About the Plans
Design Information: My drawings include the design information required to build the boat, but generally do not include step-by-step instructions in how to build the boat. Thus most of my designs will be for builders with at least some boat building experience. Exceptions to this would be the very simple flat bottomed hulls, Alder and Capt. Flint, and the TimberCoast Troller with extensive drawings and written building instructions, and the Berry Point 26 with extensive drawings and some building instructions.
What's Included in a Set of Plans: A typical set of plans will include a Lines and Offsets drawing, Deck and Cabin Lines drawing, General Construction Drawing, Full Size Construction Details Drawing, Arrangement Drawing, and if it’s a sail boat a Sail Plan and Spar and Rigging Drawing, as well as a Drawing showing Centerboard and rudder. If it’s a powerboat there may also be a Tanks and Machinery Drawing, as well as a Stern Gear Drawing (shaft and rudder). Along with these there are sometimes Full Size Lofting Plots for frames, or molds, or bulkheads, and the stem and transom. In these cases the boat has been designed in 3D CAD. Plans are available as downloadable files, PDFs and email attachments or through the mail as CDs, blueprints, and mylar.
Construction Methods: Construction methods vary with the design, many are intended for sheet plywood construction or sheathed strip. Most of the sheet plywood boats are built over plywood bulkheads or sawn solid timber frames. The sheathed strip hulls are intended to be built upside-down over temporary molds, where the hull is planked, and then the outside is faired and glassed. The solid hull is flipped, temporary molds are removed, and the interior is glassed followed by installation of structural bulkheads and floors. Each construction method can be varied to suit particular situations with materials or available skills, contact me to talk about it. For general information on construction materials and methods, consult Boatbuilding Books Recommended By Tad Roberts, a list of 20-odd boatbuilding books.
Design Process & Custom Work
Design Process: My designs all begin with a hand drawn sketch, some of which you see here. The pencil sketch is immediate enough that I can capture the unique spirit or character that typifies these classic or “character” designs. Once that character is pinned down, I move on to a more detailed development of the requirements. Full size 3D hull forms are created in FreeShip and then exported to Rhinoceros for completion. This model is made up of surfaces which can be measured, cut, sectioned, and trimmed to create our hull, deck, cockpit, appendages, and deckhouse. This model is used both for aesthetic and hydrodynamic analysis. The 3D data can then be transferred to AutoCAD for the creation of measured 2D construction drawings.
Custom Work: Each of these boats was designed for a specific need or use. None of them do everything well. Each is a unique combination of ability, capacity, construction method, styling, and performance. And there are almost limitless possible variations beyond these I’m offering. While some modifications seem simple, they might not be in reality, other changes may seem complex and turn out to be minor. Small boats are an integrated system and great care must be taken with alterations. Please contact me to discuss variations on any of these designs.
