racing dinghy sailboat plans

In the beginning....

The first Dillon racing boats were created in 2006 to fill a gap in the boat plans market for small tunnel and v-bottom boats eligible for nationally sanctioned racing. The earliest designs were intended for two-cylinder power in the 25hp to 40hp range. Since then, the design collection has extended into the 40hp to 80hp range.

Since 2006 these boats have won races and championships in American Powerboat Association races, and in 2011 made their debut at the OPC National Championships (Dillon boats took first and third).

Since 2006, Dillon racing boats have been built by amateur and pro builders around the world. See what these builders have accomplished in Customer Projects .

If you are looking for a small, high-performance boat that you can build and drive, then you've come to the right place. You don't have to be a professional boatbuilder to build one, and you don't have to be a racer to enjoy it. Each boat features straightforward plank-on-frame plywood construction and includes detailed instructions which you can review before you make a purchase.

Whether you want to race or just go fast or are looking for a fun and satisfying project, one of my designs may be just right for you.

Available by INSTANT DOWNLOAD . You can start building today ! (Or choose optional postal mail shipping.)

I am currently offering plans for eight high-performance boats, plus plans for a jackplate, seat and composite cockpit. For more information, including VIDEO from APBA races , or to make a purchase, follow the links under the photos above. Or take a look at the comparison table of all my designs to help you choose the boat that best meets your need for speed.

VIDEO: See Dillon boats in APBA-sanctioned racing action .

More specific information on the Tunnelboat Page or the V-Bottom Page . See also my Jack Plate Plans .

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United States OK Dinghy Racing Association

Everything OK Dinghy since 1959

Class Update

The OK Dinghy popularity is surging worldwide, and a Dan Leech designed, composite boat just won the 2023 Worlds in the UK.  Dan Leech designed boats, either professional, kit built, wood or composite have been at the top of the leader board since 2019.  See OKDIA.org for complete details.

There have been a few new kit boats built in the USA, along with 4 or more refurbished OK Dinghies finished or nearing completion.  A recent class survey of national secretaries and class members indicates a well founded growing class.

Send your project pictures as you make progress.

Historical OK Dinghy Plans located.

Contains original Danish / English, working figures and updates. – not valid for current building. Copy of 1956 plans, updated, modified in 1957, 1959 according to the drawing.

FOUND ! USA 235 – Restored, Alive and Well – living in Seattle

I’m going to reprint a note and images from Matt Rowley:

James, Thanks for your kind words about my work on the OK Dinghy. When I shared the photos with Richard I knew WHERE the hull number was, I just couldn’t remember WHAT it was. A quick look under the cover is all it took to confirm what I thought it was: #235 As far as the mast being a Bruder, you’d definitely know more about that than me. I will say that it’s not a homebuilt mast.The glue joints look like they are resorcinol – which is too difficult for most home builders to use – the taper is smooth, and the material is flawless. It looks like it could be old growth VG spruce? Is there any definitive way to tell if it is indeed a Bruder? My interest in this boat is mainly as a recreational sailor. But as I was rebuilding/restoring it I discovered the class’s history and resurgence, and was fascinated. I shared my findings with my good friend who raced this very boat as a kid, but he wasn’t aware of any of it. This discovery led him to place a craigslist ad – just like you- looking for other OK sailors in the area. The only reply he got was me trolling him. That was probably about a year ago.  When I saw Richards ad, it piqued my curiosity so I reached out hoping to find some racing buddies for MY buddy. You don’t need to convince me, or my buddy, about what a great boat the OK is. We’re already there. ( My buddy has been lurking around your website for a while now) The boats’ good looks has also attracted the attention of his teenage son. It seems to me.it ‘s the younger sailors that will sustain the class. To that point, there is a sailing school here in Seattle that may help you spread the word. It’s called Sail Sand Point ( sailsandpoint.org ). They teach kids, adults, and even train collegiate sailors I believe. I don’t live too far from there and wouldn’t mind showing off the boat if no one has heard of an OK Dinghy. Sand Point may even be able to direct you to other clubs/schools in the PNW.  I may not be the racer you were hoping to connect with, but I am a fan of the boat and willing to help spread the word. I’ve shared these emails with my friend who races keel boats, and is dialed into the sailing community here. He’s enthusiastic about it ( It was his OK that I restored ) and I’m sure he’ll start a few conversations. Kudos to you and your organization. Matt   On Mon, Nov 30, 2020 at 7:45 AM James Bland < [email protected] > wrote: Matt: Richard shared the pictures of your restoration.  You might have an old Bruder mast which are highly prized !  Congratulations on an excellent job.  Your hull number should be on your sail and hopefully engraved into your keel in the cockpit. I would appreciate your membership in the OK Dinghy association.  You can be a part of something special. Find us: Facebook @USOKDRA Website with class rules and USOKDRA rules – usa.okdinghy.org The international website – OKDIA.org US Sailing one design portal World Sailing One Design Classes. Craigslist If you join, you’ll have access to our membership list.  Dennis Clark is not sailing, but is a supporting member in your area and would be happy to help you with your boat.  If you decide to race it nationally, you may want to weigh it and do a few check measurements on the hull, but you would have lots of time to do that. In the past, the largest concentration of OK dinghies was in Seattle, Oregon, California and Florida. Thank you for preserving / restoring your OK.  Once we get the hull number figured out, I’d like to post pictures of your fine work on our websites. Please contact me at your earliest convenience.  I’m here to help you.  Membership has many benefits, we are opening the 2021 membership in a couple of weeks James   James Bland USOKDRA Executive. Director 4612 Finley Drive Austin TX 78731 865 406 9572

2021 Boat Decals

Excerpt from okdia november update.

Robert Deaves writing to the National Secretaries – Well done USOKDRA members, 2021 renewal / membership invoices will be published in December:

“8. Despite the restrictions and cancelations caused by COVID-19, 2020 has been a very successful year for the class. More boats have been built than in any year since 1980, and a huge number of masts and sails have been made. As you probably saw, Jesper Strandberg has sent his old mould to the USA and hopefully they will be building soon. Seven other boats also went in the same container and are being sailed. The membership in the USA is now at his highest level since the 1970s and is increasing all the time , and full credit to James Bland for all his work to achieve this. Many countries continue to attract new members, and we hope to welcome many new members to OKDIA in the coming months. Everyone is looking forward to getting back to normal racing.”

USA – 8 wins AYC 2020 Fall Fling with 5 bullets – 11 Oct 2020

Cb regatta  scoremethod=portsmouth  results.

Clark USA 753 c.1970

Gil Greenwood is a USOKDRA member and is in the process of buying two OK dinghies to restore.  USA 753 was a Clark Hull with one of the fast Bruder wood masts.  Gil is a US Sailing  Judge and Race officer, living in Oklahoma these days.  Part of the USOKDRA success story.

Class Management / Measuring / Corinthian Sportsmanship

Racing of all classes of sailing boat under the Racing Rules for Sailing (RRS) and Equipment Rules of Sailing (ERS) is based on the assumption that each boat complies with its Class Rules, the class rules complementing the RRS- ERS by defining the boat and equipment that may be used. Normally it is necessary to measure the physical dimensions of a boat, its equipment and sails to establish if it complies with the class rules and this is the principal role of the `measurer’.

Measurers therefore play a fundamental role in the organisation of sailboat racing, and their ability to apply the class rules correctly and accurately is essential. Equipment must be measured for certification before being used for racing, but it is normally inspected at events as well. Techniques vary in general as certification requires derivation of actual dimensions and inspection means comparison with known minimum / maximum limits. The latter is one of the roles the WS International Measurer is expected to perform.

USOKDRA has established a Code of Conduct in its rules.  We like the Culture of the International OK Dinghy Class [OKDIA.org] and the serious, but fun atmosphere at the Championships.  We saw two boats not measure in at the Worlds.  There was no argument, the matter was turned over to the race committee.  The  violations were serious enough that they couldn’t be corrected and the competitors were sent home.  On the race course, 112 boats of all manner of expertise raced together in virtual silence, without protest.  The parking lot was full of comity and tales of valor and tragedy, but all in good spirits.

Why Not Try an OK Dinghy

The unique characteristics of the International OK-Dinghy: a light, responsive sailing dinghy that may be raced in fair and equal competition all over the world, without getting into cut-throat Olympic competition, and with the freedom to appeal to the individual that is in each of us. 😁 . usa.okdinghy.org

Questionnaire for USA Sailors – please respond before June 15, 2020

USA Sailors ONLY – help the USOKDRA make decisions and provide your opinion / answers to the following questions.  Your answers would be appreciated by email to jfbland at me dot com.

If you are not a member, please consider becoming one. $50 for an Associate Membership.  See the rules/procedures.

All OK sailors – if you’d like to participate, please list your country organization first in your reply.

Individual helpful comments, please reply directly here – with your country if not the USA.

1. Do you currently own an OK Dinghy?

2. Are planning to own an OK dinghy in the next two years?

3 When do you think you will build or purchase an OK Dinghy?

4 Which would you prefer to buy, New or previously owned?

5 How much would you pay for a new boat of any kind? – For an OK Dinghy?

6. How old are you / year of birth?

7 How would you rate your Physical fitness / ability to sail.  ->  Excellent [works out]; Good [I like to take long walks on the beach] ; Fair [Walks to local bar].;  Poor [my idea of aerobic exercise is walking from the couch to the refrigerator to get a beer. ;  Lastly – Physical Fitness , what’s that?

8. How would you rate your sailing ability, or Sailing Experience. [Novice – Experienced – Advanced – Semi Pro – Professional ]?

9.How easy would it be to start a fleet on your home Lake / Beach on a scale of 1-5 . 1 impossible to 5 we’re ordering boats now.?

10. Would you ever consider going to a World Championship in Europe or Southern Pacific [Outside USA ] – yes or no ?

11. Would you ever assist either financially or with volunteer time with a World Championship held in the USA.?

12.How important is a custom OK to your sailing plans on a scale of 1 to 5.? 1 not important -> 5 Won’t consider anything but a custom boat.?

14. Do you prefer plywood or composites as building materials for your OK dinghy?

15. Do you prefer to build your own boat, or purchase a composition hull, or purchase a ready to sail package. If none of these what would you do when purchasing a new boat.?

Updated : 04/11/03

Boat Sizes and Description

Championship winning design.

Finally up to date plans for an advanced, all wood, pickle fork type three point hydroplane hull. Great designs that are being sold to locations all over the world!  Equipped with a recessed motor board, designed to be used with factory stock outboard racing motors. Marine Mahogany and Sitka Spruce construction. Computer drawn with many full size patterns. Step by step instructions with dozens of photos and includes information on how to set it up and run. Build a new boat for the price of a used one. A great father and son project, we've even had them go out as mother and daughter projects! Great for at the cottage! 

A few features common to all Fralick Hydroplanes

• - Recessed transom (started in 1991, before most others)
• - Cut out throttle side coaming
• - Lower center of gravity
• - Better cornering
• - Fralick innovation? Started in 1978, one of the very first anyway
• - Extreme outside mounted fin, plans for aluminum bracket and fin included.
• - Sloped cockpit sides 5 degrees
• - More room in bottom of cockpit
• - Secure, body fit at top
• - Tapered coamings narrow at the back.
• - More streamlined
• - Less air turbulence
• - Creates stronger cockpit sides
• - Side step on bottom of sponson.
• - Designed to let air get under sponson
• - Creates less friction
• - Easier water separation
• - Side scallops on sponson and rear corners
• - Reduces water friction
• - Low profile deck and high slope windshield
• - Breaks through wind easier
• - Special anti-skid turning chine
• - Amazing turning results
• - Fralick innovation
• - Only on Fralick boats, so far...
• - Bottom relieved for last 24" or so
• - Reduces hull angle of attack to the water
• - Built in front lifting handles (ledges)
• - Boat won't slip out of your hands
• - "S" bend curve in hull bottom up front
• - Creates very stable ride into the wind
• - Low profile floor board, torsion box construction
• - Adds rigidity to boat bottom

JSH/ASH only features

• - Hollow vented motor board.
• - Reduces weight.
• - Allows air to flow through from high pressure area to low pressure area behind boat.
• - Less air turbulence.
• - Space under transom for your feet.
• - Allows you to still get all the way to the back of the boat with the recessed transom.
• - Fralick innovation!
• - Outside, behind the transom, aluminum gas tank, plans included.

BSH/20SSH/25SSH/CSH only features

• - Special deep tunnel in hull bottom.
• - Designed for speed.
• - Reduces water friction.
• - Most tunnels create more surface area, not this one
• - More stable ride

Hull Dimensions

** Overall weight is highly dependant upon the builders selection of woods used.  for example a 4'X8' sheet of 1/4" thick plywood can vary from 15 lbs to 25 lbs in weight!

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Dinghy racing: how to get started, dinghy racing for beginners.

Veterans and boating enthusiasts are no strangers to the various types of watercrafts used for both recreation and sport… Although we are all familiar with the more generic term, inflatable boat or rubber boat a “dinghy” might sound a bit unfamiliar and new for novices.

WHAT IS A DINGHY?

“Dinghy” is a term borrowed from the Bengali word, “dingi”, Urdu term, “dingi” and Hindi word, “diemgi”, which means “a small boat or little boat”. The use of dinghies has evolved through the years; and today, people are using these small rubber boats for recreation and water sports. A dinghy is now often referred to as a small, inflatable rubber boat operated either by rowing, sailing, or powered by a motor. A dinghy is also used as a tender by larger vessels, or utilized as a lifeboat.

Given its many uses, it is very important to make sure that you get your hands on a durable and well-designed dinghy to make the most out of your adventure trip! Newport Vessels’ dinghy boats use the highest quality Korean PVC fabrics and the most advanced heat welding technology, making these small, inflatable rubber boats reliable more than ever.

DINGHIES DO NOT TAKE UP MUCH STORAGE SPACE

Inflatable boats  can be deflated, folded, and kept in a small space, while a solid hull dinghy can easily be stored on a trailer. They do not take too much storage capacity so you don’t have to spend extra for storage fees. These boats are car-toppable, are small enough when deflated to be carried in the trunk of a Mini Cooper, and they can be easily be transported on a small trailer towed by nearly any car, something that is simply not possible even with any reasonably-sized yacht.

WHAT IS DINGHY RACING?

Dinghy racing is one type of competitive sailing that is often regulated by sailing federations and yacht clubs. Dinghy racing can be setup in several different ways, an individual sport, a competition between two teams, or a tournament within a fleet of boats from different classes. Needless to say, every sailor who competes should be experienced in operating a dinghy, well-trained in making sure that the dinghy is all set to compete, and skilled in employing sailing strategies to stay ahead of the competition.

TWO TYPES OF DINGHY RACING

Sailing Dinghy is a widely popular water sport across the globe. Dinghy sailing is a type of recreational sport wherein participants are judged based on their technical and strategic skills - the five essentials of sailing: sail setting, the trim, foils, boat balance, and route choice, and more sailing techniques.

Motorized Dinghy Racing is a competitive sport using dinghies powered by an outboard motor. It is one of the most popular forms of dinghy sailing and it significantly enhances the dinghy sailors’ competence and mastery of the sport in general. Motorized dinghy racing has also paved the way for the innovations and improvements in the construction and design of modern sailing dinghies, including materials, sail plans and techniques.

DINGHY RACING IS SAFE AND HAS A GREAT COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE

Racing prioritizes safety with its several accredited training courses that you are required to take before you can race and compete. Plus, a regulatory authority exists in most countries worldwide to regulate racing, as well as administer and promote both leisure and competitive sailing.

Moreover, dinghy racing boasts a great community of like-minded people through sailing training courses and during dinghy race events. Being part of a community with shared challenges and experiences makes the sport all the more fascinating and rewarding. What’s good about this kind of sport is that it is open to everyone who has a passion for boat racing. As a matter of fact, persons with disabilities are welcome to join and participate. Also, dinghy racing is also starting to attract younger age groups to learn the sport and take part in the competitions.

WHY IS DINGHY RACING A GREAT ALTERNATIVE TO OTHER BOAT RACING?

Dinghy racing costs less.

Boat racing can be an intimidating experience to beginners, especially when we’re thinking about the private yacht racing and premier boat racing. And we can’t deny it -- membership fees to these fancy yacht clubs are steep, not to mention the maintenance on a sailboat! We’ve all heard the joke “The two best days of a man’s life is the day he buys his boat, and the day he sells it.” Sailboats are incredibly costly to maintain, but that doesn’t mean you have to take out a second mortgage (or dip into your kids college fund) to enjoy the thrills of boat racing!

So if you’re looking for an equally remarkable experience that won’t hurt your wallet, then dinghy racing is a great boat racing alternative! The new improvements made in the design of dinghies are now more economical, making them easier to operate and maintain without compromising its quality. This means that buying a dinghy (plus its operating and maintenance costs) is way cheaper than investing in other types of boats!

If you are seeking a starter boat to get comfortable with before investing in a trailer, the Newport Vessel Dana is a great  inflatable boat  that offers excellent value for money, and you can still get it a very reasonable price even with a small outboard motor attached to it! Inflatable boats are not often used in racing series, but they can offer an excellent first step into the world of boating.

HOW TO GET STARTED WITH DINGHY RACING?

Getting started with dinghy racing is easy, but can also be contingent on your proximity to the coast. As mentioned previously, you have to undergo training courses and learn everything you need to know before getting out on the water.

PICK A TYPE OF RACING: MOTORIZED OR SAILING

Sailing is a hugely versatile sport and there are a lot of options when it comes to boats and the type of racing to enjoy. First thing to do is to choose what type of racing that suits you - motorized dinghy racing or dinghy sailing.

CHECK YOUR AREA FOR CLUBS

Explore your area for nearby clubs and search for a community or network that shares the same passion for sailing. Don’t forget to check for boats that have decent-sized fleets for instant source of friends, advisers, as well as tips and support!

GO TO A FEW EVENTS AND PARTICIPATE IN TRAINING CLASSES

Attend and engage in sailing events and activities to gain more information on upcoming popular training classes, seminars, deals and discounts, and to get insights and good advice on handling, operating, maintaining, and how to prepare your dinghy for competition.

TALK TO COMPETITORS AND EVENT ORGANIZERS

Look out for future matches within your area. Socialize and discuss with competitors and event organizers and share helpful information, tips and techniques. Start an interesting conversation with sailors, who will surely be more than pleased to meet you. Have your goals and plans clearly mapped out before approaching someone, share their enthusiasm, and ask fundamental questions that can be beneficial to the both of you as potential teammates.

DECIDE WHETHER RACING IS FOR YOU

At this point, you can now ask yourself - is racing for me? In addition to your time and your skills, also take account of the costs of dinghies, rentals, maintenance, and entry fees, to mention a few. Always bear in mind that no matter what type or level of competition you engage in, dinghy racing is a fun sport and doing it with a team makes it all the more enjoyable. Dinghy racing is more than just technical skills and expertise in the sport - you learn values like patience, discipline, sense of responsibility, teamwork, and more, all of which make an exceptional sailor.

CAN YOU WIN MONEY IN DINGHY RACING?

Yes, once you have the skills, the confidence and the determination, you are now ready to join dinghy racing matches, go professional, and win world titles, trophies, and cash prizes through local and international dinghy racing competitions and championships. The more skilled you are, the more fee you can demand. Aside from being popular, you can also earn extra for being a good sailor, like designing and building boats, making sails, or being a captain of your own ship!

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from RYA Dinghy Show 2021

SEVEN DINGHIES FOR SEVEN DECADES with David 'Dougal' Henshall : Fireball - The Dinghy of the Sitxties

"On a breezy day on us with sunshine and waves there is no boat quite like it for going out and having an amazing blast and having fun. This truly is the boat for that decade and I think it will stay with us for many years to come." 

The fireball is a high performance two-person sailing dinghy offering exciting sailing, intense competition and a great social life off the water. It has a wide appeal as it is simple to build, reasonably priced and not too demanding to sail.

The Fireball stands out from other similar dinghies as it is -

• Can sail in almost any wind strength,
• Is suited to both lake and sea sailing,
• Can be sailed by a wide weight range of crews,
• Can be sailed by all male, all female and mixed crews,
• Age is not a restriction with sailors from 14 through to 75,
• Entry level boats are available from around $1000.00,
• Boats remain competitive for many, many years,
• The class is sailed in over 30 countries worldwide,
• Fireball sailing is as much about social as racing,
• Fireballs are great fun to sail.

With an excellent race program, including club, regional, national and  world championships, you'll never be short of good competition, boat on boat, crew on crew. With a social side to match you'll have just as much fun off the water. Perhaps this is why over 15150 Fireballs have been sold worldwide.

If you're looking to get more out of your sailing then the Fireball could be the boat for you, a genuinely international sailing dinghy with a single trapeze and spinnaker. An adjustable rig rules out the need for complex racks or weight equalisation systems and class rules allow flexibility to fit the boat out to suit you, making it ideal for smaller helms or crews to sail the boat that they want.

She is good for inland water or the sea. Her performance has proved intriguing for expert helmsmen, yet she is stable enough to be kind to the clumsy novice. Fireball planes at the drop of a hat. Peter Milne of Norris brothers in designing the prototype threw aside the old tradition that a boat sails upright. Fireball is intended to sail best at an angle of about three degrees.

Many Fireballs are amateur-built, a good indication of the simplicity of the design. The Fireball hull and sail plans have strict limitations in design, but the class rules allow you to adapt the position and design of gear to suit your own weight and style of sailing.

Anyone can sail a Fireball. Age or sex does not determine one's ability to be competitive. Some countries leading fireball sailors are women. The class also has a strong contingent of sailors over forty.

Winning Fireball races is not really a question of having an amateur or professionally built, plywood or fibreglass, old or new boat, but rather comes down to mastering the art of tuning, and sailing better than your competition.

Fireballs are a delight to sail in strong winds. The thrills of trapeze and spinnakers are hard to match in any type of sailboat or board. If capsized, the boats are easily righted, and can be sailed without bailing. The weight and strength of the crew is not as important as the tuning of the boat. The trapeze and sail handling requires skill rather than strength.

The Fireball is an International Class, with fleets in every region of the world, and associations conducts yearly World, Continental, National and State Championships.

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Zest Racing Dinghy

PDF plans £70

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Product Description

Zest is a hiking (no trapeze) single-handed racing dinghy designed by Richard Woods, based on his 50 years racing experience, which includes winning two singlehanded national championships.

Designed in the classic style, it has a simple hard chine stitch-and-glue plywood hull and sitting-out wings, which are demountable and simply slot into sockets on the main bulkheads. The wings form a very comfortable angled gunwale to sit on, high above the water with no hard edge digging into your thigh.

I didn't want it to be too extreme, preferring a boat that you can race straight away, rather than one that comes with a steep learning curve. The ideal crew weight is between 70-90 kg, but lighter helms will need to be more athletic.

Richard Woods, designer

The wings are foam-filled and fully buoyant, which gives extra stability down to lee, where it matters, when the boat heels. They taper fore and aft to act as skis when they dig in. Zest's overall beam is moderate, as wings that are too wide make a boat tricky to sail and, especially, to tack. The wings also help prevent death rolls and windward capsizes.

Although the hull is a simple dory shape, there is a chine aft, which reduces transom drag in light winds. It has a self-draining cockpit and plenty of built-in buoyancy for safety. The boat is easily righted after a capsize and the open transom makes it easier to climb back onboard over the stern.

Both foils have a moderate aspect ratio. A higher aspect ratio (longer and thinner) may be more efficient, but puts bigger loads on a weaker structure that is harder to home-build. A high aspect ratio foil also stalls easier which would make the boat trickier to sail.

The daggerboard is parallel sided, so that when it is raised the slot is still filled and there's no turbulence. Only the bottom section is tapered, in line with modern thinking, to reduce drag from tip vortices. The rudder has a gently curved leading edge because, despite one's best care, rudders regularly drag on the ground when moving onshore and a sharp corner would quickly wear.

Zest features a centre mainsheet, as that makes gybing easier (always a tricky manoeuvre on a fast singlehander), and sail controls are led to the wings on each side. A fully battened sail is shown in the plans, but a half battened sail is another option (just the top two full length battens). The simple stayed mast may be reused from another dinghy.

Building the Zest dinghy is very simple; it should be possible to build the hull (unpainted) over a weekend. It uses only 3 sheets of 4 mm, 1 sheet of 3 mm and 1 sheet of 6 mm plywood.

The Zest is light weight and narrow enough to cartop.

• LOA: 4.2 m (14′)
• Overall beam: 1.9 m (6′ 2″)
• Hull beam: 0.96 m (3′ 2″)
• Empty weight: 50 kg (110 lb)
• Sail area: 9.2 m² (100 sq ft)
• Sail area (optional smaller rig): 8.2 m² (88 sq ft)
• Draught: 0.1 / 1.05 m (4″ / 3′ 6″)

The Zest dinghy plans include detailed specifications for building the boat. The quality and clarity of the plans ease the construction of this boat, though you still need to be confident of your plans-reading ability.

A complete materials list is supplied with the plans. All dimensions are in metric units.

An electronic version of the plans in PDF format that can be viewed using Adobe Reader. After credit card authorisation the file will be sent to the email address put on the order form.

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O’Connor Racing: Wooden Hydroplane Built for Speed

Passionate is a word that only begins to describe Bob O’Connor’s lifetime of devotion to building and understanding hydroplane boats. “You don’t do this for the money,” the energetic, Farmington-based boatbuilder said. “In fact, you’re lucky if you break even on these things.”

Now that O’Connor has taken over his well-known late father’s hydroplane building business, he has his sights set on nothing less than seeing one of his creations win the world title of hydroplane racing. “My father’s boats won third place twice,” the 56-year-old woodworking aficionado said while bustling around his small, basement shop. “But he wasn’t going to use modern materials in his boats. I do.”

Actually, in the subculture of international hydroplane enthusiasts, the current construction methods of O’Connor Racing Hydroplanes might still be considered a little old-fashioned despite the recent addition of materials like Kevlar and carbon fibers.

Hydroplane racing goes back a long time. The Gold Cup race was conducted on the Hudson River in 1904 with the winner’s boat topping out at an average, straight-line speed of 23 miles per hour. Contestants in those days drove lightweight boats made of wood, which is what O’Connor still prefers—mostly. 

Wooden boats dominated racing for the next 30 years. The go-fast thinking then was simply to put more and more power in bigger and bigger planing boats. Winners like the 38-foot  Miss America X , with four V-12 Packard engines jammed into her planked hull, hit speeds of more than 120 miles per hour in 1932.

In the late 1930s builders began to tinker with hull shapes.

An innovative boatyard in New Jersey radically redefined the planing boat’s hull design. Instead of a relatively flat hull with one small V-shaped keel down the middle, Ventnor Boat Works designed a hull with two V-shaped, underside projections at the edges, much like a catamaran. Called “sponsons,” these two outer edges provide additional lift to get more of the boat out of the water, as well as add stability when the boat goes into a turn. A lightweight Ventnor hydroplane won the 1939 Gold Cup, and racing has never been the same since. 

“Basically, these boats are just airplanes brought down to the water,” O’Connor said of today’s three-point hydroplane design. He said there is more aerodynamics to the design than hydrodynamics. The key is getting most of the seven- to eight-foot boat out of the water so the two sponsons just barely skim the surface while the prop of the outboard engine stays in the water, pushing boat and driver along—hence the three-point nomenclature. “It’s definitely a balancing act out there,” he said. “You have to get everything just right.”

The balancing act in construction methods accelerated in the 1950s when new technologies made it possible to combine lightweight glass fibers with various hardening resins. But as a longtime furniture maker and home builder, Bob O’Connor Sr. wanted to stick with good old Maine white cedar for many parts of his hydroplanes, marrying them to thin plywoods and other woods, with weight reductions based mostly on design. That was the world into which Bob Jr. was born. 

“I’ve been working with wood ever since I can remember,” O’Connor noted with pride. In addition to the boats, O’Connor has a full-time job as a foreman with the Farmington municipal waterworks department. During the school year, he also coaches wrestling at the local high school. All other free time (yes, he does find some), he devotes to working on, studying, thinking about, and designing hydroplane boats. He also has a very understanding wife.  

“Without question, Bob builds some of the safest and fastest hydroplanes in the world,” said Bill Allen, a Massachusetts hydroplane racer who heads up America’s most prestigious racing syndicate, U.S. A-Team. A ten-time national hydroplane champion, with four world speed records to his credit, Allen praised O’Connor’s “old-fashioned” construction methods. “In Bob’s boats, if something happens, the other boats are going to bounce off you, not go through you.”

O’Connor said driver safety is one of his prime concerns, having been a hydroplane racing driver himself most of his life. With his active racing days over, he now sticks to building and testing boats. “It does beat you up out there,” he said. “You’re crouched down, tensed up, barely able to move at all.”

Even slight driver movements in a hydroplane cockpit can send the vessel “kiting.” That’s when there’s too much lift forward and the hydroplane becomes airborne, usually going straight up in the air and flipping over amid the other contestants. 

Remarkably, both O’Connor and his father before him are self-taught engineers and designers. While many competitors on the international racing circuits employ naval and aeronautical architects, along with certified engineers for creating and modifying their hydroplanes, Bob Jr. sticks with modifications suggested by customers like Allen, along with learning by deconstructing boats that are wrecked during the course of a race. “You can learn an awful lot about how to improve a design by finding out what went wrong,” he said.  

Composite wood-based hydroplanes that include Kevlar, carbon fibers, and the like are also easier to modify than boats made solely of modern plastics, he noted. A wood boat can be modified and reworked to make subtle changes to gain an edge.

“That’s what I like about Bob,” said racer Allen, who has owned and raced no fewer than 10 O’Connor boats. “He’s willing to work with you and make little changes to your specs, and usually comes up with good suggestions of his own.” 

International Olympic Committee-sanctioned hydroplane races are held every year in Europe. Annually, the U.S. A-Team competes against heavily financed European and Asian teams in the OSY 400 class, which is considered the top competitive class among dozens of various hydro classes, both in the U.S. and abroad. 

Said O’Connor, “I’m going to keep building them until we win first place. Second place is no place at all.” 

Ken Textor has been living on, working on, writing about, and cruising boats along the Maine coast since 1977. He lives in Arrowsic.

O’Connor Hydroplanes

Builder: O’Connor Racing Hydroplanes 693 Holley Road, Farmington, ME 207-491-8144

Hydroplane No. 55-A: small, but very, very fast

By Polly Saltonstall 

Launched last spring, the boat, which has no name—just a number like a stock car, 55-A— competed in its first race last May in Standish, Maine, on Watchic Lake.

Hamilton, who grew up in Rumford, learned about hydroplaning when his father took the family to races around the state in the 1960s and 1970s. When he was 12 Hamilton rebuilt a hydroplane for himself, and then built one from scratch with his brother when he was 14. Then came high school, college, and life. He left hydroplanes behind until 2014 when he was living in Wisconsin and could not get to Maine to sail his boat on Penobscot Bay. So he reacquainted himself with the speedy side of his character, bought a hydroplane, and took up racing in the Midwest region. He received the American Powerboat Association’s stock outboard rookie of the year award in 2014.

When he moved back to Maine, to Rockport in 2015, and became the plant manager for DuPont in Rockland (formerly FMC), his hydroplane came with him, but he knew he wanted a new one.

Hamilton’s younger brother also races hydroplanes and has two boats built by O’Connor. Hamilton put his name on the Farmington builder’s waiting list and two years later got his boat: a C Stock Hydro. Powered by a Yamato 33-hp racing engine, the boat weighs just 100 pounds.

In addition to the speed, Hamilton likes the sport because of the people he meets at races.

“The racing community is like one giant family,” he said, explaining that as many as 80 to 90 boats show up for these events. Hamilton planned to compete in six races over the summer, three of them in Maine.

Hydroplanes are not much more than wedge-shaped flying saucers with cockpits. Hamilton’s boat will go as fast as 65 mph, and races might last just three minutes. The driver kneels in the cockpit behind a narrow windshield. “With your head and your arms forward you hang on for dear life to the steering wheel and the throttle,” he explained.

“Injuries are rare despite the speed. There is a high level of safety focus. The clothing and gear I wear costs more than my boat does.”

And Hamilton’s sailboat on Penobscot Bay? He still has a J46 named Meme Chum . It’s considered a fast sailboat by many, but for Hamilton, it’s where he goes when he’s ready to slow down.                           

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Idea 21 sportboat

The development of the family of small offshore capable sailboat plans : chined hull for the highest stability, vertical lifting keel, trailerable, suitable for club racing or cruising (two interior versions) ,  plywood and epoxy hull with the radius chine system, sparkling performances while sailing and reasonable interiors for coastal cruising.

First boat launched : read the first impressions here

Idea 21 small sailboat plan is the latest development of my family of small plywood & epoxy sailboats plans for homebuilders : it was quite a time since i was thinking of an evolution of her smaller 19 footer sister, so i finally take the decision to publish this new plan. the goals of this plan is simple: add interior volume, simplify the work for homebuilders switching to a complete plywood & epoxy radius chine hull, enhance slightly the sparkling performances of idea 19, keeping the sailboat very balanced and suited for sailors ranging from enthusiast beginners to experienced seamen., first boat launched and several other boats in building stage make idea21 the most sparkling project on our catalogue,  hull: chined hull on a small light sailboat has a simple reason to exist: it gives more stability to the sailboat when heeled, much more than a round hull similar sailboat. i managed to keep a very low wetted area of the unheeled hull, in order to achieve a good pace in light air and avoid excessive drag. stern sections are quite flat to gain speed downwind (idea 19 has been clocked with speed steadily in excess of 15 knots)., bow sections: experiences on racers showed that “knife-blade” bows may give you less resistance, but the price to pay is high in terms of buried bow sailing downwind, so i decide to provide this plan a large u-shaped section on the bow ; sails provide the sailboat plenty of power to defeat the small amount of added drag., sailplan: i have a very good starting point with idea 19, so we’re doing small adjustments and no revolutions: square top mainsail, 7/8 fractional rig , very wide single swept spreaders, no backstay, deck stepped mast with sturdy section, 110 % j jib, code zero, jennaker hoisted on swinging retractable bowsprit, and a good amount of sail area., keel and ballast: idea21 have a solid hard wood cored & unidirectional glass epoxy laminated lifting keel, with a naca optimised profile and a low resistance hydrodynamical shaped 280 kg lead bulb bolted on the keel tip; it can be made by a homebuilder, no need for professional welder; the fin area is on the low side, speed will help generating the required lift without adding too much drag. keel case is in 20 mm thickness plywood and epoxy laminated glass reinforcements, and it’s perfectly waterproof while sailing., full lifting keel  version : after a request from a builder, idea 21 cruise is available in a version featuring an integral watertight keel case running form hull bottom to cabin top panels, this feature called flk (full lifting keel) will allow the boat to sail with keel partially raised or to motor with keel totally up, a good option if you sail in shallow waters frequently., cockpit: was one of the strongest point in idea19, we simply keep the same arrangement and dimensions, so we have a really huge area for the crew and a simple and sturdy building in plywood panels epoxy glued on a structure of bulkheads and stringers., interiors: here i focussed on several upgrades; i decided to split the project in two versions (so two different sets of plans, you have to specify on order), “sport cruise” or “racing” ; both versions have 4 berths, a classic v berth on bow and two quarter berth after; in the cruising version cabin is 55 cm longer, giving wider interiors, enough room for a separate toilette and more comfortable after berths ; in the racing version we have a marine toilet (there’s room for a jabsco compact one) under the bow v-berth; cabin height is 1.65 m in both versions. interiors plywood panels are detailed on plans., taking advantage form the first season of sailing, i can now say that i strongly advice the cruise version as long as you are not going to run a sailing school, thus needing extra space in the cockpit., wooden rig: starting form summer 2019 we deliver two extra drawings with the plans, both for race and cruise version,  describing how to build a wooden rig suited for this boat.  keep your budget low at the price of a small extra weight , how to build the boat: we chose the plywood & epoxy resin “radius chine” system, as for petrel 28 and hirundo 750, so the hull planking is in okume marine grade plywood ; planking the hull is quite fast , and the internal structure of the boat is made by plywood bulkheads, floors and solid wood longitudinal stringers, all glued with epoxy and strengthened with epoxy laminated glass tape, assembled on a cheap wood scaffold, keeping the hull light, sturdy and quite easy to build for homebuilders ; the goal is to keep the total weight of the 19 footer, raising the ballast fraction of the sailboat at the same time. here are a couple of pictures of the first planked hull perfectly showing the radius chine planking system.

a HUGE Thanks to Nils Theurer    ([email protected])   for the awesome pictures taken during the first sea trials  

Plans availability: Plans are available in italian and english. Plans are available in imperial units upon request (send me a mail before purchase).

Home » S12 Club New design – lightweight and efficient plywood racing dinghy

S12 Club New design – lightweight and efficient plywood racing dinghy

First of all … welcome to those who have picked up a flyer from the Vancouver wooden boat show where the S12 Club prototype is making a first public appearance.

When Rick, who is building the prototype in Canada, delivered it to the show the comments were positive;

Everyone seemed to love the boat. Comments like ‘art deco’ and beautiful, and love the curves, and ‘if that would have been painted, I’d swear it was plastic’ Judging is tomorrow. We will see what the experts think of it. ( see initial sailing trials )

The ideas behind the boat are to show what one of the wholesome low cost, highly efficient, self build plywood dinghies from Australia and NZ in the 1970s might have evolved into if everyone hadn’t got sidetracked by composites, carbon fibre, ball bearing fitouts – for an incremental increase in performance but a huge increase in boat cost.

So this is something lower cost that doesn’t dumb down any of the essentials.

Modern tech has some advantages, even though real innovation will apply to any type of boat equally – things like sail twist control or lighter construction methods (the OZ/NZ standard for plywood boats is between 8 and 10 pounds per foot of length – there are plenty of composite and even carbon sailboats that exceed that substantially.

One example of using modern tech to advantage is the square top mainsail.  Normally a way of cramming sail area up high, here it is used to reduce the mast length to;

• Save cost of materials by making the mast a foot and a half shorter
• Save labour
• Reduce the length of the mast when towing or roofracking
• Reduce the difficulty of rigging the boat – it should be easier than some 10 foot long boats.

One unusual thing is that the sail must have a reef built into it as standard.  This will allow the standard sail to be reduced down to the popular 4.7 sq metre area made popular by the Laser and other dinghies.  A great idea for learners and lighter sailors (but the lighter sailors are going to be very tempted to use the full sail I think :)

Despite being a svelte looking boat the starting point for the structure is a simple box – much like one of my very nice sailing   OzRacer  box shaped boats.  This is also the building frame.  It doesn’t look cool at all … right :)  There are a couple of modifications from this photo already incorporated in the plans.

The building method is an advance over the normal stitch and glue type build.  Stitching is very laborious and leads to an ugly interior join as the epoxy fillet or glass tape has to hop over all the copper wires or cable ties.  In this case the build uses a similar method to the OzRacer RV and the Quick Canoes – the hull is assembled and held together using gaffer tape.

The advantage of this method is that the interior is very clean making the glass taping or epoxy filleting very simple as you have a clean go at it … it is easy to just go through almost the whole boat and fillet/tape everything in one session.  The only timber used is to put the deck on, stiffen the top of the transom, fit the centrecase and the stem.  Everything else is filleted.

Now there’s little point of promising easy building if the result is nondescript … so more photos.

Deck is not trimmed yet in these two photos.

A photo from Rick varnishing the boat.  He extended the wings from my original drawings “go wide or go home” he said.

I think he was right.  It has catalyzed the appearance.  He is the test pilot anyhow, so if he gets a big dunking … then it’s all his fault! :)

The boat has to be rigged and sailed to make sure everything works OK and to get the basic sail design and mast design to co-operate for the gust response we are looking for.  We jump some extra hoops with all my designs to make sure they will sail exceptionally well out of the boatshed/garage/living room.

Then compiling the plans might take a few months.  My advantage (and disadvantage) is the plans are highly detailed and offer a step by step instruction book into building a lean and efficient boat.  Someone once called my plans “A boatbuilding course in a book” – which is pretty accurate.  For this boat they will be about 100 pages and price will be the normal $100 for my more expensive range of cartop/trailerable plans.

I think this boat offers something quite different from the normal building project.

And something quite different on the water.   I think it will kick up a lot of interest wherever it is sailed.

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2 thoughts on “S12 Club New design – lightweight and efficient plywood racing dinghy”

There is a lot about this boat I love. The lines, the architectural design.

I have loved stitch and glue (or tape up) with plywood. But the fact is that the plywood becomes more and more difficult to find where we (Michael and I) live, the Philippines. Good Santa Clara becomes more difficult to find every day. Tuffply seems to have vanished. It is easy to get “marine” plywood that upon close examination is full of serious voids and may quickly delaminate because of poor quality control over the glues and gluing process.

Plywood becomes less and less viable as a decent boat building material in the Philippines. My solution, not yet perfected, is to make composite panels that can be used like plywood. We, at Tropical Boats in the Philippines, are exploring a variety of natural fibers, bamboo, abaca, sisal combined with fiberglass, carbon and various resins to build panels that take the place of plywood in stitch and glue (or tape up) designs.

Robert La Quey

Options of other materials are always good. I’ll always design in plywood because it is so accessible.

There is one Goat Island Skiff that was built in Foam Sandwich though – it does add significant labour. If someone wants to change the materials they are welcome to contact me. There are many poor alternative materials and only a few good ones. I can help narrow the choices.

There is a worldwide market for off-the-shelf composite sheets as that alternative is quite expensive in other countries. The Philippines with its clever but lower cost workforce is a good place to manufacture such products.

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index. --> Boat plans from Science and Mechanics and Boat Builder Handbooks. Plans for Hydroplanes, Sailboats, Inboards, Runabouts, Canoes, Kayaks and many other boats. This is a user supported site. An online library. To contribute just send an " ". There are a few plans that have CAD drawings that users have provided. The few cad files that are available (".dwg" and ".dxf" files) can be viewed and printed with a most cad programs. A viewing only program is available at . If you need to view them and dont have a renderer then you can get the latest version you find there. Its no longer being updated but used to work pretty good. The ".png", ".jpg", and ".gif" files are best viewed and printed from your favorite photo editor. After you have followed the image link to the point it is no longer a link and is taking up the entire web page, Save "The Image File" on your local machine by right clicking on the big image you want to print and select "save image as". If you dont find the boat you were looking for in this library, your local public library may have an issue of the magazine with your boat in its archives. I had a request to save moms club, seafood recipe book, online to share with those who have had these. Well now that I have put these on here, they all want, ALL of there recipe's online. Well lets start with these first. They kind of go with boating I think. Check out the . Clams are awesome fried, in chowder, even dip's. Found this excellent reference for all things Clams. Check out Row boat plans Sailboat plans Power boat plans Navigator by John Welsford A really popular daysailer and cruising dinghy. Length overall Beam Weight Sail area Hull construction Plywood See also ,  URL: http://jwboatdesigns.co.nz/plans/navigator/ Description: Navigator has turned out to be the surprise package of the whole bunch, 300 plus sets of plans in today’s market is a lot! Navigator was designed for Boat Books Auckland’s proprietor Tim Ridge as a race trainer to serve the needs of a local club! Originally she had the rig shown on the study print below, a crew of three teenagers totaling about 150 kg was intended, with its big sloop rig and shallow draft centerboard, to reward good sailing technique in a fairly open and windy club venue. There have been quite a few of these built, and I am told that they are very good boats, much enjoyed by their owners. But, the surprise came with my friend Bob Jenner who came to me wanting a long range cruising dinghy just a little bigger than his Rogue. We sat down for a browse through my drawings for some inspiration and Bob was very taken by the hull and internal layout of Navigator but wanted a rig with very different priority. We took the standing lugsail that Bob had liked from Rogue, powerful but very simple and easily handled this is a good sail for a cruiser, we then looked at a means of balancing the boat in severe wind conditions as well as trying to make the boat as easy to sail as possible. I had used the yawl rig in other small boats and had succeeded in making the boats self steer on the wind with little more than a piece of shock cord on the tiller, in this case I organised the sail proportions to have the boat balanced with either main alone, or mizzen and jib only. This means that in a really hard chance the main halyard can be cast off and the boat is still able to be steered and handled when things are very bad. Another consequence of the sail layout is that the mizzen can be sheeted on hard, then the boat will lay comfortably hove to head to wind while the crew take a break, very nice if a hot drink or meal is to be prepared on the go. We looked hard at the seating, side decks and helm so she is really comfortable, there is space for up to six but she is still an ideal singlehanded cruiser. Bob needed lockers, enough space for a weeks gear stowed securely and out of the way of the spray, a space for the little outboard and 2 a place for a little ballast ( in his case wet sand l in bags alongside the centrecase). So we have an anchor well keeping the muddy “hook” and l its chain out of the main part of the boat, a big locker under the foredeck, big lockers under the side seats and in the sternsheets. All of these are sealed off with watertight screw ports or hatches so that there is enough enclosed air space to float the boat really high enabling her to be righted and bailed if swamped. In fact when we tested a later boat she supported her crew comfortably and was easily bailed to get back under way. Bob built his Navigator over about 4 months, the simple glued plywood lapstrake over stringers construction proving both fast and economical, the lightweight hull went together surprisingly quickly in the single car garage and it wasn’t long before we were down at the waters edge christening her with lemonade. We launched her on a very windy day and had a really good time, rocketing around the bay until the (very) second hand wooden mast gave up. It had screw holes filled with putty and painted over right around the deck area and putty isn’t very strong! It wasn’t very long though until we had her fitted with a piece of alloy tube in place of the wooden stump and “Ddraigg “ was off on what turned out to be a very distinguished career, we cruised her, we raced her with a lot more success than most people thought would be the case, we daysailed her and all in all she did more mileage than almost any open boat I’ve seen. Performance wise she is a real surprise, very fast in most conditions, close winded and easily handled, the hull, though light is seaworthy and stable, powerful enough to drive through a big wave and she has a surprisingly comfortable motion in the open sea, something that is not easy to achieve in a light dinghy hull but a real bonus in a boat which may be at sea for a whole day on some coastal passages. This yawl rigged version of Navigator has been really popular, there are Navigators as far north as Finland, Norway and Denmark, and as far south as Invercargill ( 47° deg south, really roaring forties territory). We have had a letter from an owner who sailed from Torquay in England along the coast, across the English Channel and north past France and Holland, ending the odyssey in Sweden! A very long way in an open boat, but as the letter said, the only long voyage was the 32 miles of open water as they crossed to France and from there on it was ten or twenty miles at a time. In spite of the original club project not going ahead, they opted for an existing class boat, she is my most popular single design. There are groups racing with three clubs that I know of and we even have an informal “owners group“ who promote dinghy cruising and the design has been built in many variations including several with cabins ( which I feel are just a bit too small, watch this space for a bigger version named Pathfinder with a cabin as an option later in the year) and has somewhat humbled me with the enthusiasm with which she has been received, She is my favourite, one of those happy coincidences of fate, and perhaps one day I’ll have one of my own. Design Length Beam Sail area Engine power Compare by John Welsford Bigger Navigator - by John Welsford A clinker built double ender in the traditional Navy style - Boats about same size as Navigator   /   Questions? Suggestions? Contact us at: [email protected] The Design Rationale for the RacingSparrow 750 The Racing Sparrow is a model RC yacht designed by New Zealander Bryn Heveldt. Inspired by his early sailing experiences, Bryn created this yacht to make the excitement of model yacht building and sailing accessible to a broader audience. What is a RacingSparrow A RacingSparrow is a radio-controlled model yacht. It is designed to be a scratch-built model for home enthusiasts. It is aimed at beginners who have no experience with sailing or radio control equipment, or balsa wood for that matter. Let's dive in. A Racing Sparrow model yacht is a great beginner's design that sits alongside a book written to guide someone through the whole build process. The Model Yacht Hobby Model Yachting is a well-established hobby or sport, as some would say. This established nature of the sport makes getting started a little bit intimidating for someone who is completely new and wants to get amongst it. The whole reason the author Bryn Heveldt designed this boat and wrote the builder's guide was to counter this entry-level barrier, making the hobby accessible to anyone wanting a taste or, as Bryn says, "scratch that itch!" The Racing Sparrow is a smaller model at 750mm in length. This size is good to keep costs down and enable easy transport. The size is also important to make the project feel like something you can complete and not be overwhelmed or feel out of your depth, excuse the pun here. The finished rigged model is still an impressive model that will give you immense pride, knowing you made that with your own hands. To the newcomer, model yachting can seem overly complex, highly technical, and expensive. This really does not have to be the case. A model yacht can be simple, cheap, and a bit rough around the edges. The origins of sailing are people sailing dug-out trees with a flax bush woven into a basic cloth sail. These basic principles really can still apply to a model. It does not need to be an advanced piece of technology. If you've ever tried to build a model glider or plane, you will have found out that the plane you build has to be very accurate, balanced, and carefully constructed for the thing not to crash in a screeching pile on the side of a hill. Model yachts, on the other hand, are very forgiving. The main concern is it being mostly waterproof. If it's a bit unbalanced either by weight or sail size, the boat will just sail a little slower; it won't crash! This makes it a lot more forgiving to simply give it a go without the flying anxiety. Who designed the Racing Sparrow and when? Bryn when he was 9 years old. The Racing Sparrow was designed by Bryn Heveldt from New Zealand when he lived in Whanganui way back in 2001. He had some time at hand, and the original plans were lovely pencil lines drawn on a large A1 sheet of paper. Bryn is a qualified, experienced designer and also a dinghy sailor from a young age, competing at regattas and learned how to sail fast. With these two lifelong passions combined, he drew up the first prototype. The first design was a little smaller, at about 700mm long. It had a larger, rounder hull with more buoyancy than the final result. It did sail quite well on local lakes, and this was a fantastic start. Bryn had some cool art student friends, in particular a dude called Hardy. He taught Bryn how to mold and cast metals like lead into torpedo shapes for the keel. All the various techniques needed to build a model were hard to source; Bryn needed to ask friends, read various books and magazines to find out all these required techniques. This is the moment Bryn came up with the idea of writing and illustrating a book to collate all this wisdom and knowledge into one place. The Design Process So Bryn took that prototype model, and over the next 5 years, much chin-scratching, designing, and trial and error occurred. The Racing Sparrow design went through a few iterations and on-water "tests" with some key considerations. The main consideration was the model needed to look awesome and sexy! The lines were refined, the sloped transom was added. The rig also needed to look balanced as well as be functionally balanced while sailing. The next considerations for the design were the sailing balance, getting the boat to effortlessly sail in a straight line on its own. Get this right, and a model yacht sails fast. Bryn knew from sailing dinghies that the less you use the rudder, the faster you go. Each time you turn a boat, the rudder acts as a brake to some extent. A well-balanced yacht of any size will have a very neutral rudder balance. Bryn wanted the boat to not only look good but sail fast. Both very important aspects of successful boat design. Once these things were solved, the next riddle to solve was how to make this thing easier to make, with less money and fewer tools. Every part of the project was given thought to minimize money. The use of hand tools only, the reduction in the variety of materials, and the recycling of things like dive belts for lead all make this project easier, cheaper, simpler. The main goal was for beginners to have access to a simple, fast, elegant model design and the instructions on how to build it cheap and easy. The final big push of design saw Bryn spend a whole week on an island in the Marlborough Sounds in New Zealand. Completely cut off from the world with just his laptop and food supplies, he hired a small cabin in the woods and spent the week obsessing over the details, 3D illustrating and refining the drawings, and writing the text, which eventually became the final book of 52 pages. Even the amount of pages was kept as low as possible to make the project feel achievable to the end-user. Not what the publishers were wanting! They are in the business of moving more paper, but not Bryn; he had other ideas about that! That's a whole other blog post. So, who should tackle this project? Do many people finish it? This project is the perfect Father/Son project. It has also proved to be an excellent resource for a school class project. Bryn has had many teachers tell him about how it was used as a woodworking project, for instance. But really, this project was designed for the beginner who wants all the details in one handy publication, including the plans. Over the years, hundreds of people have completed the build and sent in their photos. Bryn is always so stoked to receive these images as it gives him a great sense of satisfaction and validation for tackling such an ambitious undertaking in the first place. Bryn himself has built around 6 Racing Sparrow yachts, long overdue to build another! Affordable Sailboats You Can Build at Home ‍ Key Takeaways There are many sailboats that anyone can build from home depending on tastes Budget will be the biggest deciding factor on a majority of the process Consider kits that come with most of what you need or choose ones that are all-inclusive Design complexities and new materials may make the building time process longer Plan the best you can ahead of time to save money and your working hours ‍ Buying a sailboat can be expensive, but building your own can save you money. So what are sailboats you can build from home? Sailboats that you can build from home will likely be a small boat under 20 feet. These could be from many different boat suppliers such as B&B Yachts, Brooks Boat Designs, and Chase Small Craft. Boat plans will vary based on your budget and how much time you have on your hands. Based on my previous experience, building your own boat will take much longer than if a professional were to do it. You also have to be able to study plans, consider various sailboat designs, and have tons of supplies such as fiberglass tape or fiberglass cloth. On top of that, you will also have to be good with your hands. Table of contents ‍ Top 10 Affordable Sailboats Anyone Can Build at Home Building your own pocket cruiser or other styles from boat plans is an impressive feat, as this will need dedicated time and money to assure your boat sails safely. Boat building takes a lot of patience as well, especially since this will not be completed in a fast manner. Finding boat plans and materials that fit your budget will be key to being able to complete the project. The time it takes to complete these projects will vary on your overall experience and needs. Below are 10 of the most affordable sailboats that you can build in the comfort of your home. B&B Yachts B&B Yachts have 14 different boat plans you can choose from to find the boat of your desires. Their shop is located along the Bay River in North Carolina where they construct all of the kits and have a 100 foot dock to show off your project once you complete it. One popular model to check out is their Core Sound 15, as it is the perfect size for those wanting to build a modest size boat for a handful of people on board. Their website features some videos of completed projects and the plans or kits for purchase. 14 different models to choose from plus some dinghies Various monohull and multihull options Friendly customer service with attractive prices Might be too many options for some that are indecisive Not ideal for those wanting to have a motor sailer Brooks Boat Designs Brooks Boat Designs has a handful of options to consider for your next sailboat building project. They are located in Brookline, Maine and give the option to buy the kits or have them build one from scratch for you. They have plenty of knowledge, so do not be shy to ask about modifications or custom features you are looking for. Depending on your specifics, they can attempt to accommodate some of their plans to help fit your desired outcome. By checking out their site, you can see many examples of their construction in progress and what the boats will look like when completed. Offers a variety of kits Plans vary around $50 and up, while materials will obviously add more costs Some plans can be rowing boats that can convert to sailboats Might take a while to hear back from them, as their contact section is a little outdated Their plans may not accommodate a ton of extras for your taste Chase Small Craft Chase Small Craft offers a simple process for building boats. Their kits are equipped with everything you need and will help save you time than just buying the materials outright and other parts you could need. This is arguably one of the best bang for buck instances if you want to save time and money searching for pieces to your boat. They are located in Saco, Maine and will ship everything to your home from there. All the necessary materials are included and all you need are the proper tools and working space. All-inclusive kits with what you need Tons of knowledge on their site for boat building Easy process to order and customize Complete kits can range over $20,000 for larger boats Kits may take up to eight weeks to ship out Chesapeake Light Craft You can expect high-quality boat kits from Chesapeake Light Craft . They feature 18 different sailboat kits that vary from eight to 20 feet in length. This should be more than enough to find one for you if you are newer to boat building. They also have a wide variety of other kits in addition to the sailboat, in the event that you wanted to order a small kayak or paddleboard in addition to your sailboat. The prices vary considerably when considering a small or larger boat, so check the complete list of options to in order to potentially fit your needs. Plenty of sailboat offerings to choose from Different beautiful hull form options to consider Easy to build and perfect for sailing Only has basic materials needed for kit, so you may need to purchase other items Has epoxy shipping fee no matter if you pick up item Dudley Dix Yacht Design Dudley Dix Yacht Design has an extensive list of plywood and single skin sailing boat options. They have plenty of sail plans and kits to consider depending on your goals. These follow a classic look for sailboats, which are aesthetically pleasing. If you are wanting one to accommodate a small family, they have more than plenty to look through. The cost is not as bad compared to others, but keep in mind that you may need to throw in your own supplies or specific tools to get the job done. Plans start at $30 and range up to $7,500 or more for kits More than enough of options to consider Affordable variety of sailboat offerings Might be too many options for those new to sailing Most are wood without the use of aluminum or steel Farrier Marine If you are in search of a multihull to build, then Farrier Marine is what you need. They offer a unique folding catamaran that is trailerable and give you the option to build it yourself. This not only makes it an appealing option, but anyone can take this multihull boat wherever they want with ease. It features a thorough construction guide once you receive all of the materials. These also come with stainless steel fasteners and an aluminum mast for high-quality materials. Pricing will vary since you must request which model type you are considering. Ability to build a unique catamaran In-depth construction guide to help Easily handled and trailerable Price may be too high Limited offerings since only a few multihull options Glen-L Marine Designs Building a boat from Glen-L Marine Designs can save you time and money. They feature an easy system to order and receive the kits, as well as an in-depth guide to building them. This is an appealing option compared to most boat kit sellers. The beauty about Glen-L is that anyone can build these from scratch, so you do not have to be the best boat builder in the world to get it done. They offer guides and helpful insights from their team to point you in the right direction. Plans vary around $15, while kits can range well over $1,000 depending on boat size. Nearly 50 designs to choose from Complete guide to help anyone build it Plenty of price points depending on size Might be overwhelming with the amount of options Could take a while to get parts since they are popular John Welsford Boat Designs John Welsford Boat Designs invites new and veteran boat builders that want a taste of quality small wooden boats. The boat plans are designed to meet your specifications and are catered to your desires. There are seven sailboat designs to choose from so you do not feel overwhelmed in the process. However, they do not sell kits all the time, so you would need to have the materials or be on the lookout for the best prices when they are available. Seven sailboat plans with different sizes Quality boat builder and supporting community In-depth knowledge provided to you when you order Might be too small of boat size Kits are not always available Iain Oughtred There are plenty of options on the wooden boat store, but you should narrow down your search for Iain Oughtred’s line of sailboat kits and plans. There are 25 different plans to choose from, which should accommodate most everyone looking to build their own boat. While they do offer some kits, they do not routinely offer sailboat kits. You would need to purchase all of the materials if you are considering one of their sail plans. Keep this in mind if you are considering, as you would need to hunt down the parts yourself. 25 different sailboat plans to look through Various sizes to contemplate for you sailing needs Prices will vary but are not bad compared to market No sailboat kits, only plans Newer boat builders might find too many options unappealing Paul Gartside Boat Builder and Designer Gartside Boats is a boat builder company based in Long Island, New York that showcases a variety of boats from traditional and newer methods of boat building. Within that variety, they have boat plans meant for six to 50 feet in length. With an abundance of options, you will need to contact them regarding prices and any customizable options. Kits may vary as well, as they typically design in-house and build for you. Experienced boat designer that can accommodate with custom plans Many options are trailerable Can have plans for up to a 50 foot boat You will need to contact them for prices Customized options may make process more complicated for new boat builders How Much Does it Cost to Build a Sailboat at Home? As you have likely already done so, the math between building your own boat and buying one may be a huge difference. Likewise, you may even enjoy the challenge of taking an older boat that is gutted and restoring with parts from a kit to build one new again. But how much does it cost exactly to build a boat from the comfort of your own garage or workshop? The prices are going to vary dramatically depending on your situation and material needed to get the job done. In addition, the time that it takes to complete this will also vary. Sail plans are rather inexpensive if you are aiming to build a small boat. These plans allow you to see the workings of the boat design and what you need to build the boat. Without these plans, you will not know the exact details of the design and it can cause major issues with the boat’s hull or other areas of the boat. Think of these as the backbone or instructions of the boat’s infancy before being built. Price Per Square Foot You should assume to pay anywhere between $300 to $600 per square foot if you are interested in building a boat. Buying a kit outright can be a good way to save time, but oftentimes these do not come with everything you need. Instead, you should try to source as much of the materials at the best price as possible. Thinking ahead is part of the process and you might be able to score a deal at a lumber yard or hardware store for parts. Boat Designs Matter The design of the boat will be much different from one boat to the next, regardless if they are the same size in length. If you are pondering boats that range anywhere between 16 and 20 feet, you should factor in the shape of the hull, any rigging, and various appendages. Prices tend to increase when there are more complexities within the designs. If you are considering a kit with more details than others, you will also have to pay more for the designs on that as well. Kits Can Differ It is important to understand that all kits are not going to be the same. As you gander at sailboat kits online to stitch together, you need to thoroughly look over to see if you have everything you need before buying. It would also be at your advantage to ask the seller if any additional parts or supplies are needed. This may change your dynamic on the kit buying process and you may pass up one for another if it has everything you need. An all-inclusive kit may cost several hundred, if not thousands, of dollars more to have the convenience of everything in the bundle. Construction Approaches Some boat plans may require you to have certain tools to get the job done. This means special saws or planers, which the average person simply does not have. Purchasing specialty tools might be expensive upfront and hard to find depending on what it is. Your best bet would be to check locally for others trying to sell their tools or consider a boat plan that does not require extensive tools to finish the job. How Long Does it Take to Build a Sailboat? An easy to build sailboat could take a while to build from scratch. Many different variances come into play that are difficult to pinpoint for everyone. But how long is that exactly and how will your experience play into this? A fun project to sail in the wind could take you several months to well over a year depending on the boat plan and how big your boat is going to be. In addition, the materials all need to be accounted for prior to starting in the event a hardware store does not have them in stock. Time Varies The time that passes for simple boat designs on small sailing vessels can be done in a few weeks. This is assuming you have everything you need and work non-stop around the clock. Certain complex situations may make the process long, such as the difficulty of working with some materials. If you are a skilled laborer, it may take you half the time compared to a novice. The amount of time it can take will vary on your availability and skill level. Planning ahead will undoubtedly offer the most time-saving features. It also helps if you can tackle parts of the project at your own pace. Complexity of Design The design of the boat may make the construction process longer. For example, it may take you longer to build a catamaran compared to a similar lengthed monohull. More complex designs might require more materials, therefore making the process a bit longer to complete. Furthermore, you will also need more experience working with difficult designs and that will affect you more as a newbie. Be sure to manage your expectations well and do not allow yourself to become too stressed over this fun project. If you can, seek expert boat building advice from a local builder or the company you purchased sail plans through. Quality Materials The quality of the materials will matter significantly when building a boat and will greatly affect the time it takes to construct it. Handling fiberglass or carbon fiber might require specialty tools, while wood also demands a certain level of craftsmanship. If you are not skilled at working with the material at hand, it might affect the quality of the build and you may have to go back to fix mistakes. This will definitely add more time to your project, because mistakes are bound to happen with your first project. To save time, consider adding the tools and materials throughout the year or as often as your budget allows. You may want to try testing your skills on fiberglass or other materials to get a feel for how to work with it. Related Articles Daniel Wade I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing. by this author Best Sailboats Learn About Sailboats Most Recent Best Small Sailboat Ornaments September 12, 2023 Best Small Sailboats With Standing Headroom December 28, 2023 Important Legal Info Lifeofsailing.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Similar Posts Discover the Magic of Hydrofoil Sailboats December 11, 2023 Best Bluewater Sailboats Under $50K Hunter Sailboats: Are They Built for Bluewater Cruising? August 29, 2023 Popular Posts Best Liveaboard Catamaran Sailboats Can a Novice Sail Around the World? Elizabeth O'Malley June 15, 2022 4 Best Electric Outboard Motors How Long Did It Take The Vikings To Sail To England? 10 Best Sailboat Brands (And Why) December 20, 2023 7 Best Places To Liveaboard A Sailboat Get the best sailing content. Top Rated Posts © 2024 Life of Sailing Email: [email protected] Address: 11816 Inwood Rd #3024 Dallas, TX 75244 Disclaimer Privacy Policy DIY Boat Building Plans Race Boat Plans & Blueprints Download over 500 Boat Plans. Click on the link below. -->click here<--. Table of Contents Overview of Race Boat Plans & Blueprints Race boat plans and blueprints are essential tools for anyone looking to build their own race boat . These plans provide detailed instructions and diagrams that guide builders through the process of constructing a high-performance boat specifically designed for racing . Whether you are a seasoned boat builder or a novice enthusiast, having a well-designed plan is crucial to ensure the success of your project. Building a race boat without a plan is like embarking on a journey without a map. It is important to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and how you will get there. A good race boat plan not only provides the necessary measurements and specifications, but it also takes into account factors such as weight distribution, hydrodynamics, and structural integrity. By following a well-crafted plan, you can avoid costly mistakes and ensure that your race boat performs at its best. Key Takeaways Having a good race boat plan is crucial for building a successful boat. When choosing a race boat plan, consider factors such as your skill level and intended use. There are various types of race boat plans and blueprints available, each with their own unique features. Understanding the different components of a race boat plan and how to read blueprints is essential for building a boat. To avoid common mistakes when building a race boat, make sure to have the necessary tools and equipment and follow the plan carefully. The Importance of Having a Good Race Boat Plan Having a good race boat plan offers numerous benefits for both experienced builders and newcomers to the world of boat construction. Firstly, a well-designed plan saves time and money in the long run. By having a clear roadmap to follow, you can avoid unnecessary trial and error, reducing the time spent on rework and modifications. Additionally, a good plan helps you make informed decisions about materials and equipment, preventing costly mistakes that could lead to delays or even project failure. Furthermore, a well-crafted race boat plan ensures that your boat meets safety standards and performs optimally on the water. It takes into account factors such as stability, speed, maneuverability, and structural integrity. By following a plan created by experts in the field, you can have confidence that your race boat will be safe to operate and competitive in races. Factors to Consider When Choosing a Race Boat Plan When choosing a race boat plan, there are several factors to consider to ensure that it aligns with your specific needs and goals. Firstly, you need to determine the type of racing the boat will be used for. Different types of racing require different design specifications, such as hull shape, weight distribution, and engine power. It is important to choose a plan that is specifically tailored to the type of racing you intend to participate in. Another factor to consider is your skill level as a builder. Some race boat plans are more suitable for experienced builders who have a good understanding of boat construction techniques, while others are designed with beginners in mind. It is important to choose a plan that matches your skill level to ensure that you can successfully complete the project. Lastly, you need to consider your budget for the project. Race boat plans come in a wide range of prices, depending on factors such as complexity and level of detail. It is important to set a realistic budget and choose a plan that fits within your financial constraints. Types of Race Boat Plans & Blueprints Available A high-speed boat designed to skim over the water surface with a single driver. 50 Catamaran A boat with two parallel hulls that provide stability and speed. 75 Outboard Runabout A small, lightweight boat with an outboard motor for racing or recreational use. 30 Inboard Runabout A larger, more powerful boat with an inboard motor for racing or recreational use. 100 There are various types of race boat plans and blueprints available, each tailored to different types of racing. Some common types include hydroplane plans , offshore powerboat plans, and sailboat plans. Hydroplane plans are designed for high-speed racing on calm water surfaces, while offshore powerboat plans are suitable for racing in rougher conditions. Sailboat plans are designed for racing using wind power and require a different set of design considerations. Each type of plan has its own pros and cons. Hydroplane plans, for example, offer exceptional speed and maneuverability but may not be suitable for rough water conditions. Offshore powerboat plans, on the other hand, provide better stability and durability but may sacrifice some speed. It is important to carefully evaluate the pros and cons of each type of plan to ensure that it aligns with your specific needs and preferences. Understanding the Different Components of a Race Boat Plan A race boat plan typically consists of several sections that provide detailed instructions and diagrams for the construction process. These sections include the hull design, deck layout, propulsion system, electrical system, and interior layout. Each section plays a crucial role in the overall performance and functionality of the race boat. The hull design section provides detailed information about the shape and dimensions of the boat’s hull. It includes measurements, cross-section diagrams, and instructions for constructing the hull using various materials. The deck layout section focuses on the arrangement of components such as seating, controls, and storage compartments. It provides detailed diagrams and instructions for constructing the deck structure. The propulsion system section covers the engine, propeller, and fuel system. It provides specifications for selecting the appropriate engine size and type, as well as instructions for installing and connecting the propulsion components. The electrical system section includes wiring diagrams and instructions for installing lights, navigation equipment, and other electrical components. Lastly, the interior layout section focuses on the comfort and functionality of the race boat’s interior. It provides instructions for constructing seating arrangements, storage compartments, and other interior features. How to Read and Interpret Race Boat Blueprints Reading and interpreting race boat blueprints can be a daunting task for those who are not familiar with technical drawings and measurements. However, with some basic knowledge and practice, it becomes easier to understand these complex documents. One important tip for understanding technical drawings is to familiarize yourself with common symbols and abbreviations used in race boat blueprints. These symbols represent various components, materials, and measurements. For example, a circle with a cross inside represents a hole or an opening, while an arrow indicates a direction or movement. Another tip is to pay attention to scales and dimensions provided in the blueprints. These measurements indicate the size of various components and help ensure accurate construction. It is important to carefully follow these measurements to ensure that your race boat is built to the correct specifications. Tips for Building a Race Boat from Plans Building a race boat from plans requires careful attention to detail and adherence to best practices. Here are some tips to help you successfully complete your project: 1. Read the entire plan thoroughly before starting the construction process. Familiarize yourself with the instructions, diagrams, and measurements to ensure that you have a clear understanding of the project. 2. Take your time and work methodically. Rushing through the construction process can lead to mistakes and compromises in quality. Follow the instructions step by step and double-check your work along the way. 3. Seek guidance from experienced builders or professionals if you encounter any difficulties or uncertainties. They can provide valuable insights and advice to help you overcome challenges. 4. Use high-quality materials and tools. Investing in good materials and tools will not only result in a better end product but also make the construction process smoother and more enjoyable. 5. Keep safety in mind throughout the construction process. Follow safety guidelines and use protective equipment when necessary. Common Mistakes to Avoid When Building a Race Boat Novice builders often make common mistakes that can compromise the performance and safety of their race boat. Here are some common errors to avoid: 1. Neglecting proper weight distribution: Proper weight distribution is crucial for stability and performance. Failing to distribute weight evenly can lead to imbalances and affect the boat’s handling. 2. Overlooking structural integrity: A strong and durable structure is essential for withstanding the forces exerted on a race boat during high-speed racing. Neglecting structural integrity can lead to premature failure or even accidents. 3. Ignoring safety regulations: Racing organizations have specific safety regulations that must be followed to ensure fair competition and participant safety. Ignoring these regulations can result in disqualification or even legal consequences. 4. Underestimating maintenance requirements: Race boats require regular maintenance to keep them in optimal condition. Failing to properly maintain your boat can lead to performance issues and costly repairs. 5. Rushing the construction process: Building a race boat requires patience and attention to detail. Rushing through the construction process can lead to mistakes and compromises in quality. Tools and Equipment Needed for Building a Race Boat Building a race boat requires a variety of tools and equipment. Here are some essential tools you will need: 1. Measuring tools: These include tape measures, rulers, and calipers for accurate measurements. 2. Cutting tools: A variety of cutting tools such as saws, knives, and shears will be needed for cutting materials to size. 3. Fastening tools: Screwdrivers, wrenches, and drills are essential for fastening components together. 4. Sanding and shaping tools: Sandpaper, files, and rasps are necessary for smoothing surfaces and shaping components. 5. Safety equipment: Safety goggles, gloves, and ear protection should be worn when using power tools or working with potentially hazardous materials. Additionally, there are optional tools and equipment that can make the construction process easier, such as power tools (e.g., circular saws, jigsaws), clamps, and workbenches. Where to Find Race Boat Plans & Blueprints There are several resources available for finding race boat plans and blueprints. Online platforms offer a wide range of plans from various designers and manufacturers. Websites dedicated to boat building often have forums where builders can share their experiences and recommend plans. Local resources such as boat shows, marine supply stores, and libraries may also have information on race boat plans. Attending boat shows allows you to see different types of race boats up close and speak with experts in the field. It is important to thoroughly research and evaluate the credibility of the sources before purchasing or using any race boat plan or blueprint. Conclusion – Race Boat Plans & Blueprints In conclusion, having a good race boat plan is essential for anyone looking to build their own high-performance race boat. These plans provide detailed instructions and diagrams that guide builders through the construction process, ensuring that the boat meets safety standards and performs optimally on the water. When choosing a race boat plan, it is important to consider factors such as the type of racing, skill level, and budget. Understanding the different components of a race boat plan and how to read and interpret blueprints is crucial for successful construction. By following best practices, avoiding common mistakes, and using the right tools and equipment, you can build a race boat that is safe, competitive, and a source of pride. With the availability of online and local resources, finding the right race boat plan has never been easier. So, start your journey today and enjoy the thrill of racing in a boat you built with your own hands. FAQs – Race Boat Plans & Blueprints What are race boat plans and blueprints. Race boat plans and blueprints are detailed diagrams and instructions for building high-performance boats designed for racing. These plans typically include information on the boat’s dimensions, materials, and construction techniques. Who uses race boat plans and blueprints? Race boat plans and blueprints are used by boat builders, hobbyists, and racing enthusiasts who want to build their own high-performance boats. These plans are also used by professional boat builders who specialize in building racing boats. What types of boats can be built using race boat plans and blueprints? Race boat plans and blueprints can be used to build a variety of high-performance boats, including hydroplanes , catamarans, and monohulls. These boats are designed to be fast, agile, and maneuverable, making them ideal for racing. What materials are typically used to build race boats? Race boats are typically built using lightweight, high-strength materials such as carbon fiber, Kevlar, and fiberglass . These materials are chosen for their strength-to-weight ratio, which allows the boat to be both strong and fast. Are race boat plans and blueprints difficult to follow? Race boat plans and blueprints can be complex and require a certain level of skill and experience to follow. However, many plans are designed with the amateur builder in mind and include step-by-step instructions and detailed diagrams to make the process easier. Where can I find race boat plans and blueprints? Race boat plans and blueprints can be found online through a variety of sources, including boat building websites, forums, and online marketplaces. Some plans may also be available through boat building supply stores or directly from the boat designer. Written by DIY Boat Building Plans Race Boat Polishing Tips Race Boat Painting Tips Bumblebee Sailboat Expedition Rowboat Cambridge Racer Sailing RowCruiser Oxford Wherry Wheelbarrow Dinghy Builders' Forum Builder's Resources Videos & Photos Build Articles Featured Adventures Testimonials Kids Program Boat Accessories Books and DVDs Your Cart is Empty Angus Rowboats Performance Expedition Boats you can Build Angus Rowboats is the premier producer of performance rowboat kits and plans. Our boats are expedition tested and have broken records including fastest time around Vancouver Island and first boat under 20' in Race to Alaska. Our unique, expertly crafted boat designs include rowboats geared for expeditions, racing, sailing, camping and teaching boating to children. Amateur and experienced boat builders from around the world have built Angus Rowboat designs. Build a sleek rowboat that can travel challenging coastal waters, carry your whole family, and even win races. Create your own boat from our detailed plans, an economical way to produce a stunning vessel. Accessories Build your drop in sliding seat system and sculling oars. Explore some of the places Colin and Julie have rowed on their adventures. "I love the (RowCruiser) concept!" Carl Kramer, publisher of Wooden Boat magazine Best-Selling Products Bumblebee Sailboat Downloadable Plans Notify me when this product is available: The Bumblebee is for the pint-sized mariner. This boat is perfect for kids aged 2-5 and is the only boat on the market that allows... View full product details Cambridge Racer Digital Plans The Cambridge Racer is a performance rowing shell designed specifically for speed. It is fastest in calm conditions, however, is shaped to perform well in... View full product details Cambridge Racer Full-sized Plans and Manual Carbon Fiber Sculling Oars - Two-Part $649.00 $699.00   Our break-apart carbon fiber sculling oars are the pinnacle of both performance and practicality.  There's no getting around it, sculling oars are ridiculously long -... View full product details Expedition Rowboat Digital Plans This expedition-designed rowing scull is seaworthy, fast and can carry a month’s provisions. The watertight storage space is accessed through extra-large hatches and the roomy... View full product details Expedition Rowboat Full-sized Plans and Manual $169.00 $169.00 Hollow-Shaft Wooden Sculling Oar Kit If you’ve spent months building a gorgeous wooden rowing vessel, a pair of gleaming varnished sculling oars are the icing on the cake. The shaft... View full product details Oxford Wherry Kit The Oxford Wherry combines elements of traditional beauty with modern design and construction to create a vessel that is not just gorgeous, but surprisingly functional. Its design... View full product details RowCruiser Digital Plans The RowCruiser offers comfortable sleeping accommodation for one person without sacrificing performance. This boat moves at about the same speed as a sea kayak, and... View full product details RowCruiser Full-sized Plans and Manual $189.00 $189.00 Sailing RowCruiser Digital Plans & Manual Package The Sailing RowCruiser is the most versatile boat we offer. We have taken the basic RowCruiser hull (a versatile boat on its own, which provides... View full product details Sailing RowCruiser Plans & Manual Package $299.00 $299.00 Sliding Seat/Rigger Hardware Kit with Carbon Fibre Seat Our drop-in rowing unit is designed to work with all our boats. It can also be used in many other vessel designs such as canoes... View full product details Stainless 316 Oarlock Sockets The market is full of brass and nickel-plated oarlocks and oarlock sockets, but for the corrosive maritime environment bronze and stainless steel are the only... View full product details Builders Resources Human Powered Achievements through the Northwest Passage by Julie Angus At Angus Rowboats, our passion for adventure naturally draws us to the mystique of the Northwest Passage – one of the world's most captivating and perilous waterways. Historically, this elusive passage promised a shorter shipping route, spurring early navigators to fervently chart and struggle through its icy intricacies. The summer of 2023 saw three audacious teams, including one using our very own RowCruiser boats, aiming to be the first to traverse NW Passage solely by human power within a single season. As the season concludes, we've chronicled these attempts, and catalogued past human-powered endeavors to navigate the Northwest Passage. Creating a Bookcase from a Boat by Colin Angus CNC - Cut Kits for Angus Rowboat's Customers Outside of North America Wheelbarrow Dinghy Comes to Life In 1987, a pilot by the name of Robert Plath invented a new kind of suitcase - the Rollaboard.  It had two wheels and a rigid stowaway handle.  While a pretty basic concept, it was revolutionary compared to what already existed (suitcases four wheels and leash that always fell over), and now almost every suitcase is designed in his style.   We feel that the Wheelbarrow Dinghy is to the world of boats that the Rollaboard is to suitcases... Featured Video Watch the video below to see how we taught our 1-year-old to sail. Support Forum Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more … © 2024 Angus Rowboats . MIKE WALLER  Yacht design. WE SPECIALIZE IN BOAT PLANS FOR AMATEUR BUILDERS We provide stock boat plans for both monohull and multihull sailing vessels, including sailing skiffs and sharpies. Our designs mainly feature timber construction, in plywood or cedar strip plank composite construction, using the W.E.S.T. system (wood epoxy saturation technique). Our designs are intended mainly as cruising boats, although several have done well in racing. All designs are suitable for amateur boat builders.  MONOHULLS  multihulls  , photos from our builders. Photo galleries are provided on each design page where available Racing Sail Boats Racer/Cruiser Sail Boats Cruising Sail Boats Power Boats Super Yachts Refits & Restoration Composite Solutions Metal Works Performance Analysis Forensic Engineering Appendage Refits VGYD have produced a broad range of racing sail boat designs from an affordable, easy to handle, fun day-sailer to high powered ocean racing machines. We specialize in the design of easily driven hull forms, which is the key to the success of these boats. The VG-Mini 6.5 2G The VELOCE 880 The XS-Spider The Velocity 7.1 The VG1150XS The 2XS-850 The VG-Open30 The VG-Mount Gay 30 Keels & Rudders Kit-Plan Packages 265 IMAGES Seggerling racing dinghy, mahagony-okume combi marine plywood. Racing S12 Club New design Plans for Sailing/Racing Dinghy SailCraftblog SailCraftblog Free optimist dinghy plans VIDEO 2023 RS Aero North Americans Jollyboat Nationals 2012 Odd sailboat flies ABOVE the water 😱 #shorts #racing #viralshort Shooting the Breeze Nominations open! RYA Club of the Year 2024 Sailboat Plans--Daysailers 10 ft to 15 ft LOA COMMENTS Racing Powerboat Plans The first Dillon racing boats were created in 2006 to fill a gap in the boat plans market for small tunnel and v-bottom boats eligible for nationally sanctioned racing. The earliest designs were intended for two-cylinder power in the 25hp to 40hp range. Since then, the design collection has extended into the 40hp to 80hp range. Plans & Designs Plans & Designs - B&G Yacht Design ... Plans & Designs United States OK Dinghy Racing Association The OK Dinghy popularity is surging worldwide, and a Dan Leech designed, composite boat just won the 2023 Worlds in the UK. Dan Leech designed boats, either professional, kit built, wood or composite have been at the top of the leader board since 2019. See OKDIA.org for complete details. There have been a few new kit boats built in the USA ... Racing dinghy boat plans Design Length Beam Sail area Engine power Compare; Compare; Questions? Suggestions? Contact us at: [email protected]@boatplans.cc Plans Info Started in 1978, one of the very first anyway. - Extreme outside mounted fin, plans for aluminum bracket and fin included. - Sloped cockpit sides 5 degrees. - More room in bottom of cockpit. - Secure, body fit at top. - Tapered coamings narrow at the back. - More streamlined. - Less air turbulence. - Creates stronger cockpit sides. Free RC Sailboat Plan Downloads Free RC Sailboat Plan Downloads Choose Simple Sailing Dinghies for cheap family sailing basics to If you find an older racing dinghy then you have to work out whether to keep it or burn it. Some are really big bargains - A group of case studies and advice about fixing up an older sailing dinghy. Build a sailing dinghy. Many plans are setep by step and the skill requirement is unintimidating. There have been huge leaps made to make boats ... Dinghy Racing: How To Get Started Dinghy sailing is a type of recreational sport wherein participants are judged based on their technical and strategic skills - the five essentials of sailing: sail setting, the trim, foils, boat balance, and route choice, and more sailing techniques. Motorized Dinghy Racing is a competitive sport using dinghies powered by an outboard motor. The Boat Boats remain competitive for many, many years, The class is sailed in over 30 countries worldwide, Fireball sailing is as much about social as racing, Fireballs are great fun to sail. With an excellent race program, including club, regional, national and world championships, you'll never be short of good competition, boat on boat, crew on crew ... Zest Racing Dinghy Product Description. Zest is a hiking (no trapeze) single-handed racing dinghy designed by Richard Woods, based on his 50 years racing experience, which includes winning two singlehanded national championships. Designed in the classic style, it has a simple hard chine stitch-and-glue plywood hull and sitting-out wings, which are demountable and ... Build it yourself My wee optimist dinghy was called 'The Racing Sparrow', the nickname my uncle Bruce Curry gave to me when I was a small boy. Apparently I had an abundance of energy. I studied at Whanganui School of Design and have been a designer / developer since 1998. I live in New Zealand. Best wishes and happy sailing, Bryn Heveldt. O'Connor Racing: Wooden Hydroplane Built for Speed The Gold Cup race was conducted on the Hudson River in 1904 with the winner's boat topping out at an average, straight-line speed of 23 miles per hour. Contestants in those days drove lightweight boats made of wood, which is what O'Connor still prefers—mostly. Wooden boats dominated racing for the next 30 years. Idea 21 Draft keel down/up: 1,75 m - 0,50 m. Engine: outboard 2.3-5 HP on transom bracket. Equipped boat weight: 900 kg. Design displacement: 1200 kg. Max. displ: 1700 kg. Keel ballast: 300 kg. Plans can be purchased here: Nautikit order page. First boat launched : read the first impressions here. Idea 21 small sailboat plan is the latest development ... lightweight and efficient plywood racing dinghy Modern tech has some advantages, even though real innovation will apply to any type of boat equally - things like sail twist control or lighter construction methods (the OZ/NZ standard for plywood boats is between 8 and 10 pounds per foot of length - there are plenty of composite and even carbon sailboats that exceed that substantially. Free Boat Plans From "Science and Mechanics" Magazines Free Boat Plans From "Science and Mechanics" Magazines A really popular daysailer and cruising dinghy Navigator has turned out to be the surprise package of the whole bunch, 300 plus sets of plans in today's market is a lot! Navigator was designed for Boat Books Auckland's proprietor Tim Ridge as a race trainer to serve the needs of a local club! Originally she had the rig shown on the study print below, a crew of three teenagers totaling ... The Design Rationale for the RacingSparrow 750 The Racing Sparrow design went through a few iterations and on-water "tests" with some key considerations. The main consideration was the model needed to look awesome and sexy! The lines were refined, the sloped transom was added. The rig also needed to look balanced as well as be functionally balanced while sailing. Affordable Sailboats You Can Build at Home Sailboats that you can build from home will likely be a small boat under 20 feet. These could be from many different boat suppliers such as B&B Yachts, Brooks Boat Designs, and Chase Small Craft. Boat plans will vary based on your budget and how much time you have on your hands. Based on my previous experience, building your own boat will take ... Sailboat Plans Boat Plans » Sailboat Plans Race Boat Plans & Blueprints There are various types of race boat plans and blueprints available, each tailored to different types of racing. Some common types include hydroplane plans, offshore powerboat plans, and sailboat plans. Hydroplane plans are designed for high-speed racing on calm water surfaces, while offshore powerboat plans are suitable for racing in rougher ... Performance Boats You Can Build from Plans or Kits Expedition Rowboat Digital Plans $139.00. Expedition Rowboat Full-sized Plans and Manual from $169.00 $199.00. Hollow-Shaft Wooden Sculling Oar Kit $112.00. Oxford Wherry Kit $1,450.00. RowCruiser Digital Plans $149.00. RowCruiser Full-sized Plans and Manual from $189.00 $239.00. Sailing RowCruiser Digital Plans & Manual Package $229.00. Plans For Catamarans And Monohulls Mike Waller Yacht Design: Plans For Catamarans And ... Racing Sail Boats from Van Gorkom Yacht Design The VELOCE 880. The VELOCE 880 has been conceived specifically for the ORC Sport Boat fleet. This cutting edge design is intended to be a highly competitive, easy-to-handle, all-round performer for inshore and offshore use. The XS-Spider. Here at Van Gorkom Yacht Design we believe that "fast is fun". The XS-Spider definitely fits into this ... Toms River buying boat works building, plans park and pier TOMS RIVER - The township has moved forward with plans to buy an old boat works on the Toms River for $1.85 million, after Township Council members introduced a bond ordinance to acquire the property. catamaran gulet motorboat powerboat riverboat sailboat trimaran yacht