A Duck Punt builder’s weblog

Donkey Riding

This is Rusty Knorr’s weblog recording how he has built – and now loves – his Duck Punt.

On his page you’ll find he has lso put up a couple of YouTubes of himself sailing it, during which, rather marvellously, nothing much happens. The cold blue sky above and the trickling of the water below have a pleasantly mellow effect on the viewer, so why not treat yourself to a moment’s peace…

More posts about Duck Punts can be found here, but be warned – they’re not exactly larded with safety features (I don’t think there are any!) and best sailed in company capable of rescuing someone in the water. And probably not for beginners either…

News about the Julie skiff design

A Julie skiff has been built in Russia from the free plans available on this website. It’s pretty close the the plans, though the builder left off the corner pieces at the stern and decided against the neat draining foredeck I’d intended as a good place to put a small anchor and line, or a painter. Oh well…

I know nothing of the language, but the chap seems pretty positive about it all! See the boat in action here:

Also, Mick Webb in Queensland, Australia, has started building a Julie using a more traditional strongback-and–frames approach. Photos of his frames are below.

I think the result will be rather appealing – I have a set of frame heights, if anyone wants to build a Julie skiff in the same way.

Free plans for building a stitch and glue Julie skiff are available from the Plans page of this website.

The virtues of a flat bottomed skiff

The virtues of a flat bottomed skiff

I think this is an impressive video that includes a couple of very nice ideas.

My little stitch and glue skiff designs – the 15ft 6in Julie, the 14ft Sunny and the 12ft Ella – are all ply, not ply with a planked bottom, but they will still have many of the important properties of these boats, including useful rowing characteristics. And the plans are all free…