A collection of 8 vintage books all about boat building

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PLAN 1

These plans are for a large cabin cruiser boat, measuring 25 feet.

Although this section describes the building of a sedan cruiser, this particular hull, with a few changes in the cabin construction, is readily adaptable to a sport fisher, express cruiser or utility boat.
boatIdeal for use on large lakes or rivers, and fully seaworthy for offshore ocean cruising, the "Sea Craft" is a smart cabin cruiser designed with an eye toward simple, low-cost construction for the inexperienced boatbuilder.

During World War II, the original boat was given severe tests for seaworthiness when it was used by the United States Coast Guard to take highranking officers from ship to shore.

The boat has an over-all length of 24 ft, 7 in., and a breadth at sheer of 7 ft. 8 in. A converted Chrysler "75" auto engine easily pushed it along at a cruising speed of 15 knots. However, any marine or converted auto engine of similar horsepower may be used.

The cabin design of Sea Craft was selected because it offers one of the best all-around accommodations. Its open cockpit is large enough for fishing, lounging or sun bathing and the roomy cabin provides comfortable living quarters on a long cruise. It is equipped with a fresh-water tank, sink, cooking stove, toilet and two bunks.

Two additional upper bunks can be fitted to sleep a total of four. In addition, there is plenty of cabinet and stowage space for gear.

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PLAN 2

These plans are for a cart to haul your outboard motor around after removing it.

This outboard motor cart has everything.

It's strong enough to handle a 40-horsepower engine; it's rigid enough to allow it to be used as a repair stand, even to cranking; it hauls a gas tank, with room left for a tool box; it's so well balanced that a child or a woman can move a big engine easily; and it folds compactly in 10 seconds by removing one pin which also locks it in the folded position.

What's more it's light, easy to build and cheap.

If the materials are salvaged from scrapped toys and discarded pieces of pipe, it can be built for peanuts. Even if used materials are purchased and spot welding is paid for, the cost shouldn't be too high. A cart incorporating all its features would sell for a good deal more.

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PLAN 3

These plans are to build a flat bottom fishing jon boat.

Fisherman who like to work the shallow backwaters and weed patches on lakes and rivers will find this flat-bottom scow-type boat an ideal craft.

Although the boat is only 12 ft. long, its wide, flat bottom provides more usable space than most round or V-bottom boats of similar size. Low-cost, readily available materials are used throughout.

Frames, gunwales, deck beams, chine logs, seat stringers and seat back are made of pine lumber. The runners and chine moldings are solid oak. AB-grade exterior plywood is used for the deck, bottom and side planking and transom 3/8-in. stock for the former and 3/4-in. stock for the latter.

Fishing from this jon boat will be more rewarding since you built it yourself!

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PLAN 4

These plans are for a 17 ft wooden skiff.

The Happy Clam is the latest of over 65 boats having this unusual hull form that have come from the boards of the Atkin family during the past 25 years. They have varied in size from the 17-footer shown here to a 305-foot shallow-draft tanker developed during the past war.

Each has proven seaworthy and successful in attaining high speed with low power. Among the inherent advantages of this hull form are its shallow draft, great stability, and low center of gravity. Full protection for the propeller is provided by the box keel. Flow of unbroken water to the propeller is made possible by tapering the keel to the propeller post.

The relatively wide, flat keel maintains the boat in a level position when beached or trailerborne. The nearly level shaft angle, which is of value in performance, is not possible to achieve in any other hull form.

The principal dimensions of this little hooker are 17 feet over all, 16 feet on her designed water line, 5 feet 6 inches wide, and 11½ inches draft. Her ample freeboard of 28½ inches forward and 19 5/8 inches at her stern assist in making her a dry boat.

Her speed came up to full expectations. She was accurately clocked over the official measured mile off Lloyd's Neck in Long Island Sound, making 14.8 mph with a Palmer 5-hp. Baby Husky marine engine turning 2,250 rpm. The Columbian Type E two-bladed propeller is 10 in. in diameter and has a 6-in. pitch.

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PLAN 5

These plans are for a small 12 foot wooden boat to be fitted with an outboard motor. The boat is a v-hull design, which will handle waves better than a flat bottom.

Got a little fellow who yearns to captain his own craft? Take a cue from this pint sized inboard. The Little Fellow is only 78 inches long, has a beam of 36 inches and weighs about 125 pounds. The original design had a 7.5 HP engine which pushed it at 30 MPH.

However, a 5-hp outboard would be ample, giving a speed of 25 mph. Since the load is light, this engine will turn up to its peak of 4200 rpm, but it is wise to adjust the throttle so that continuous operating revolutions will be somewhat less. As shown in the drawing, the engine is stationary.

A rudder is used for steering. Parts of the rudder assembly can be fabricated or the whole assembly can be bought from marine supply houses. This would include the shaft, tiller arm, collar and port with stuffing box.

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PLAN 6

These plans are for a small 12 foot wooden boat to be fitted with an outboard motor. The boat is a v-hull design, which will handle waves better than a flat bottom.

From the article:

If you want a lightweight utility boat with a nice turn of speed and easy handling, build the "Banta". A boat like this has a lot to recommend it -- simple, inexpensive construction, a one-man weight of less than 150 pounds, practically leakproof -- she's a smooth, easy sailor on any man's river. Good enough for rough water, too. The v-bottom of the "Banta" makes her a much better rough-water boat that conventional flat-bottom plywood construction. She'll ride 'em!

Banta is built upside down on a level surface, the most convenient method of working being to make a building platform, as shown in the drawing.

Planking for Banta is 1/4-in. fir plywood of the waterproof, resin-bonded type. Two standard 4 by 12-ft. sheets are required. One sheet will make the two side planks, while the other sheet will cut the two bottom planks and the deck. The side planks are applied first. Fitting is quite simple since the half sheet of plywood can be bent to the frames and held with clamps while the shape is being marked with a pencil. The planks are cut off square at the stem and will provide a flat of about 3/4 in. on which to land the outer stem piece. The bottom planks butt together at the keel and extend over the side planks. All fitting should be done dry, after which the permanent assembly can be made with cold resin glue.

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PLAN 7

These plans are called the "Anyone's Boat", because as they claim, anyone can build it.

You can power it with oars or outboard. Neither time nor cost should stop you. About $12 and 16 hours will complete the job.

For it's true that anyone can build this boat. If you are just plain anyone, beg a few dollars (about 12), borrow some tools (a hammer, chisel, plane, saw and a heavy drift), buy your materials and steal some
time (around 16 hours if you don't waste any of it). You'll wind up with a strong boat that will perform well with any outboard from 1.5 to 22 horsepower and will even respond to rowing.

The lack of a framework is the secret of the simple construction. The sides fair naturally around the single mold stick inserted between the stem and the stern. You can bang the job together with about four pounds of eight-penny nailsuse galvanized.

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PLAN 8

These plans are called the "Aquarail", and are for a jet ski type boat using an outboard motor.

The most attractive feature of the Aquarail is that she's a fast, highly maneuverable yet safe boat. With a
high-pitch, two-blade prop on our 20-hp Chrysler outboard she does more than 35 mph carrying one person and more than 30 carrying two. With a lower prop pitch she would pull a water skier at close to 30 mph.

Unlike buying a Jet Ski and having a boat also, having a small watercraft like this means that you could use your outboard on both a jon boat and this jet ski.

But this Aquarail is not a jet ski short on functionality. There's plenty of room under the padded seat to tote such picnic comestibles as sandwiches and beer. And towels, bathing suits or tackle boxes easily fit along the foot well. Total cost for Aquarailincluding the fiberglass bottomran under $100 when these were published. Hull weight finishes out at roughly 140 lbs.

But Aquarail has yet another attractive feature. Practically any motor up to around 35 hp will fit on her. Even the small motors give her a nice zip.