Category: Designs and designers, boat plans,books of plans

Plans for boats, sailing yachts, motor yachts, rowing boats, sailing boats, dinghies, dories, canoes, skiffs, oars, sails – may be free or paid-for

The Carvel Project, of Norway

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Sterns from book about Norwegian carvel book

Sterns illustration from the Carvel Project

The Carvel Project

In 1999, the Hardanger Ship Preservation Center began a project to systematically review carvel boat building in Norway, including the history of the technique, its introduction and dispersion, variations within the technique, and technology. The Carvel Project does not cover all of the differing types of carvel-built vessels in Norway.In this document we have limited the discussion to vessels that have been least documented; working vessels between 35 and 100ft in length. Such vessels have often been built by smaller, family-owned boatyards. They are built with relatively simple tools, and designed by the master of the boatyard, using half-models or drawings.

A pretty double-ended skiff seen at the Beale Park Thames Boat Show

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Small double-ended skiff at the Beale Park Thames Boat Show

Small double-ended skiff at the Beale Park Thames Boat Show

Small double-ended skiff at the Beale Park Thames Boat Show

A double-ended skiff that could have been built from the
pages of Practical Boatbuilding for Amateurs

I’ve got lots of photographs from the Beale Park show, but with lots of work to do and a musical engagement I’ve had precious little time to put them up. In fact, I’ve very little time now, but I thought I should quickly share these shots of what was probably my favourite boat from the show – a little double-ender that could easily have been built from the pages of a book I scanned and posted here some time ago, Practical Boatbuilding for Amateurs.

Although it was on the International Boatuilding Training College’s stand, there was sadly no information about the boat’s history, or anything to explain the reason for the double-ended shape, or anything about how it performs on the water. And all their people were so busy I didn’t want to interrupt them!

Nevertheless, I think it’s a real sweetheart and if I was half clever enough, I’d want to build one just like it.

For more information, click here for the freely available plans. As I’ve said before, if anyone builds this little boat I would be delighted to hear about the project.

Light Trow Onawind Blue has her photo taken – and is readied for a 50-mile cruise

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Light Trow Onawindblue

Onawind Blue is ready for an exciting and demanding new season

Ben Crawshaw of The Invisible Workshop has had some posh photos taken of his boat for both his friend Mr Mushroom and his sailmaker. He’s also getting ready for his first 50 mile cruise along his section of the Spanish coast. Why not drop by and wish him luck?