Thread: Wherry style rowing boat

http://www.clcboats.com/faqs/lapstitch/lapstitch.html
Looks like a simple way to get a clinker look without planing each landing-just cut a rebate in each plank and bog up the gap.Not elegant but quick,and the boats sure look nice.Their boatbuilders' tips section has an article about scarfing so I presume that's their preferred method for joining plank sections.Here's a few more designs to consider:
http://www.duckflatwoodenboats.com/m...gallery?KID=30
http://www.payneyachts.com/rowing_skiffs.htm
Cheers,
Dave.

thanks Dave. I must admit that the attraction of the design I chose is the sheer grace of its lines. Now you've got me thinking maybe I should make one of the PayneYatchs Pittwater Sculls first - just to get some practise in boatbuilding and demystifying such things as working with epoxy. They are ugly little tackers but it might be worth it to get the skill level up before tackling the wherry.

You might be interested to know that the main place I intend to use this is Patonga Creek, with maybe a few trips in the Brisbane Water around Woy Woy, or maybe even poking my nose out into the lower Hawkesbury by Patonga when the water is flat.

cheers
Arron

http://www.duckflatwoodenboats.com/m...e=3-231-33.jpg
It's been my indispensable reference since my first build.David Payne's plans are top shelf-I'm currently building his Yellowtail,(as are I think 3 other blokes on this forum),and he's happy to answer questions.There's a lot on epoxy here:
http://www.westsystem.com/ss/
and on Mik's site on this forum.
I'm out on Brisbane Water or the Hawkesbury whenever I get time-not often enough unfortunately-Patonga is a gem of a place,ideal for rowing and paddling.Good fishing at times too.
Cheers,
Dave.

G'day Arron
Just wading though the CLC info...
Seems the Wherry is only available as a kit, not plans. If you are a 1st time builder,
that is probably a good thing. All the panels will/should be accurately cut so you will
save a bucket of labour & should have little trouble assembling it. I note that CLC
strongly recommend using a sliding seat if you are > 5'4" = extra cost.

If you can handle the cost, and the Wherry is suitable for your waters, I'd just go for
that. Kit or scratch-build, building a boat is a lot of effort. Better to build something
that turns your lights on and love it, than something that doesn't.

My two bob's worth
cheers
AJ

http://www.selway-fisher.com/Rowskiffs.htm#SORE
I can also vouch for Paul's plans,there is a good builders' group for his designs too.Spoiled for choice,and there are plenty more out there.
Cheers,
Dave.

Originally Posted by b.o.a.t.

G'day Arron
Just wading though the CLC info...
Seems the Wherry is only available as a kit, not plans. If you are a 1st time builder, that is probably a good thing. All the panels will/should be accurately cut so you will save a bucket of labour & should have little trouble assembling it. I note that CLC strongly recommend using a sliding seat if you are > 5'4" = extra cost.

If you can handle the cost, and the Wherry is suitable for your waters, I'd just go for that. Kit or scratch-build, building a boat is a lot of effort. Better to build something that turns your lights on and love it, than something that doesn't.

My two bob's worth
cheers
AJ

Hi AJ.

I have sent CLCBoats an email explaining that I want to make the wherry but dont think its practical to import a kit to Australia. I'll have to wait and see how they respond. It does make me wonder though, if the reason why they only offer it as a kit is because they believe that the average builder has little chance of completing it from scratch ???

Maybe this boat is a bit too hard for a first time ? My position is that I have never built a boat before, but I have a good range of hand tools and machinery - and good woodworking skills built up from a few years of amateur cabinetmaking and toolmaking. Some of these I have here http://www.flickr.com/photos/30277912@N05/ . Does this help - or is it such a different kettle of fish that the skills are not really transferrable ?

Yes, I'd noticed the need for a sliding seat. Actually, thats half of the appeal - I used to row as a young man and love the action and efficiency of sliding seats. Occassionally, for training, our coach used to make us lock our seats in place and row the shells with fixed seats - it was many times harder to get the boat moving and illustrated how much easier rowing became when your legs and bum muscles came into play.

cheers and thanks for the advice
Arron

http://www.onlineshop.capeboatworks....ome.php?cat=60
Looking at your portfolio,I believe you could achieve a professional job on any craft you attempted,and you would find the experience of building from plans much more satisfying-I would find something I really wanted,as AJ suggested,get a reference book or 2,and just get stuck in.
Dave.

and looking at their ply prices I can see why.

Originally Posted by Arron

Does this help - or is it such a different kettle of fish that the skills are not really transferrable ?
Arron

G'day Arron
I am chronically incapable of cutting or drilling square, or planing / sanding to
a line, even when aided by a jig. However I seem to be able to assemble
boats that float. Possibly the absence of squares or straight cuts in my boats
is to my advantage ? Also, epoxy hideth a multitude of sins !!

At AU$1 = US70c the Capeboatworks kit price is almost exactly same AU price
as CLC can ship it. I note too that:
"The Annapolis Wherry Kit is complete with all of the plywood components,
mahogany rubrails & gunwhales, WEST System epoxies, Fibreglass, Bronze Oarlocks,
Plans, Building Manual"

This is likely around 30% more than buying all the bits yourself, and a huge
saving of time & petrol/phone money spent hunting, pricing, travelling,
measuring, marking, cutting, trimming & scarffing. Obviously you'll save more
$$ if you already have some suitable materials on hand. I am no fan of kits,
but they have advantages! Depends whether you are in it for the total build
experience, or for the rowing.

Just had a squizz at the Selway Fisher rowing skiffs cattledog. Some seriously
nice boats in there if you do decide to scratch-build!
cheers
AJ

Yes, I had a look at Selway Fisher too. Their windrush rowing skiff is probably just as nice as the Anapolis wherry. My only problem with it is that it appears to be a new design with little uptake - so I'm not confident that the bugs have been ironed out yet. At least with the CLC boat there appears to be plenty of these on the water in the US so the design must hold up and have gone through some refinement.

Thinking about my position - I guess I'm in it for the total build experience, but wouldnt mind a kit for the first one - assuming it is the hardest. Therefore, could go either way.

Arron

Windrush is about 6" narrower than the Wherry.
The 17ft Thames skiff looks more comparable across the numbers.
The Wherry & Windrush have a nicer sheer & plank lines though (to my eye anyway.)
cheers
AJ

You could consider the cosine wherry also. You buy the book and it comes with the mould plans. It's a conventional strip plank normally 14' but can be lengthened.

Technically it's not a wherry, and I'm not sure the CLC boat is one either. Wherrys (wherries?) traditionally had a small flat panel on the bottom. Both the cosine and that boat look round bottomed and so are probably more whitehalls. And yes I know whitehalls are traditionally carvel... The terminology is tedious...

Well I got my response from CLCBoats

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Derek, many thanks. Alas, plans for the Annapolis Wherry don't exist.
It was designed from the start as a kit boat, to be cut on a CNC
machine, with parts that are a little too intricate for
scratch-builders. Various options are available for kits including
just the CNC-cut parts.
Our Australian agents are located in Sydney and could help out with a
kit: http://www.clcboats.com/international.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------

I am a little baffled about how a CNC machine could cut a more intricate part then a skillful human, but it doesnt really matter as the plans are not available and thats that. I think I'll have a closer look at the windrush.

thanks guys
Arron

http://www.wittdesignwoodenboats.com/

Build is pretty easy, kit is terrific, support is good, quality is fantastic.

Sadly, I've not had it inthe water yet - let alone get some fish guts in the bottom. Another project has interrupted the trailer build.