Nothing new getting posted so I thought I would share my latest project.
There is a cruising group here in Ontario called Can-Am dinghy cruising association. I met up with them several years ago and it was wonderful sailing with a like-minded group of small Boat nuts. Multiple sailboats from 13 feet up to around 20.
I sailed my Sun Cat with thrm the first few cruises
Once I built my little Mariner mini trawler, I sold my son Cat to another one of the members.
Most of us are over 60 and several are switching to little power cruisers.
A few have built box boats
I always loved designing small, so took it upon myself to try and figure out what the smallest boat I could build that you could comfortably be on for a week.
Drew up a 10 foot box Boat
I'm home a couple of weeks and I've started building it.
Will be a fun project.
Yes, it's a sickness....
You can see in the sketch that there will be a covered area to sit and steer the outboard from
The aft end will have a foot well so you can sit and fish.
Only 4 foot of headroom below, but will be a large sliding companionway hatch so you can stand up to change your clothes or stretch your legs.
Will be powered by a 2 1/2 hp 4 stroke
The portside will have a small countertop and a section for the cooler to fit.
There will be storage under the countertop and forward of the cooler
Starboard side will be all my bunk with storage underneath.
I am building it with 3/8 plywood on the sides, half inch plywood on the bottom and 1/4 inch plywood on all the roofs to keep the upper weight light.
Most of the lads building these went with a 45 degrees at both the bow and stern
My bow section starts off as a 45 but then switches to a 22 1/2. I think this will increase smooth water flow.
I raised the last foot of the sterns waterline up 1 inch. I did not go with a 45 as I didn't want the wait carrying capacity at the stern to be compromised.
The bottom has two layers of 6 ounce cloth and epoxy
The top sides will have one layer of 6 ounce cloth and epoxy
Taking shape...
At 10' x 4' it's like a cartoon .....
That is cool. Maybe someday I'll attempt something similar. It would be perfect for the protect waters and creeks around my place.
Have you read this?
No, I haven't, but it certainly looks like some I would enjoy.
Will see if they are available up here. Thx
I literally thought "Shantyboat a river way of life" soon as I saw this post. Suprised someone else did as well!
On order 👍😄
Arrived.
Saving it for a cruise read....
Look forward to it, thanks
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Had a total knee replacement end of June so progress has been slow.
Even now I can only do about an hour at a time standing in the shop before dull pain sets in.
Have hatchs and drop boards made and glassed over, fair bit of filling and sanding etc done and plexiglass windows cut and fitted as well.
I'm looking forward to having fun with this next year in the calm waters amongst the islands here.