CATALINA SEA SKIFF
Specifications: 15' long, 44" beam, 85 pound empty weight, and 5" draft at 491 pounds displacement.
The CATALINA SEA SKIFF is a high performance rowing skiff, designed to move easily through the water with one or two people, and can carry a 400 pound payload. The varnished wood strip sides and transom present a distinctive, traditional appearance, similar to a Wherry or Whitehall dory, and are guaranteed to draw attention in any marina. The hull sections are rounded to reduce pounding and drag. The 44" beam gives the boat ample stability, and good tracking is provided by the 6' long keel. The idea behind this design started in Twin Harbors, on CATALINA island, after admiring a similar wooden planked design. The original boat had been rowed across from Los Angeles several times (26 miles of open ocean) and proven herself to be a sea kindly design. Weight and maintenance were high, however, and I decided to duplicate the design using wood strip construction. This eliminated most maintenance, and saved around 150 pounds of weight, which translates into better performance.
The CATALINA Sea Skiff is designed to be built by a first time boat builder. Wood strip construction is very simple, and many books on the subject are available. Wood strips are an ideal material for a builder with limited facilities. Very few specialized tools are needed, and the required woodworking skills are not difficult to master. Wood strips can be formed into compound curves with relative ease, which adds to the beauty of the boat, and makes it look like a much harder project then it really is. The hull is sheathed (inside and out) with fiberglass, and then varnished for a bright finish. This combination of wood and fiberglass results in a boat with a pleasant, traditional appearance, and the advantages of low maintenance, light weight, and strength.
Interior arrangement consists of a fore deck (floatation and watertight storage area), one or two bench seats, and a transom seat for that special lady. Other options include a single long thin seat running the length of the boat, or even a scull type sliding seat with outriggers. All the seats are designed to provide flotation, and help stiffen the hull. The sole can be left plain, or raised to the waterline level for self bailing. A small outboard motor can also be fitted to the transom.
A project like this can be expected to take around 6-10 weekends, and will cost about 350 dollars. An electric sander and saber saw are the only power tools that are required. Strips can be purchased or cut with a table or band saw. The boat is light enough to car top, or it can be lashed into the bed of a pickup truck or van.
The drawing package consists of a full scale frame pattern, a general layout drawing, and a set of instructions. A sail rig is shown, and sources for general hardware, fiberglass materials, and wood strips are included.