Thread: Where to get FREE two man mini speed boat plans

Rick,

Just GOOGLE "free boat plans" and several sites will come up.

What do you want to do with the Boat, IE: generally just speed over the water, go fishing in calm waters , or open water??

Plans from MARK BOWDIDGE are reasonably priced , and Mushlu , and Magnum would be simple and cheap builds.

Jeff
vk4

I live in Guntersville, Alabama and I'm two miles from the Guntersville lake which the Tennessee river runs through. The water is calm some days and slightly choppy on others. I just want to ride around at high speeds. The lake is huge and I have plenty of open water. I'll check out the site you gave me. Let me know if you know of any others thanks Jeff.

Generally, free plans aren't very good. If you want a small, simple, typically heavy, flat bottomed, low power fishing boat, you might have some luck, but other wise free plans often just leave you scratching your head. Many times there not even complete.

High speed boats should be designed well. Having just designed a 700 HP 30' race boat and watched it's trials last week, I have a small amount I might offer in this regard. Boat plans are just like wives or potential wives. There's ones you really want, but can't afford to service and maintain, while others might be way over your head, yet others that just can't satisfy you, no matter how hard you try. Boat plans are just like this and the free ones are usually dated, use poor hull shapes and concepts and often specify materials that aren't available any more. A bit like dating the ugly girl with rich parents. You'll get something in the end, but you'll have to live with it first. Small boat plans don't cost much, maybe about the price of a good diner, trying in vain to get a prospective wive to latch on.

Lastly, buy plans from someone that's still alive and more importantly, willing to answer questions. There's not much worse then having a question, to an old design, that no one remembers (of course) and the designer has been dead for a few decades. I was on the phone with client today, who's building one of my Pea Pod designs, helping him through the latest mishap with his methods. He'll get it finished, though he was hoping for a varnished boat, now (as a result of a wayward router), likely only the sheer strake will be clear coated.

Log onto Glen-L.com and have a look at some small outboard powered boats. Many of the designers of these boats may be dead, but they do have a good support staff and discussion forum, where someone who's built one previously, can answer your questions.