Introduction
This is a blog about how to build a skiff without plans.
This sounds kind of scary, but folks around the Chesapeake have done it this way for hundred of years. But they possessed knowledge and experience - some of what we may lack - but fortunately we can do some reverse engineering to make sure we come out with a nice looking boat.
The goal here is to allow you to deviate to build what you want. You should be able to build a boat anywhere from 12' to 30' using the concepts presented here. Since this "build concept" maximizes flexibility, it will suffer if you are anticipating a prescriptive and complete dimensions. This allows you to vary based on your needs, but you will end up a boat that looks generally like the one below.
<insert finished picture>
You will need to know how to do shop math, or how to use a calculator. We will be dealing with angles, but hopefully I'll present a simple calculation that will not require you to go back and dust your trigonometry book off. That being said, I'll present the angles in the event you want to deviate.
Structurally, I'll tell you what I'm doing by building a 22' skiff and you can beef up or scale down based on your application. That being said, you should do your own research to make sure your boat is structurally sound (this is my liability clause because only you can guarantee seaworthiness - based on how you beefy you want to build it).
The application of my skiff is for duck hunting in the Chesapeake. So my boat requirements:
Your requirements will likely be very different.
This sounds kind of scary, but folks around the Chesapeake have done it this way for hundred of years. But they possessed knowledge and experience - some of what we may lack - but fortunately we can do some reverse engineering to make sure we come out with a nice looking boat.
The goal here is to allow you to deviate to build what you want. You should be able to build a boat anywhere from 12' to 30' using the concepts presented here. Since this "build concept" maximizes flexibility, it will suffer if you are anticipating a prescriptive and complete dimensions. This allows you to vary based on your needs, but you will end up a boat that looks generally like the one below.
<insert finished picture>
You will need to know how to do shop math, or how to use a calculator. We will be dealing with angles, but hopefully I'll present a simple calculation that will not require you to go back and dust your trigonometry book off. That being said, I'll present the angles in the event you want to deviate.
Structurally, I'll tell you what I'm doing by building a 22' skiff and you can beef up or scale down based on your application. That being said, you should do your own research to make sure your boat is structurally sound (this is my liability clause because only you can guarantee seaworthiness - based on how you beefy you want to build it).
The application of my skiff is for duck hunting in the Chesapeake. So my boat requirements:
- The finished boat needs to be able to be removed from my 8-ft wide garage
- It has to be as long as possible, but stable.
- It has to have a V-hull
- It has to has to maximize internal room, as it has to hold hunters and decoys
- Maximum internal room means internal tank
- Side Console controlled
- The boat needs to be self-draining
- The boat may hit ice, if so it needs to be stout enough to make it home for repairs
Your requirements will likely be very different.
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