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Thread: Rowing/"pulling" boat suggestions?

  1. #1

    Question Rowing/"pulling" boat suggestions?

    Greetings all -

    I'd like to build a rowing boat, preferably with interchangeable single or double rowing stations - a larger wherry, maybe? I'd like it to be fast, but it has to have some carrying capacity and be seaworthy. I'll be rowing in some open water, and I'm a 300-pounder who'd like to be able to carry a passenger, another oarsman, or some cargo. I thought I saw a few pictures of a variety of likely designs here on the forum, but I can't find the post now.

    I'm very experienced on the water, and not a complete beginner at woodworking, but I've never built a boat before. Does anyone have any suggestions for me?

    Thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice you may have.

    - John

  2. #2
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    Here is a web site that I discovered just this week that may offer a viable solution http://www.merrywherry.com/index.html
    and here is one that is just very pretty though likely not just what you have in mind http://www.hogbay.com/canoes/16salmon/index.htm

    Let me know if you decide on one of these. i'm pretty keen on one of these but need to do more research. I will visit the folks at Franklin.

    Sam
    "... for when we become in heart completely poor, we at once are the treasurers & disbursers of enormous riches."
    WQJudge

  3. #3
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    I built a 12-foot "Ellen", one of John Brooks' designs at http://www.brooksboatsdesigns.com/, about 11 years ago and have been very happy with it. We regularly have two 200 lb adults plus cargo aboard and row across about 1/2 mile of tidal water. He also has some larger designs, though, if 12-foot doesn't seem big enough. They are all glued lapstrake construction, which is more work than stitch-n-glue, but I think it produces a much nicer appearance.

    Steve

  4. #4
    I would check out Iain Oughtred's designs, I feel your requirements will need a specialized design although with your water experience, I think you will know the right design when you see it.
    Good luck in your search.
    Mac
    Last edited by Mac McQuinn; 02-23-2012 at 7:45 PM.

  5. #5
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    Sounds like Iain Oughtred's Tammie Norrie design might be just the ticket. At 13'6" it's big enough for a big guy, not too beamy, so should be a good row, and you'll be able to take a few passengers. I've always thought that was his best looking design also. You can find info here: http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/detai...=Tammie+Norrie. There is a shorter version also called the Guillemot. At 11'6" it'll be slower and won't carry as much, but may be just as stable. You can find information here: http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/detai...Name=Guillemot
    John Bailey
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  6. #6
    You should consider the Whitehall style of boats. Seaworthy, originally built for speed under oars, and great carrying capacity. Great lines as well. CLC has a kit form of "Whitehall" rowing boat. Here's the link http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/r...-boat-kit.html. I saw guys making CLC stitch and glue kayaks at the Woodenboat School one year. The made great progress in a week. The kits seem to be a relatively easy way to build your own first boat.
    Randy

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Randy Hock View Post
    You should consider the Whitehall style of boats. Seaworthy, originally built for speed under oars, and great carrying capacity. Great lines as well. CLC has a kit form of "Whitehall" rowing boat. Here's the link http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/r...-boat-kit.html. I saw guys making CLC stitch and glue kayaks at the Woodenboat School one year. The made great progress in a week. The kits seem to be a relatively easy way to build your own first boat.
    Randy
    That CLC Whitehall looks like a good one too. I built a pram from CLC and the kit was top notch.
    John Bailey
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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Baumgartner View Post
    I built a 12-foot "Ellen", one of John Brooks' designs at http://www.brooksboatsdesigns.com/, about 11 years ago and have been very happy with it. We regularly have two 200 lb adults plus cargo aboard and row across about 1/2 mile of tidal water. He also has some larger designs, though, if 12-foot doesn't seem big enough. They are all glued lapstrake construction, which is more work than stitch-n-glue, but I think it produces a much nicer appearance.

    Steve
    The Brooks boats look great. That's the first time I've visited their site. "Ellen" might be a bit small. Their new "Merlin" in either the 14' or 16' model would be worth a consideration.

    John
    John Bailey
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  9. #9
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    Check out Arch Davis' Penobscot 14 and 17. There are a lot of them around. I built his Sanddollar. Full size plans, no lofting, not stitch and glue so minimal mess and his instructions and video make it a cinch. I believe they're good to row. They certainly look like it.

  10. #10
    John,
    I had an Oughtred designed Accorn a few years back and it really slipped through the water nicely. A real classic design.
    Mac



    Quote Originally Posted by John Bailey View Post
    Sounds like Iain Oughtred's Tammie Norrie design might be just the ticket. At 13'6" it's big enough for a big guy, not too beamy, so should be a good row, and you'll be able to take a few passengers. I've always thought that was his best looking design also. You can find info here: http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/detai...=Tammie+Norrie. There is a shorter version also called the Guillemot. At 11'6" it'll be slower and won't carry as much, but may be just as stable. You can find information here: http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/detai...Name=Guillemot

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mac McQuinn View Post
    John,
    I had an Oughtred designed Accorn a few years back and it really slipped through the water nicely. A real classic design.
    Mac
    Right you are about that. I was doing a crossing in a kayak a few years ago and crossed paths with a Pearson 363 pulling a 10' model Acorn. Later that day after setting up camp on an island, I watched the same Acorn sail in the bay for a couple hours with the Pearson owner's 10 year old grandson sailing it. He was having a great sail and I enjoyed a quiet evening watching a beautiful boat and an ear to ear grin.

    John
    John Bailey
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  12. #12
    Thanks very much for your thoughts, gents, interesting ideas all. Sam, I think the Merry Wherry is too small, but the Merry Two may be a better look for me. The only thing I worry about is that despite Wayland's assertions to the contrary, she looks a bit fine for my taste, and I think I'd be a bit nervous rowing her in rough water (You're right that the Salmon canoe isn't what I'm after, though she sure is pretty!)

    Mac and John, Ian Oughtred's designs are closer to what I was looking for. The Tammie Norrie looks as though she might be a little bit staid under oars for my taste (I don't need sailing capacity), but I thought the Badger was very pretty and quite close to the traditional Thames skiff style, which has a certain appeal. I'm honestly not sure how well a boat designed to manage the Thames will do on more open water, but she looks like she might handle it well, and has plenty of carrying capacity (any boat whose antecedents were designed as taxicabs must be able to carry a load).

    Randy, I had looked at the CLC site, though I had focused on the Annapolis Tandem Wherry and the Northeaster Dory. The Chester Yawl looks like a winner too, and I confess I like the idea of building my first boat from a kit (though it seems a bit like cheating). Both the yawl and the dory look like a number of concessions are made to sailing performance, but those all seem as though they would increase load-carrying capacity. The tandem wherry looks like more of a pure rower, and she looks pretty seaworthy as well.

    John, the Penobscot 17 looks like a very nice boat too, but also seems a bit more of a sailboat, though I agree she looks like she would row well.

    Steve, I'm particularly grateful for the link to the Brooks Boats site. Of all the boats I've seen, I think I like the looks of their Peregrine 18 the best. She looks like she'd perform like a champion under oars, and I just like her lines, which is nothing to sneeze at in a boat. I also like the fact that she can be built to accommodate various rowing configurations, including both fixed and sliding seat stations.

    What remains for me, I guess, is to figure out whether I have the skills and the nerve to build a boat from plans, or whether I ought to get my feet wet by building from a kit first. The former seems like it would provide a great sense of satisfaction if I can pull it off, but I've spent my life around boats and have a pretty critical eye, so I'm a little worried that satisfaction might be compromised by not executing the build well enough. I have a place in Maine quite close to the Brooks' in Brooklin, so I may take a day this summer to swing by and see them to consult about how difficult their build is likely to be for me. That said, I'd be curious about all of your thoughts as to the difficulty of building a glued lapstrake boat from plans as a first boat-building project. What say you all - can I manage this?
    Last edited by John B Mooney; 03-05-2012 at 2:01 AM. Reason: edited to correct typos

  13. #13
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    Hi John

    If you want a real hoot, and see how an inexperienced boat builder builds a plywood boat, take a look at this thread.

    http://boats.duncan.com/cyforum/view...b417961789aaf5

    That's me a few years ago building an Oughtred Whilly Boat. The hardest part for me was figuring out the Shape of the planks. I still don't quite understand "spiling," so I made patterns out of door skins. It worked well for me. You'll have to devise a way of scarphing the planks to make them long enough. A quick search on the Internet will give you good ideas on that one. I ended up using my radial arm saw and a jig and got perfect results. The thing I disliked most about using ply is using a hand plane. That satisfying feeling of planing long curls just isn't the same with ply. You'll need to get good at sharpening.

    I think anIyone with any woodworking experience can handle building a plywood lapstrake boat. It's probably the easiest way to build. I used Oghtred's book to lead me through the process, but there are many good books and any will do well.

    Now, after reading your posts, my vote goes to the Peregrine. That looks like a good build to me and seems to fit your criteria well. Great looker!! The fact that you can visit in Maine is a real plus also. I also think it looks like a fairly easy build. Long and narrow will give a little less problem with the plank shapes. I see Brooks recommends a book on building -- I would get that and start dreaming.

    Good luck and keep us informed. I would love to see a nice long thread on a Peregrine build.

    John
    John Bailey
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  14. #14
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    I'm late coming to this party, and not a boat builder.

    I've been considering a drop in rowing seat for my 1946 Old Town "HW" it's 19 feet and change, stem to stern.
    I believe the capacity exceeds 1200 pounds, although I wouldn't push that on rough seas.

    The advantage of a canoe conversion is roof-top transport.
    Any of the wherry and rowing variants mentioned will require a trailer.

    Have you considered skin on frame designs, for a first time project?
    If lapstrake will do, the CLC kits take most of the guesstimation out of a first project.

    Their Annapolis Wherry may be suitable, if you have fixed rowing seats.
    Sure a kit takes some of the fun out of the figuring part, but you'll dip a paddle sooner...

    jim
    wpt, ma
    Last edited by Jim Matthews; 03-05-2012 at 10:28 AM. Reason: product link

  15. #15
    John, your experience with the Whilly was entertaining and informative. The scarfing with a RAS was intriguing, though I don't have a radial arm saw and I think it would give me the whillys to use it that way if I did. I know what you mean about planing plywood, though - I'm not looking forward to that much. I'm OK at sharpening (WorkSharp and waterstones, mostly), but there's a difference between cleaning up a rabbet and scarfing a hundred or so feet of joints! Did you ever get back to building a boat again, and if so, what did you build?

    Jim, thanks for your thoughts. I'm sure a RoWing in a canoe would just fly, but if they're not fully loaded, the center of gravity's little high in most of the canoes I know of, and I'd be worried about its stability in a seaway. I'm lucky to live near the water, so being able to cartop a boat isn't a requirement for me. Unfortunately, CLC's Annapolis Wherry is too small for me, but the Wherry Tandem might do, and is also a pretty boat. I know I'll get a kit wet sooner, and I may yet go that way, but I really do like the looks of the Peregrine better, and I'm still trying to figure out if I can manage a boat from plans alone.

    Does "wpt" stand for Westport? My daughter goes to school in Marion, and I've spent a lot of time in your area - it's gorgeous there!

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