136

BOAT BUILDER'S HANDBOOK

Craft Print Project No. 64

SEA SKIFF
By WILLIAM D. JACKSON
Naval Architect

Designed for the man who likes to fish, this sturdy craft can be rowed, powered by an outboard or by an inboard, or driven by the wind
STATEMENT OF USES USES: Seaworthy craft for use on any waters anywhere, for boat liveries as well as for personal use. TYPE: Skiff. LENGTH: 13 ft. 9 in. to outside stem. BEAM: 60 in. SEATING CAPACITY: Five passengers. POWER: Oars, outboard, air-cooled inboard, or sail.

EA SKIFF is quickly built over forms for construction of one or for several boats. It is planked with waterproof plywood and will retain its leakproof qualities even if left to dry in the sun for long periods. An ingenious method of framing makes for a sturdy boat and provides a hull that will give many years of trouble-free service. The general design presents a sturdy skiff that may be used on any waters anywhere. The boat may be rowed, powered with air-cooled inboard motors or outboard engines, or rigged for sailing. As a sailer it is dry, light, and fast in a good breeze. Start construction by obtaining the materials listed in the Materials List. Then saw the form (Fig. 2) to shape and mount it on 2 x 4 legs at a convenient working height. To construct the mould frames, stem and transom (Figs. 3 and 4) accurately, draw full-size paper patterns of these parts, lay your material upon outlines, mark and cut to shape, reassemble on the pattern and fasten. The transom is cut from -in. plywood with a x 3-in. frame, fastened with #8x1 fh screws, inserted from the aft side of the transom. Saw the mould frames from 1x6; fasten at chine joints with 3/8-in. plywood gussets. If these moulds are to be used several times, glue and screwfasten the gussets, afterward attaching cross pieces to prevent misalignment. The stem is sawed to shape as shown in Fig. 3.

Now mount the transom, mould frames and stem on the form and hold in place by bracing. With everything secured, spring a light batten over the framework and mark correct beveling so that plywood will lie evenly and fair at all points. With all parts beveled, cut notches for clamps, chines and keel in all parts. Spring the keel in place and attach to transom, frames and stem notches with two #10x2-in. fh screws at each joint. Be careful not to attach any members to the moulds, as the hull is later to be lifted clear of the form and moulds when planked. Now secure the chines. Fasten both chines simultaneously to prevent wringing framework out of shape. Use one #10x2-in.fh screw at transom joints, bevel the ends to fit the stem and fasten in the same way. If the chines have a tendency to slip off the mould-frame notches, hold temporarily with small angle irons screwed to moulds and chines (see detail, Fig. 2). When hull is planked, simply remove the screws and lift the hull clear. Continue by attaching clamps in

BOAT BUILDER'S HANDBOOK

137
31"

4"

38-40"
1x4" TO HOLD STEM

C H I N E AND CLAMP A N G L E IRON HOLDS MEMBERS DURING CONSTRUCTION

1x4"

FLOOR

LINE

#7x 3" RH. 4 FRAME

2x4"

similar fashion, fastening at transom and stem and don't fasten plywood to moulds. with one #10 x 2-in. fh, screw to each joint. Trim fore end of hull along stem and cover Trim and fair the entire framework so the ply- exposed edges of plywood with an outer stem wood will lie evenly at all points. Hull may be x 1-in., softened with hot water, bent and covered with either full-length or 8-ft. length ply- screw-fastened in place. Now remove the hull from the form and turn wood. Using 8-ft. lengths, cover the sides first with a length of plywood clamped in place. Mark and it right side up. Seat risers are attached by cut to shape. A butt strap x 4 in. fitted between springing to sides and securing with #8 x 1-in. fh screws inserted from outside hull. clamps and chines secures the butted joints of Fasten ribs in place next. Mark locations on plywood on sides and bottom. Before fastening the plywood, coat chines, clamps, transom and keel and secure each rib with two #8xl-in. stem with Weldwood glue. Place plywood in fh screws. The center of each rib is drilled and position and fasten with #8 x 1-in. fh. screws spaced about 2 in. apart. 23" 23" 2" With both sides attached, trim 1 x 6" edges evenly. Install the skeg (if MOULD you don't plan on using an inboard) and short keel. The skeg is fitted 1 x 4" closely and held temporarily with a PLYWOOD 1 x 6" 1 x 3" 18" few screws. Later, when the hull is GUSSETT TRANSOM NOTCH turned over, the skeg is fastened 15" AND F R A M E with screws from the inside. PLYWOOD " Lay 8-ft. lengths of plywood in 1 x 3" position on the bottom, marking and 1 x 6" 5" cutting to shape. Before attaching 4" plywood, coat all adjoining surfaces 16" 19" with Kuhls aviation glue. Lay cloth 28 30" strips about 1-in. wide on glued area, recoat and lay plywood in posi1 x 4" 1 x 4" tion, fastening with #8 x 1-in. fh. screws spaced about 2-in. apart. Cover remainder of bottom similarly MOULD MOULD
CARRIAGE BOLTS STEM -2" OAK
1" " 2" 4" 4" x5" 2" I" " 4

15"
1 x 6"
4" 23"

1 x 6"

PLYWOOD GUSSETT

17"

4"

23"

4 SECTION
7"

3" 4"

PLYWOOD

MOULDING CLAMPx1" SEAT x 8" (12 WIDTHS)

4"
4" 7"

13"
24" 24"

3"

BOTTOM RIBS x 1"

SEAT RISER x 1" CHINE KEEL X 1" x 4" PLYWOOD

SKEG

SEE DETAIL

138
TRANSOM KNEE

BOAT BUILDER'S HANDBOOK

BED LOG
TRANSOM AND FRAME

9"
25"

GLUE-FERDICO RESIN SLUE

3"
AFT SEAT SUPPORT RIB LOCATION
( REMAINING

5"

11"

2" SEAT KNEE

PLYWOOD JOINTS

REMOVE AFTER SHEATHING

20"

16" O.C.)

RIBS LIGHT BATTEN

NOTE: IF INBOARD IS USED. DO NOT USE SKEG SHEER CLAMP SEAT RISER FLOORBOARD MOULD SEATS MOULD STEM CENTERBOARD CASE CHINE

AFT SEAT SUPPORT MOULD SEAT KNEE

BED LOG

KEELSON

SKEG

MAST STEP

41"

41"

41"

OUTER KEEL

41"

The completed framework.

Covering the frame with plywood.

a galv. shingle nail inserted, clinched on the inside. A little Weldwood glue under each rib will ensure a rigid job. Install seats as indicated, fastening them to the

risers with #8 x l-in. fh screws. Cut the breast hook and transom knees to fit and fasten with #10 x 2-in. fh screws. Fasten mouldings in place with #8 x 1in. fh screws spaced about 8 in. apart. Screwfasten floor boards of 3/8-in. plywood or 5/8 x 6-in. boards. Smooth hull and apply one or two coats of sealer. Follow with two coats each of white primer and paint or enamel. If you cover bottom with fiber glass (materials and instructions for application of this material are available from Herter's Inc., Waseca, Minnesota), complete f r e e d o m f r o m worm damage is possible in salt water and strength is greatly increased in either salt or fresh water. For use of Sea Skiff as a sailboat, see Fig. 7 for complete details. An air-cooled inboard, such as the 1 hp Reo Trollabout Inboard Marine Engine (Williams Marine Co.) or a 3.6 hp Clinton engine, may be mounted off center or on the center line of the boat. With an off-center installation, the centerboard used in sailing can be left intact and you can use sail also. You may prefer to mount your engine on center, however, and forego sailing equipment. If you mount inboard on

BOAT BUILDER'S HANDBOOK FLEXIBLE WIRE TRAVELER PLYW. SIDES FIT HERE

139

BOOM SHEET SLIDE

ALUMINUM

x 1" SHEAVE IN MAST TOP

SEAT RISER (1 x 12")

" STOCK
SCREW EYE SHEET TRAVELER

BOLT

x 2" 1" #8
THIMBLE
R.H.

14"APPROX. CUT TO FIT

15"

SCREWS

2"

INSIDE CASE

2"
CENTERBOARD CASE KEEL NOTCH

2"
30

3"
TAPER ROPE, SERVE WITH #18 - #20 WIRE AND WIPE WITH SOLDER

21"

RUDDER
20"

6"
15"

-" PLYW. WATERPROOF WITH 3 COATS OF CASTOGLAS

GAFF 10'-0"

1"

30

2" SQ.
" MANILA HALYARD

2"

12"

1"
14"

1"

1" #8 F.H.S.
9"

PLYW. DAGGER TYPE CENTERBOARD

8" ROACH
BLOCK " TOPPING LIFT

MAST

37"

2"

"

2" SQ.

46

LEACH 17'-0" MANILA OR COTTON RINGS SAIL

CENTER EFFORT 85 SQ. FT.

LUFF 14'-6"

1" FULL WIDTH OF WAY TO TOP THEN TAPER TO

SQ..ROUNDING 1" AFTER GLUE DRIES 6'-10"

WATERPROOF WITH 3 COATS OF CASTOGLAS

STRAP IRON JAWS BEND EDGE WISE (SEE DETAIL BELOW) MAST 12'-0"

TILLER (1 x 4" REQ) BOOM MAST SLIDE-GOOSENECK

#2 MOLD FRAME LINE

15" 2"

BLOCK ON EYE STRAP FOOT 10'-9" NYLON OR MANILA

BOOM AND GAFF SECTIONS MOULDING

"LINE
4"

BOOM 11' -0"

AT 2" STA.#3

" BLOCK 4" NOTCH 12-14" BELAY CLEAT SEAT

7"

5"
3"

PLYW. SIDES

" OAK CORE

SKEG & SECTION

1"

" TURNBUCKLE PETITE STYLE

15" 25 9" C.L.R.

CHINE LINE C.E. SAILS

" #3
GAFF
1"- #8 FHS

#2

#1

LOCATE FROM MOULDS, STEM, AND TRANSOM

MAST
1"

x 1"

1"- #8 F.H.S.

x 1 x 13" STRAP IRON JAWS BEND EDGEWISE

ALUMINUM
12" 1" SQ.

INWALE "

MAST STEP 2 x 4" STOCK- FASTEN WITH 2"- #10 F.H.S.

" BLOCK
CHAIN PLATE

BOLT "

BOAT

BUILDERS

HANDBOOK

139

SEAT RISER (1x12")

FLEXIBLE WIRE TRAVELER PLYW. SIDES FIT HERE

BOOM SHEET SLIDE

ALUMINUM

x1"

"
STOCK SCREW EYE SHEET TRAVELER

BOLT x 2"

SHEAVE IN MAST TOP

1" #8
THIMBLE
RH. SCREWS

14"APPROX. CUT TO FIT

15"
2"
INSIDE CASE

2"
CENTERBOARD CASE NOTCH KEEL
30

2" 3"
TAPER ROPE, SERVE WITH #18 - #20 WIRE AND WIPE WITH SOLDER

21"
RUDDER,
20"

6"
15"

- " PLYW. WATERPROOF WITH 3 COATS OF CASTOGLAS

GAFF 10'-0"

1"

30

2"SQ. 54" MANILA HALYARD

2"

12"

1"
14"

1"

1" #8 F.H.S.

PLYW. DAGGER TYPE CENTERBOARD

9"

8"
ROACH

MAST

37"

"
TOPPING LIFT

BLOCK

2"

"

154"
FULL WIDTH

OF WAY TO TOP 2" SQ.46

LEACH 17'-0" % MANILA OR COTTON RINGS

CENTER EFFORT 85 SQ. FT.

LUFF 14-6"

THEN TAPER TO
1"

SQ. ROUNDING AFTER GLUE DRIES 6'-10"

WATERPROOF WITH 3 COATS OF CASTOGLAS SAIL

STRAP IRON JAWS BEND EDGE WISE (SEE DETAIL BELOW)

MAST 12'-0" TILLER (1 x 4" REQ) BOOM MAST SLIDE-GOOSENECK

#2

MOLD FRAME LINE

41"
BLOCK ON EYE STRAP FOOT 10'-9" " LINE
4" 7"
"

254" BOOM AND GAFF SECTIONS MOULDING

NYLON OR MANILA

BOOM 11'-0"
54"

AT 2" STA.#3

15"
4" NOTCH 12-14"

" BLOCK BELAY CLEAT SEAT

SKEG & SECTION

1"

TURNBUCKLE 54"PETITE STYLE

5"
3"

PLYW. SIDES

OAK CORE SEAT RISER LINE

15"
25, C.L.R.. C.E. SAILS

9"

CHINE LINE
1"

" #3
GAFF
1"- #8 FHS

#2

#1

LOCATE FROM MOULDS, STEM, AND TRANSOM

MAST

1"
x 1 x 13"
STRAP IRON JAWS BEND EDGEWISE
3" 12"

x 1"

1"- #8 F.H.S.

ALUMINUM

1" SQ.
MAST STEP 2 x 4" STOCK- FASTEN WITH 2"- #10 F.H.S. BLOCK CHAIN PLATE

INWALE

"

54"BOLT

140
Size and Description

BOAT BUILDER'S HANDBOOK

No.
2 2 2 2 1 2 6 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 4 1

LUMBER REQUIRED
x 1" x 14' x 1" x 14' x 1" x 14' 7/8 x 4" x 12' x 1" x 8' x 1" x 14' x 1" x 4' x 3" x 8' 1 x 10" x 3'
2 x 8" x 4' x 1" x 4'

x 8" x 12'
1 x 4" x 12' 1 x 6" x 12' 2 x 10" x 12'

PLYWOOD REQUIRED 3/8 x 4 x 8' x 24 x 48" waste from 3/8" plywood or 5/8 x 6" boards FASTENINGS 4 6 3 3 1 2 gross dozen dozen dozen lb. 1" fh screws 1" fh screws 1" fh screws #10 x 2" fh screws 1" galv. shingle nails 5/16 x 5" carriage bolts Kuhls aviation glue Weldwood resin glue paint as needed

1 lb.

center, move the amidships seat forward. The Reo Trollabout comes in clamps kit form (about $100 for seat risers fresh water installations, chines keelson $125 for salt water), outside keel with complete instrucmoldings ribs tions for installing. For transom frame breast hook and use of Sea Skiff with transom knees outboards, cut out transtem som as indicated in Fig. outside stem skeg 8, or attach an outboard seats aft seat support motor bracket (such as mold frames that made by the Hadley mold frames Mfg. Co., 2242 Smead form Avenue, Toledo 6, Ohio), to the transom. planking transom (Note: Possessing the a d v a n t a g e s of great floor boards strength together with light weight, and more easily built than craft that follow conventional rules of construction, Sea Skiff, as mentioned earlier, is easily mass produced. Moreover, a set of full-size paper patternsrequired for one or 100 Sea Skiffslend themselves to rapid mass production.)
Use

CLAMP x 1" #2 SECTION AT MOLD SEAT (THWARTS) x 7"- 2 WIDTHS SEAT RISER MOLDING 1 x "

x 2" BED LOGS CUT FROM 2 x 4"

x 1"
CHINE x1"

X-MARKS X=COAT KUHLS AERO MARINE GLUE AND PROVIDE CLOTH GASKETS 1" #8 FH. SCREWS SPACE SCREWS SO NO INTERFERENCE WITH BED LOG BOLTS - 2" APART APPROX. 1"

KEEL x 4 PLYWOOD CENTER BOARD CASE BOLTS x 3" BRASS, BRONZE, OR GALV. WASHERS UNDER 4 - BOLTS EACH SIDE BOTTOM PLANKING BEVEL PLYWOOD KEEL x 4"
1 x 6"
"i"

CUTOUT

2 x " ADDED 1 x 4" TRANSOM

x 2" FIR-HEMLOCK BED LOGS CENTER BOARD CASE (CUT 2" DEEP AND FIT TO KEEL-AT THIS POINT WILL BE & DEEP) CONSTRUCTION DETAILS INDENT-FULL PLASTIC WOOD MOULDING BREAST HOOK RIBS BATTEN

11

1 x 6"

CUT OUT TRANSOM FOR 1-5 HP OUTBOARDS -OAR LOCK SEAT KNEE TRANSOM SEAT SUPPORT KNEE NOTE: PHANTOM OUTLINE INDICATES FLOOR BOARDS

STEM

OUTSIDE STEM SKEG CLAMP OUTSIDE KEEL

SEAT RISER CHINE KEEL