Designing and Building Sail Boats
Who hasn't dreamed of designing the ultimate sailboat?

Fortunately there are seemingly infinite interpretations of the ideal sail boat and a corresponding number of available plans. I can build small wood sailboats but have a space limitation and cannot exceed 20 feet in length overall to work effectively.

I love messing about in boats and will design and build sail boats soon enough. I dream of the fun, lightweight car-top-able sail boat for two. Many plans already exist but there is something to be said about one's own design. Spare moments during ideal weather in 2005 will be devoted to applying sail power to a variety of canoes in response to the sailing canoe research already project underway. I will be conducting hands on testing of various small sailing rigs and sharing the results on my canoe sailing pages.

When I'm not in the shop I study the works of:

C.A. Marchaj
Philip Bolger
William Garden
John Gardner
Pierre Gutelle
L. Francis Herreshoff
Norman L. Skene
Howard I. Chapelle
John Leather
William and John Atkin
Dave Gerr
Larsson & Eliasson
Ian Oughtred
Douglas Phillips-Birt
Jim Michalak
Ian Nicolson
Chris Kulczyki

In addition to the above books in my library written by these folks I read extensively on small craft design and construction. The intent is to develop plans for small wood sailing craft suited to the waters of the Upper Midwest, Minnesota and Wisconsin for the amateur builder. In the last ten years I have immersed myself in the study of small craft design and building. This self directed study has been very extensive and instructive.

I'm thoroughly convinced everything in small boat design and construction has been considered and done at one time or another. By letting go of the limitations and preconceptions it is possible to develop sound solutions to any design situation. In addition to my library numbering over 130 titles on boat design and building my computer holds gigs of content stored offline for ready reference.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo taken in Superior Wisconsin

If you are looking to build a wood sailboat and would like someone to review your ideas with I would welcome the opportunity to talk about your plans with you.