It has wonderful performance and you can reef the sail to balance out abilty against the amount of wind.

The OzRacer or the longer Goose version are brilliant first sailing boats. They are unbelievably stable and the performance is extremely good. The only performance limitation is the size. UPwind they can outsail many much more expensive and traditionally shaped boats and in strong winds and rough water they keep going a lot longer than most others.

A second thing is if you are an iconoclast (like me) you will hugely enjoy the expression on the faces of people who really know sailing when they see how the OzRacer performs or even better ... what it feels like to sail if you let them borrow it. It really is a revelation to experienced sailors because they assume the square shape can't work well. But they can't deny their own senses either! It is fun to watch the mental squirming as they try to balance out prejudice and experience!

Both boats are pretty simple, are a similar construction method. The square OzRacer and Goose are easier for people to conceptualise and all the parts go together a bit easier with minimal trimming. The goat is simple and produces that wonderful shape we all love.

Both are worth having on your list of potential boats to build.

Best wishes
Michael

Thanks to everyone for their advice.

I think I am going to for the Oz racer first followed up by the GIS a little later. We have bought a house up the coast from here and will be moving in a few months. I don't think I should start anything until then, although I have the space here as well as there.

Boatmik, thanks for your advice, I learned to sail small boats starting when I was about 5, elicans , mirrors , VJs, moths, 16 footers etc, so I am looking forward to getting back into it. You can bet I will have lots of silly questions when I start.