Boatbuilding Tips and Tricks Blog

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Sunday, May 2, 2021

Building Ply-on-Frame Frames Video

I set up this video since I get a lot of emailed questions about the best way to build the frames on Spira International Ply-on-Frame boats.

More information and free study prints for my 120 designs may be found at: List of All Available Wooden 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

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Saturday May 1, 2021

Justin Stoddard Launches his 16' [4.9 M] Wye River Garvey Dory in Washington

Justin Stoddard just launched his homebuilt Wye River Garvey Dory in Bellvue Washington. Here's the picture and what he had to say:

Hi Jeff,
I built this last winter, 3 months, it also has a cabin I put on it and the front section is removable to allow more room for kids. The 30hp gets it up to 30mph and then I lay off because that's too fast.
Anyway, thanks for the clear plans,
Justin Stoddard
Bellevue Washington

Wye River Garvey Dory Wood Boat Plans

More information and FREE study plans may be found here: 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

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Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Tim Rice Just Completed His Chalmette Micro Skiff in Florida

Tim Rice just completed his Chalmette micro-skiff. He sent me this note and pictures:

Maiden voyage of my just completed skiff. My daughter modeling, and the first redfish caught on the boat. This design works great for the waters I fish.

Chalmette Micro Skiff Wood Boat Plans

Chalmette Micro Skiff Wooden Boat Plans

Chalmette Micro Skiff Plywood Boat Plans

More information and FREE study plans may be found here: 14' [4.3 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

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Sunday, April 25, 2021

Phillip Clark Launches his Carolinian Dory in Georgia

Phillip Clark just launched this beautiful Carolinian Carolina Style Dory in Georgia. He sent me these pics and story:

Jeff,
I was hesitant to build a boat because I have very little woodworking experience. I'm glad I did because it sure was a great experience. My wife and I launched the Carolinian for the first time today and we will be using it at Clarks Hill Lake, near Augusta, GA.

Thanks,
Phillip Clark

Carolinian Carolina Style Dory Wood Boat Plans

Carolinian Carolina Style Dory Wooden Boat Plans

Carolinian Carolina Style Dory Plywood Boat Plans

More information and FREE study plans may be found here: 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

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Sunday, April 25, 2021

Chubasco Plans Now in Metric

I just competed the Chubasco Mullet Skiff in Metric. I have a customer in South Africa who is building one of these and requested I convert it. Stop by the page and download the free study prints. They include a Bill of Materials.

Chubasco Mullet Skiff Wood Boat Plans

Chubasco Mullet Skiff Wooden Boat Plans

Chubasco Mullet Skiff Plywood Boat Plans

More information and FREE study plans may be found here: 27' [8.2 M] Chubasco Mullet 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

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Saturday, April 24, 2021

Jack Porter Launches his Seneca Pacific Power Dory in California

Jack Porter just finished and launched this Seneca Pacific Power dory in Newport Beach. He enlarged it a bit and I think he did a great job in it. I love the Redwood deck, too! Here's some of what he had to say about it:

Hey Jeff,
This Monday I finally launched my Seneca in Newport Beach. She took me 9 months to complete and I enjoyed every minute of the build.

During the build numerous people had expressed their opinion on flat bottom boats and how it's "not suited for ocean work"... These people are just dead wrong. I had her cruising along a mile off shore with no problems whatsoever. As long as you are confident in your skills and you keep your trips within reason I have no problem using this boat for coastal ocean fishing.

As for the construction: All birch framing and ply. All stainless fasteners. Mahogany keelson and rubrails. Redwood deck. 1988 Suzuki 25Hp two stroke. Jade green paint.

Thanks for your help along the way. It really was a great project.

Cheers,
Jack Porter

Seneca Pacific Power Dory Wood Boat Plans

Seneca Pacific Power Dory Wooden Boat Plans

Seneca Pacific Power Dory Plywood Boat Plans

Seneca Pacific Power Dory Easy Boat Plans

More information and FREE study plans may be found here: 14' [4.3 M] Seneca 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

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Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Travis Haggard Launches His Carolinian in Florida

Travis Haggard has been posting his Carolinian Dory build pictures on his FaceBook page and he recently launched it in Florida. He loves the performance and is now having tons of fun with his new build. It cruises along nicely with a 30 hp Suzuki, and his unique transom extensions serve as easy swim steps to get in and out of the boat. IMO, he did a fantastic job!

Carolinian Dory Wood Boat Plans

Carolinian Dory Wooden Boat Plans

Carolinian Dory Plywood Boat Plans

Carolinian Dory Easy Boat Plans

More information and FREE study plans may be found here: 18' [5.5 M] Carolinian 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

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Monday, April 19, 2021

Rafa Cuello Hudson Skiff Report from Argentina

Rafa Cuello built this 15' Hudson Skiff in Argentina about 5 months ago. He sent me this letter about its performance:

Hi Jeff,
Its been 5 months since I first launched the Hudson, and I have use it a lot since, and i want to share with you my experience.

The first day with we were afraid it could flip, we felt it was kind of unstable sideways. We were like, carefull while you move to the side and like that. That was so far from reality. It cant be more stable.

That day we said it can be only use with good weather, another mistake. The third time it was calm in the morning , then it got really windy, 33 knots. We were like 10 miles away from port. We had to cross the lake through the middle, big waves from the port side of the bow (considering its a lake with 10 feet depth). My father in law was sitting in the bow, over it, and that day the Hudson amazed us. Fiberglass boats bump over the waves, but the Hudson, opens it way through them, cutting the water, not even one bump, like an ice braker.

From that day on, we love it, and we have full confidence on it. I made it for heavy use, and its perfect for it. We even load wood for the camp fire.

The fact that it runs with an 8 hp is great. I can run it all day with 4 gallons of gas, with my rigid inflatable boat wich has a 50 hp It takes 20+ gallons every fishing day. The max speed I could get it to go was 10 mph which is more than I need.

Anyway, i am in love with it, and I am using it a lot. I send you some pics of it really loaded, and a link to a video of it yesterday at the lake, with no wind at all (not good for fishing). I promise to film it under heavy weather next time.

I want to really thank you Jeff, cruising and fishing on a boat that I build by myself its something unique, hard to explain,

Rafa

Hudson Skiff Wood Boat Plans

Hudson Skiff Wooden Boat Plans

Hudson Skiff Plywood Boat Plans

More information and FREE study plans may be found here: 15' [4.6 M] Hudson 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

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Sunday, April 18, 2021

Pastor Jeff Crippen's Advice About Boat Building

Jeff Crippen has been building this 19' [5.8 M] Anacapa Offshore Pacific Power Dory in Oregon. He says he's almost done and here's what he had to say about boat building:

Jeff,
I wanted to tell you that I have found in this last 6 months of building the Anacapa that there is an important additional benefit to be had from boat building. I bet you have experienced this too.

In my career as a pastor (for some 38 years now - 14 years before that as a police officer) I have had a lot of anxiety and pressure on me due primarily to other people's problems and the load they put on me. It can really wear you down.

But when you are building a boat, you can turn the problems "switch" off and intentionally flip the boat switch on. I do this and I start thinking about the next step to be done on the boat, how I am going to do it, what tools I will need, and so on. And even if the thing I am thinking about is difficult (ie, how am I going to bring all the parts together at the bow?), it is still a good thing to think about and one that doesn't eat at me in a bad way.

I think that I would advise someone who is having all kinds of tension and stress in their life - "you need to go build a boat.".

Thanks,
Jeff

Anacapa Offshore Pacific Power Dory Wood Boat Plans

Anacapa Offshore Pacific Power Dory Wooden Boat Plans

More information and FREE study plans may be found here: 19' [5.8 M] Anacapa Offshore 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

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Saturday, April 17, 2021

Germain Corthals' Anacapa Offshore Pacific Power Dory in Australia

Germain Corthals just sent me these pictures of his homebuilt 19' [5.8 M] Anacapa Offshore Pacific Power Dory he built and launched in Australia.

Anacapa Offshore Pacific Power Dory Wood Boat Plans

Anacapa Offshore Pacific Power Dory Wooden Boat Plans

More information and FREE study plans may be found here: 19' [5.8 M] Anacapa Offshore 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

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Wednesday, April 7, 2021

Philip Halton's Champlain Skiff in Dublin, Ireland

Philip Halton sent me these great pictures of his Champlain Skiff build being used around the waters of Dublin. Here's what he had to say:

Hi Jeff,
I built this from your plans this time last year, have had the best experiences ever taking it Around Dublin’s waters. Thanks for the easy to follow guides! Looking forward to more builds in the future.
Used beech seats & guard rails as a little touch to it as I had some lying around.
Phil

Champlain Skiff Wood Boat Plans

Champlain Skiff Wooden Boat Plans

Champlain Skiff Plywood Boat Plans

More information and FREE study plans may be found here: 12' [3.7 M] Champlain 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

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Sunday, April 4, 2021

Beau Smith's RailBird Poling Skiff Video

Here's Beau Smiths great construction and launching videos of his stunning RailBird Poling skiff. Nice job!

More information and FREE study plans may be found here: 15' [4.8 M] Rail Bird Poling 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

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Complete Boatbuilding Tips and Tricks Blog Index for 2021


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.

I believe in offering you all the information you need to learn more about how to build a boat. That's why I offer free videos, free ebooks, and free reports. There's even some free plans available to insiders and some seminars I've delivered. To join, just click below:

Download Free Plans for the Huntington Harbor Kayak

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