Hannu's Boatyard

Free Boat Plans

Last updated December 20. 2017

Newest Updates


Why boating in the first place?
Looking for Mother Nature's hidden treasures.
Published September 9. 2003
Last updated September 10. 2003









One Sheet Boats

One Sheet Boat Theory

One and a Half Sheet Boats

Slightly Larger Boats

Extremely small boats

Materials, Methods and Accessories

Wood as Boatbuilding Material

Building Projects

Links










One Sheet Boat Plans

"One sheet boats" are simple boats made basically of a single sheet of plywood. These boats are typically easy, quick and cheap to build, so they are very suitable for first boatbuilding projects. On the other hand, their use is limited to protected waters only.

Simbo, the simple boat
As simple as it can get.
Free building instructions.

Published September 30. 2003
Last updated August 15. 2007
Micro Auray Punt
A one sheet version of the much celebrated "Auray Punt".
Free boat plans and building instructions.

Published January 15. 2004
Last updated June 1. 2008
Micro Auray Gallery
One Sheet Sampan
Free boat plans and building instructions.
Published March 18. 2004
Last updated June 9. 2004
One Sheet Sampan Gallery
18' One Sheet Canoe, the Dug
Free boat plans and building instructions.
Published September 5. 2003
Last updated August 15. 2007
Dug Gallery
HV'S Hattory
One sheet navy admiral's hattorious hatship.
Published October 20. 2003
Last updated October 20. 2003
One Sheet Runabout, Sled
Free boat plans.
Published November 7. 2003
Last updated November 7. 2003
Sled Gallery

One sheet boat theory

How to make the most out of Your one sheet boat.

The Ultimate One Sheet Boat, Prism
Discussion on maximising the displacement.
Free boat plans and building instructions.

Published April 9. 2003
Last updated September 5. 2003
Prism Gallery
So it's stability You want?
Discussion on small boat stability...
Inculding a free downloadable righting moment calculator.

Published June 16. 2003
Last updated March 3. 2005
...leading to...
Ultimater versions of the Prism
Free boat plans and building instructions.
Published July 28. 2003
Last updated August 6. 2003


Top of the page.


One and a Half Sheet Boats

"One and a half sheet boats" are dinghies made of one and a half sheets of plywood. Or two dinghies (two similar or two different) out of three sheets. All of these dinghies are easy, quick and cheap to build, so they too are very suitable for first boatbuilding projects.

Portuguese Style Dinghy
A sharp bowed dinghy.
Free boat plans and building instructions.

Published January 15. 2004
Last updated August 15. 2007
Portuguese Style Dinghy Gallery
Mini Auray Punt
A small version of the much celebrated "Auray Punt".
Free boat plans.

Published January 15. 2004
Last updated June 3. 2008
Mini Auray Gallery
Mini Ekstock
A dinghy size version of a Chapman punt.
Free boat plans.

Published January 15. 2004
Last updated June 22. 2005
Mini Ekstock Gallery
Dinghy -57
Punt plans from an old book.
Free boat plans.

Published January 15. 2004
Last updated January 15. 2004


Top of the page.


Slightly Larger Boats

Flat bottomed swamp boats
Three boats of ancient design.
Free boat plans and building instructions.

Published September 12. 2008
Last updated September 24. 2008
3SD - a 17' 8" (5.4 m) dory
A big dory out of just three sheets of plywood.
Free boat plans and building instructions.

Published June 24. 2008
Last updated June 24. 2008
3SD Gallery
2SD - a 12' (3.6 m) dory
A small dory out of just two sheets of plywood.
Free boat plans and building instructions.

Published June 25. 2008
Last updated June 25. 2008
A 12 ft Skiff
Free boat plans and building instructions.
Published May 12. 2008
Last updated May 28. 2008
12 ft Skiff Gallery
A 10 1/2 ft Skiff
Free boat plans and building instructions.
Published August 17. 2004
Last updated August 15. 2007
10 1/2 ft Skiff Gallery
A 14' Rowing Punt
A rowing punt inspired by old fishing
prams in a boat museum.

Published December 28. 2005
Last updated June 3. 2008
A 15'8" fishing punt
A stable 15'8" work/fishing punt, that can be sculled,
but also driven with a small outboard.

Published August 17. 2007
Last updated June 3. 2008
Fishing Punt Gallery
Two Dories
Little Sister and Big Sister.
Free boat plans and building instructions.

Published September 3. 2003
Last updated August 15. 2007
Little Sister Dory Gallery
A Light Sculling Training Boat
Free boat plans and building instructions.
Published May 5. 2003
Last updated November 4. 2008
Training Boat Gallery
Hulls
A small collection of free but immature boat designs.
Published May 14. 2003
Last updated March 16. 2005


Top of the page.


Extremely small boats

You can't build boats much smaller than this.

4 ft - Halfpea dinghy
The world's shortest dinghy that looks like a dinghy,
not like a box.

Published September 24. 2006
Updated June 3. 2008
Halfpea Gallery
4 1/2 ft - plywood lath coracle
A basket boat built according to principles
thousands of years old.

Published October 1. 2006
Updated October 1. 2006
Coracle Gallery
5 ft - Micro Portuguese Style Dinghy
An easy to build beach toy.
Published September 9. 2009
Updated September 9. 2009


Top of the page.


Materials, Methods and Accessories

Optimum sculling oar length?
Discussion on optimum oar length, and
what it depends on.

Published September 24. 2008
Last updated September 24. 2008
Woodbending in the bedroom
Published March 18. 2004
Last updated March 18. 2004
Tortured Plywood? - No such thing!
Don't believe everything they tell You.
Published February 13. 2004
Last updated Published February 13. 2004
Construction glue for boatbuilding?
Published November 7. 2003
Last updated February 7. 2005
Cartopping slightly bigger boats?
First build Yourself a decent roofracking system.
Free building instructions.

Published July 30. 2003
Last updated July 30. 2003
But what was that boat on the roofrack?
Plus a short introduction to worlds biggest rowing/sculling
event, the "Sulkava race".

Published July 28. 2003
Last updated March 3. 2005
Spiral Staircase Handrail
How to make arbitrarily curved handrails quickly and
with low budget.

Published October 20. 2005
Last updated October 20. 2005


Top of the page.


Wood as Boatbuilding Material

Before You start building a single real wooden boat let's make the very basics clear.

Preface
What is this all about?
Published October 18. 2005
Last updated October 18. 2005
What is a "wooden boat"?
The "scientific" classification of wooden boats :-)
Published October 18. 2005
Last updated October 18. 2005
Structure of wood
Wood basics.
Published October 18. 2005
Last updated October 18. 2005
Moisture behaviour of wood
What happens, when wood gets wet and dry.
Published October 18. 2005
Last updated October 18. 2005
Why does a wooden boat leak?
Because it has a hole in it.
But why does it have a hole?

Published October 18. 2005
Last updated October 18. 2005
Surface treatment of a wooden boat
Why should one paint a wooden boat?
Published October 18. 2005
Last updated October 18. 2005
The "correct" construction of a wooden boat
Food for thought ;-)
Published October 18. 2005
Last updated October 18. 2005


Top of the page.


Building Projects

The White Fishing Boat
A homage to good paint.
Published June 10. 2003
Last updated June 10. 2003
Sennen Cove
The new life of an old fishing style lapstrake boat.
Published May 5. 2003
Last updated May 12. 2003
Bolger Light Dory
The popular boat "once more".
Published May 12. 2003
Last updated August 15. 2003
The End
Published June 10. 2003
Last updated June 10. 2003


Top of the page.


Links





Top of the page.


Copyright 2002-2009 Hannu Vartiala
Commercial use of any content on this site is prohibited.




DISCLAIMER!

Please do understand, that if You build or use any of the boats described on these pages, You, and You alone, are responsible for any direct or indirect damage or harm that may follow. I have no responsibility whatsoever.

You must also understand, that boatbuilding can be dangerous:
-You may get a wood splinter in the finger.
-Several tools are sharp.
-Epoxy may be allergenic and definitely is very messy.
-All possible chemicals may be harmful in one way or another.
-Fibers of glass itch Your fingers and throat.
-Anything else may be dangerous as well.

So don't build a boat, unless You know how to use tools and chemicals, and unless You use all protective equipment necessary.
And if You build indoors, do cover the floor and furniture. You will get the usual shout anyway, but cleaning up will be easier.

And even more You must understand, that using a boat may be dangerous:
-The boat may fall over.
-You may fall out of the boat.
-The boat may hit a rock.
-Your shoes may get wet.
-The boat may get filled with water.
-The boat may sink.
-Another boat may hit Your boat.
-The boat may drift a long distance away.
-You may get lost with the boat.
-When rowing, You may get blisters in Your hands and butt.
-If You get into water, You may drown or get hypothermia.
-Killer sharks may attack You.
-Anything else may happen

So DO NOT use a boat, unless You know and obey the rules of the waterways, unless You know how to use the boat, unless You can take the weather conditions into consideration, unless You can swim, unless You use a life vest, unless You know the waters, unless You are under continuous observation, unless You use proper clothing, unless You are sober, unless You understand what You are doing and unless You have taken everything possible and impossible into consideration.

You are responsible!