March 2025 Archives - Small Boats Magazine

Building a Goat Island Skiff

Jenny Bennett — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 21:06:29 +0000

We chose the 15′ 6″ Goat Island Skiff. It was known to be fast, big enough for four people, stable, and relatively light at about 60 or 70kg. And there’s a great community of owners around the world, led by the designer, Michael Storer.

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DEWALT DCS334

Bill Thomas — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 21:06:20 +0000

While jigsaws are handy around the house, they are nearly indispensable for boat work, in the shop, and any time clean, precise cuts are needed in plywood, solid lumber, composites, and sheet metal. With the proper blade, the DeWalt does all these jobs well.

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Preval Sprayer

Kent and Audrey Lewis — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 21:06:10 +0000

One of our favorite tools is the Preval Sprayer, a versatile and portable aerosol spray gun ideal for applying finishes to small areas or complex surfaces like the interior of a lapstrake hull with closely spaced frames, or when just a touch-up is required.

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Of Oarlocks and Lanyards

Ben Fuller — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 21:06:02 +0000

Many conventional horn oarlocks have a lanyard or little chain with a toggle leading from an eye on the bottom of the lock through the socket. Such connections are useful for tying the oarlock to the boat, but for me they render one-handed operation impossible—I need one hand to insert the oarlock and another to pull-through the lanyard or chain. However, tying your locks to the boat is undoubtedly a good thing, so a lanyard that doesn’t feed through the socket is called for.

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The BETTY Effect

Nic Compton — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 21:05:54 +0000

“When you approach towns and villages through rivers, you see them totally differently. You wouldn’t think they’re the same place. Rowing a river, you’re starting high up and working your way down every day; there’s always a different vista, always something different. It’s the loveliest way to see the countryside and nature.”

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Bolger’s Pirogue

Christopher Cunningham — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 21:05:41 +0000

Bolger’s designs are well known for their ease of construction, and the hull of his Pirogue is as simple as it gets. When I was given a decked-version in need of some minor repair and maintenance, I quickly discovered how versatile the type can be.

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Herreshoff/Gardner 17

Tony Lush — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 21:05:31 +0000

I came across the Herreshoff 17 when looking for a rowboat for my dotage. I wanted a boat for staying fit and simply messing about on the water. I considered several and was inclined toward Swampscott dories and similar seaworthy boats. Most, though, would be too heavy to lug around, launch, and haul at my age, so I settled on the Herreshoff.

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Adventures in Retirement

Jenny Bennett — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 21:05:17 +0000

In bygone eras, retirement typically meant slowing down, staying home, and accepting the idea that one had become old. Today, however, that’s a concept that more and more people are ignoring; none more so than the world’s small-boat enthusiasts.

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