Tag: ella skiff

The Ella skiff – a cheap and fun way to get afloat this summer

Numbers of people boating this year are on the rise, according to the 2011 Watersports and Leisure Participation Report.

The report commissioned by boating organisations including the Royal Yachting Association, members of the British Marine Federation, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the British Canoe Union and the Marine Management Organisation showed an increase of 0.3m between 2010 and 2011 – as many as 3.2m people took to boats last year.

In this context I’d argue that the plywood boat Ella skiff – the photo above is a recent and very nicely made example built in South Africa  – represents a cheap, quick and fun way to get afloat this summer. Read all about it, and get free plans here.

João Pereira builds a model Ella skiff

João Pereira builds a model Ella skiff 2 João Pereira builds a model Ella skiff 1

Please forgive me what might seem a bit of self-puffery – but I just love it when people build my little boats, even when they’re models for kids to play with in the shower.

João Pereira’s model of an Ella skiff certainly charmed me, and the Lego people are just about to scale too!

Here’s what he wrote:

Hello Mr Atkin!

I’ve recently come across the intheboatshed web site looking for boat plans and I was surprised by the amount of information available.

The idea of allowing someone to make a model before the real boat was very good.
I tried to build mine entirely with 4mm ply but it didn’t work. The sides didn’t bend easily so I used card-board from a milk carton for the sides and bottom. The frames, deck and gunwales are 4mm ply.

My kids play with it in the shower often because it is glued with Araldite, painted and varnished. I think it is a good test to check for defects and durability.

Best regards from Portugal,

João Pereira

Thanks João! That’s not a bad way to start kids with boats. I hope you go on to build the real thing. If you do, please keep in close touch so that I can help make sure it’s as successful as the bath toy…

Eric Allen builds and sails a model Ella skiff

[ad name=”intheboatshed-post”]

Nereid model of Gavin Atkin Ella skiff

Nereid model of Gavin Atkin Ella skif Nereid model of Gavin Atkin Ella skif

Eric Allen took these photos of a model he made using my Ella skiff boat plans – and I think it’s rather cute. He calls it Nereid, and here’s what he had to say about it:

‘I recently built a somewhat modified Ella skiff sailing version model, and figured you would appreciate hearing about it (as it is built from your design). I tweaked it to give it a Marconi rig and a jib, and added an over-sized bronze keel.

It was built on the cheap, and I have precious little experience, so it may not be the prettiest, best constructed, or most finished model, but it actually does sail. Quite well, in fact. It loves to beam-reach, and can really zip if it catches the wind on a broad-reach.

I am glad I found your website. I was looking for plans to build a simple yet nice-looking free-sailing model, and your plans fit my needs perfectly. Thank you for such a useful site and such well laid-out, logical, and easy to follow plans.

Sincerely,

Eric Allen’

Well done and thanks Eric – receiving something like this is a great start to a day.

For more on the Ella skiff, including the full-size and model plans for both the rowing and sailing version, click here and here.

PS Have you used the little logos below yet? They allow you to share this post via Twitter or Facebook, save the link in Google or your own web browser, and finally you can email the link to a friend. Handy, I’d say…