Build your own dinghy

[sailaway21]

I need a dinghy and everything about seems to be of the inflatable variety which generally means poor for rowing, and so I ordered a kit for the eastport pram yesterday from Chesapeake Light Craft (Chesapeake Light Craft » Welcome to Chesapeake Light Craft » Boats Plans Kits Kayaks Canoes Sailboats Rowing Boats Boatbuilding Supplies Accessories) that I saw at StrictlySail-Chicago. The construction is of the stitch and glue variety and reputed to be quite strong, light, and fairly easy to construct. 40-50 hours construction time is estimated by the factory for the novice and the hull itself is reputed to go together in a weekend. I'll let you know how it goes. It's a pretty sharp looking boat too; I'll look much better in it than sitting between two floating bratwurst. (g)

[peikenberry]

Take the time they say it takes to build and double it. Other tahn that this is a good way to go. Chesapeake light craft makes good kits. I went the other way. I bought a set of plans from Bateaux.com and am building the boat. I have all the parts cut out but the weather has been too wet and cold to continue. I don't have any place under cover or inside to work on it. Hopefully the next couple of days I'll get some more done. It's a 12 foot row boat and is made almost entirely out of 4 sheets of plywood.

[blt2ski]

There is one fellow John _____ that has built one of these recently. Nice looking little boat, not that you asked.

Boatworks mag now paper style defunct, but doing an online subscription, also part of Sail, had a 2 part how to about 2 yrs ago on building one of these.

have fun with it.

marty

[sailaway21]

I saw that article Marty and then saw their demo and display in Chicago. Both served to convince me that superior results could be obtained. Besides, bestfriend was with me in Chicago and he wants one too, so I had to get the jump on him!

Peter...oh for a garage, eh? Mine has never seen a car inside it in the twelve years I've been in residence...just one project after another. I've just about enough time to clean up the snowblower project and the other 98% of it so as to make room before the kit arrives. My wife doesn't even mention the idea of parking inside anymore. (g)

[Stillraining]

Looks like a great Senior project for my Oldest...Thanks Sway

The Garage thing I can totally relate..cant walk in mine..

[eMKay]

Why not build a PDRacer? That's what I'm doing, I have all the hardware from a free sailfish, and the materials should cost about $50 for the hull.

PDRacer.com - Easiest one design sailboat to build and race

[sailortjk1]

Sway, I am very envious. I have wanted to do the same for the past couple of years. I am offering to help, so that I can both pay you back and also see/learn how its done.
Leaving in about an hour for the docks.
If you have time head on over. Not the best weather, but we are floating. Should have her fully ready for sailing by this time tomorrow.
Good luck with the Pram.
Tim

[Sabreman]

Try a nutshell pram from Woodenboat. The plans are great and it's easy to build. There are 2 sizes 7'7" and a larger size that I can't remember. Great project. The following link shows my results. There are other views on my site too. I eventually added a sail, ridder, and centerboard.

It's the BEST towing boat that I've EVER seen. Very dry and tracks nicely due to the skeg.

Toys

[sailortjk1]

Guy,
My next door neighbor had the idea to make templates from a kit and than use the templates to build more boats.
Would you want to have some templates made up before you start building? I can make arrangemnets to have it done.
Don't know what Chesapeake's policy is about that? They probably frown upon it.

[JohnRPollard]

Sailaway,

Good move! You'll have a lot of fun building it -- don't get hung up on how many hours, just enjoy the process. The EPP is a sweet little rowing pram, and easy on the eyes too. Did you order the sailing kit? They are a joy to putter around in under sail.

Let me know if you have any questions, as I think you'll recall that we built CLC's Passagemaker Dinghy two years ago (the big brother to the Eastport Pram).

I mentioned to Marty in another recent thread that my least favorite part of the building process was filling the holes from the stitching. If you don't have kids of your own to help with that step, borrow some from the neighborhood!! But you won't have as many as we did with this smaller kit

Originally Posted by sailortjk1

Guy,
My next door neighbor had the idea to make templates from a kit and than use the templates to build more boats.
Would you want to have some templates made up before you start building? I can make arrangemnets to have it done.
Don't know what Chesapeake's policy is about that? They probably frown upon it.

Sailortjk,

Please resist the temptation to do this. CLC would DEFINITELY frown upon this since it is akin to theft. Often folks don't realize this, but a boat design -- even a little pram like this -- is the intellectual property of the designer, protected by copyright. It represents a lot of hard work and effort on the designer/builder's part (in this case one and the same person), sales of which comprise a significant part of their livelihood. Beyond that, the purchase agreement prohibits replicating the kit without permission.

If you and your neighbor want to build one cheap, you can order the plans, one dinghy can be built per set of plans. But honestly, I would counsel you to order a kit -- if you place even a modest value on your time, you will save money in the long run.