Boatbuilding Tips and Tricks Blog

Here are my latest blog posts:

Saturday July 31, 2021

Chris Dray using his Bahia Pangita for Sunset Cruises in Nicaragua

Chris Dray sent me these pics of using his Bahia Mini-Panga for sunset cruises in the ocean in Nicagagua.

Bahia Panga Wood Boat Plans

Bahia Panga Wooden Boat Plans

Bahia Panga Plywood Boat Plans

Bahia Panga Easy Boat Plans

More information and free study prints may be found at: 12' [3.7 M] Bahia Panga Boat Plans

Facebook Boatbuilders Group: Boat Building and Builders Facebook Group

Also check out my YouTube Channel: Spira Boats YouTube Channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the "Subscribe" button and bell to get notified when new videos are posted.

Jeff Spira, Naval Architect, marine engineer and boat designer

Share this post:


Friday July 30, 2021

Damon Laduke Splashes his 18' [5.5 M] Carolinian Carolina Dory in Texas

Damon Laduke sent me these pictures of his new build.

Carolinian Carolina Dory Wood Boat Plans

Carolinian Carolina Dory Wooden Boat Plans

Carolinian Carolina Dory Plywood Boat Plans

More information and free study prints may be found at: 18' [5.5 M] Carolinian Carolina Dory Boat Plans

Facebook Boatbuilders Group: Boat Building and Builders Facebook Group

Also check out my YouTube Channel: Spira Boats YouTube Channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the "Subscribe" button and bell to get notified when new videos are posted.

Jeff Spira, Naval Architect, marine engineer and boat designer

Share this post:


Thursday July 29, 2021

Marshall McDill Launches his 17' [4.9 M] Tillamook Pacific Power Dory in South Carolina

He sent me this picture and note:

Hey Jeff,
Just tested out the newly finished Tillamook. Been a great experience and love how it turned out.
Marshall

Tillamook Pacific Power Dory Wooden Boat Plans

More information and free study prints may be found at: 17' [4.9 M] Tillamook Pacific Power Dory Boat Plans

Facebook Boatbuilders Group: Boat Building and Builders Facebook Group

Also check out my YouTube Channel: Spira Boats YouTube Channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the "Subscribe" button and bell to get notified when new videos are posted.

Jeff Spira, Naval Architect, marine engineer and boat designer

Share this post:


Sunday July 18, 2021

Jan Sellers' 20' [6.1 M] Caladesi Carolina Dory Project

Jan Sellers just sent me these pics of his Caladesi project. He's just about ready to flip it over and it looks like he's doing a bang-up job on it.

Caladesi Carolina Dory Easy Boat Plans

Caladesi Carolina Dory plywood Boat Plans

More information and free study prints may be found at: 20' [6.1 M] Caladesi Carolina Dory Boat Plans

Facebook Boatbuilders Group: Boat Building and Builders Facebook Group

Also check out my YouTube Channel: Spira Boats YouTube Channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the "Subscribe" button and bell to get notified when new videos are posted.

Jeff Spira, Naval Architect, marine engineer and boat designer

Share this post:


Saturday July 17, 2021

Chris Dray Launches his 12' [3.7 M] Bahia Mini-Panga in Nicaragua

I just got this note and these pictures from Chris Dray.

Hi Jeff
Finished my second Spira designed boat, a Bahia mini panga.

This was an easy build, even for me with my basic tools, and its a sharp looking little launch. At 68, what I need is a boat light enough for me to put into the lake and haul out again by hand on my own. Just right for my wife and I to take a little sunset cruise. We get great sunsets here in front of our house.

Another great design, well done, Jeff.

Cheers,
Chris Dray

Bahia Mini-Panga Wood Boat Plans

Bahia Mini-Panga plywood Boat Plans

More information and free study prints may be found at: 12' [3.7 M] Bahia Mini-Panga Boat Plans

Facebook Boatbuilders Group: Boat Building and Builders Facebook Group

Also check out my YouTube Channel: Spira Boats YouTube Channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the "Subscribe" button and bell to get notified when new videos are posted.

Jeff Spira, Naval Architect, marine engineer and boat designer

Share this post:


Thursday July 15, 2021

Ralph Puertas Installs Spray Rails on his Carolinian Dory

Ralph Puertas just sent me these pictures and comments about adding spray rails to his Carolinian Dory.

Hi Jeff,
I wanted to send you a couple of pictures of the completed spray rails. I ended up using a simple 1x2x12' clear pine board. I wasn't sure if it would work, but I water tested it yesterday and was very happy with the results. I was doing sharp turns and blasting through wake board boat wake and the rails kept the water out of the boat. I appreciate your help and wanted you to see the finished product.
Safe boating!

Ralph P
Michigan

Carolinian Carolina Style Dory Wood Boat Plans

Carolinian Carolina Style Dory Wooden Boat Plans

More information and free study prints may be found at: 18' [5.5 M] Carolinian Carolina Style Dory Boat Plans

Facebook Boatbuilders Group: Boat Building and Builders Facebook Group

Also check out my YouTube Channel: Spira Boats YouTube Channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the "Subscribe" button and bell to get notified when new videos are posted.

Jeff Spira, Naval Architect, marine engineer and boat designer

Share this post:


Sunday July 11, 2021

Ply-on-Frame Boat Maintenance Video Released

This video talks about how to maintain your boat so it will last for generations.

Products Mentioned


Drain Plugs, Stainless: https://amzn.to/2UIi2wA
Drain Plugs, Bronze: https://amzn.to/3r0pyPE
Drain Plugs, Nylon: https://amzn.to/3wyOOxq
Boat Cover Medium: https://amzn.to/3wt1C8B
Boat Cover Small: https://amzn.to/2U2d4ea
Bilge Pump - Electric Automatic: https://amzn.to/3e6pBnE
Bilge Pump - Manual: https://amzn.to/3AQNERC
Marine Spar Varnish: https://amzn.to/2UJ0zEE
Marine Spar Urethane: https://amzn.to/3yFCXzc
Enamel Paint: https://amzn.to/3k7MsTF

Facebook Boatbuilders Group: Boat Building and Builders Facebook Group

Also check out my YouTube Channel: Spira Boats YouTube Channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the "Subscribe" button and bell to get notified when new videos are posted.

Jeff Spira, Naval Architect, marine engineer and boat designer

Share this post:


Sunday July 4, 2021

Rick Heitke Completes his 16' [4.9 M] Wye River Garvey Dory in Minnesota

Rick Heitke just sent me this pictures of his recently completed Wye River Garvey Dory.

Wye River Garvey Dory Wood Boat Plans

More information and free study prints may be found at: 16' [4.9 M] Wye River Garvey Dory Boat Plans

Facebook Boatbuilders Group: Boat Building and Builders Facebook Group

Also check out my YouTube Channel: Spira Boats YouTube Channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the "Subscribe" button and bell to get notified when new videos are posted.

Jeff Spira, Naval Architect, marine engineer and boat designer

Share this post:


Thursday July 1, 2021

William DeSousa Completes his 13' [4 M] Walden Row/Power Skiff

I've been having some conversations with William DeSousa about a V-Bottom Stitch-and-Glue boat for offshore use, and he sent me these great pictures of his Walden skiff he built a while back. He enjoyed building and using his homebuilt boat. I think it came out great and really like the color. Here's what he had to say:

Here's my Walden 13, I built a while back. I'm in the Military, from Napa CA and grew up fishing the Sonoma Coast and the SF bay. With your recommendation, I increased the beam and height by about 10%. I got a really great little boat out of it!
Thanks!

Walden Row/Power Skiff Wood Boat Plans

Walden Row/Power Skiff Wooden Boat Plans

Walden Row/Power Skiff Plywood Boat Plans

More information and free study prints may be found at: 13' [4 M] Walden Row/Power Skiff Boat Plans

Facebook Boatbuilders Group: Boat Building and Builders Facebook Group

Also check out my YouTube Channel: Spira Boats YouTube Channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the "Subscribe" button and bell to get notified when new videos are posted.

Jeff Spira, Naval Architect, marine engineer and boat designer

Share this post:


Wednesday June 30, 2021

Mees Hartog Launches his Nova Scotian Dory in the United Arab Emerates

Mees Hartog sent me these pictures of his homebuilt 16' [4.9 M] Nova Scotian Grand Banks Dory from the United Arab Emirates. Here's what he had to say:

Dear Mr. Jeff Spira,
I am you very thankful as have built my first boat, and even I am old happy as a child.

Of course had to over win several hick ups as for me most complicate the epoxy and fiberglass. For this you have to understand that most materials have to come from the US and this epoxy was not allowed.

29 October first photos but had started earlier with buying the ply, fasteners and some tools followed by the lumber. When I started I had only an electric drill and bought some other electric tools as the electric plane have borrowed but bought a new Stanley hand plane at the end.

Another difficulty was building in my garden and not on a flat bottom which I have compensated with water level and 2 strings bottom and bow to stern at sheer clamp level with a rope with weight top down.

The boat was finally also inside painted white as the best in this very hot climate of the UAE and as the last two weeks we had already try the boat, the grey coloured oars had been too hot to touch while we had no problems with the boat.

Sincerely,
Mees Hartog

Nova Scotian Grand Banks Dory Wood Boat Plans

Nova Scotian Grand Banks Dory Wooden Boat Plans

More information and free study prints may be found at: 16' [4.9 M] Nova Scotian Grand Banks Dory Boat Plans

Facebook Boatbuilders Group: Boat Building and Builders Facebook Group

Also check out my YouTube Channel: Spira Boats YouTube Channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the "Subscribe" button and bell to get notified when new videos are posted.

Jeff Spira, Naval Architect, marine engineer and boat designer

Share this post:


Friday June 25, 2021

Daniel Schipper Completes his 23' [7 M] Winchester Pacific Power Dory

Daniel Shipper sent me these pictures of his Winchester Pacific Power Dory launched late last year. He did a really nice job on it

Winchester Pacific Power Dory Wood Boat Plans

Winchester Pacific Power Dory Wooden Boat Plans

Winchester Pacific Power Dory Plywood Boat Plans

Winchester Pacific Power Dory Homebuilt Boat Plans

More information and free study prints may be found at: 23' [7 M] Winchester Pacific Power Dory Boat Plans

Facebook Boatbuilders Group: Boat Building and Builders Facebook Group

Also check out my YouTube Channel: Spira Boats YouTube Channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the "Subscribe" button and bell to get notified when new videos are posted.

Jeff Spira, Naval Architect, marine engineer and boat designer

Share this post:


Wednesday June 23, 2021

Joe G Launches His 19' [5.8 M] Albion Pacific Power Dory in Florida

I just got these pictures and note from Joe G in Florida. He did an amazing job on this boat!

Hello Jeff,
We just finished registering our river cruiser, Night Heron here in Florida.

The Night Heron is a cuddy cabin river cruiser based on the 19' Albion Pacific Power Dory hull that we will use for cruising in the shallow waters of the local rivers, bay and keys. On occasion, and in good weather, we plan on taking her out to the Gulf of Mexico where there are a number of shallows where we can anchor for a day trip of fishing.

We equipped the boat with a Mercury 40Hp, Fourstroke engine that makes Night Heron fly over the water at 22 knots (25mph) at 5000 rpm, yet only draws 6 inches of water making it ideal to reach local beaches only accessible by boat. The two bottom strakes we attached (1 1/2 inches high) that run from the stern to the curve at the bow makes her track straight, even as she goes into power circles with no slipping. The strakes also provide a good surface for beaching and saving the hull from wear and tear while we enjoy a pleasant stay on those many boat only accessible beaches.

The cuddy cabin has a berth with a custom 4" foam thick mattress we made that is queen size in length for those overnighters we plan to take. A full size 2 burner propane stainless steel cooktop is also stored under the berth so that we can prepare hot meals in the cockpit [for safety reasons] when on the hook. The anchor, by the way, is a "Bruce", an anchor we respect after our 5 year cruise of the Pacific and Southern Oceans.

Best regards.
Joe G.

Albion Pacific Power Dory Wood Boat Plans

Albion Pacific Power Dory Wooden Boat Plans

Albion Pacific Power Dory Plywood Boat Plans

Albion Pacific Power Dory Homebuilt Boat Plans

More information and free study prints may be found at: 19' [5.8 M] Albion Pacific Power Dory Boat Plans

Facebook Boatbuilders Group: Boat Building and Builders Facebook Group

Also check out my YouTube Channel: Spira Boats YouTube Channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the "Subscribe" button and bell to get notified when new videos are posted.

Jeff Spira, Naval Architect, marine engineer and boat designer

Share this post:


Complete Boatbuilding Tips and Tricks Blog Index for 2021


Blog Contents

index
index
index

Blog History

index
index
index
index
index
index
index
index
index
index
index
index
index

Boatbuilding Pictures

Boat Building Photos

Please don't be embarrassed to send in photos of your projects. I get a lot of emails from people who tell me about their build but never send any pictures. I'd love to see them, as would all of the other people who are either building a boat or thinking about it. They need all the encouragement they can get.