Entry 2
Break-Apart Skiff
Rob Rohde-Szudy
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I chose to go with a nesting
two-part design, as it seems this wife would be turned off by
being rowed around in a boat that did not perform well. She
seems to want to have her cake and eat it too, so this poor
guy will have to be willing to endure a little inconvenience…until
he gets her hooked on messing about in boats!
The aft end nests inside the
fore, as the thwarts lift out. I’d have them fit over
pins. All rowing is done from the larger half. I call it the
fore half, but rowing solo it’s the aft. No motors –
this wife would not tolerate grease or fumes. I gave ‘her’
thwart a backrest so she doesn’t recline back into the
stem and throw off the trim. It is important that her space
is small. This will encourage her to nag to you build a bigger
boat!!!
The mating bulkheads are also
1/4" ply, reinforced at each edge with 1x4. They are held
together by 4 bolts with rubber washers on both sides. This
is pretty quick with a ratchet. Use 7’ Michalak oars.
(click to enlarge)
Sails can come later, but I’d
add a mast step and partner to the mating bulkhead and rig it
with a small sharpie sprit rig. Jim Michalak’s page has
all you could ever need to make one. I’d favor a canoe-style
clamp-on leeboard, unless/until sailing became the dominant
pursuit.
I chose to avoid epoxy, as the
mess would certainly cause marital strife. This is a traditional
?” ply nail-and-glue skiff, as these can be worked with
hand tools that won’t generate noise complaints. Since
this is a pretty well-known method, stems, chines, wales and
breasthooks are not shown in profile or plan views. The stems
can be formed by whichever method is convenient, but I would
form an inner stem from 1x or 2x and cap the finished stem with
a strip. You’d only need a friend with a power saw to
rip the chines, wales and stringers – possibly cut the
panels. PL premium for glue and latex paint. Don’t even
TRY to varnish in ‘her’ space!
Bio
Rob Rohde-Szudy holds a degree
in music and lives in Madison, WI. He has built a Michalak Piccup
Pram, and can personally attest that a small boat can make a
wife desire a bigger boat. (What a beautiful thing!) He has
written several articles about the building of the pram, available
in Michalak’s back issues, and is currently working on
paint research (latex vs. oil!) for a future Duckworks article.