Boat Profile

Small Boats Annual 2010

The Haven 12 1/2

A trailerable classic

A handsome daysailer based on the Herreshoff 12 1/2, but modified for a centerboard.

October 2024

Hatch Cove Kayak

A David Wyman design for Chase Small Craft

A new recreational touring kayak from David Wyman and Chase Small Craft combines light weight with good initial stability, generous buoyancy, low windage, and excellent tracking.

October 2024

Gannet

Iain Oughtred’s 14' planing dinghy with traditional appeal

Combining the appearance of a comfortable daysailer with the underwater profile of a planing dinghy, Iain Oughtred’s Gannet can be used for a relaxing sail with four crew or an exhilarating ride for two.

Small Boats Annual 2009

The Blue Jay–Class Sloop

A Sparkman & Stephens classic

The Blue Jay-class sloop was designed in 1947 as a junior trainer. Today, the fleet numbers over 7,000, and the boats are sailed by adults and kids alike.

Small Boats Annual 2009

Pathfinder Yawl

A 17' cruising yawl

The 17' 4" Pathfinder yawl, designed by John Welsford, is meant for serious cruising. One owner-builder in the designer's New Zealand home waters spent 10 months living on his boat while exploring.

Small Boats Annual 2009

The Harrier Double-Ender

An eye-catching blend of old and new technology.

The Harrier double-ender carries a standing-lug yawl rig, high-peaked and fully battened in the main—an eye-catching blend of old and new technology. She is exceptional under oar or sail, due to her light weight and refined shape.

September 2024

Blekingseka

A traditional sprit-rigged sloop from Sweden's southeast coast

The traditional 14′ Eka, a spritsail sloop from Sweden’s southeast coast, has its origins in the 18th century when the type was used for fishing and travel among the coastal islands.

Small Boats Annual 2009

The Geary 18

The 1928 “Flattie” is all about speed and simplicity

The ease of sailing the Geary 18 has been compared to sailing while sitting on a couch.

Small Boats Annual 2009

The Wineglass Wherry

A stitch-and-glue pulling boat from Pygmy

Wineglass Wherry, a plywood pulling boat, takes its inspiration from beach-launched working craft.

September 2024

Eun Mara

A trailerable coastal cruiser from Iain Oughtred

Influenced by the canoe yawls of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Iain Oughtred’s Eun Mara is a comfortable coastal cruiser for one or two adventurers.

Small Boats Annual 2009

ADVENTURE

A camp-cruiser from Bill Garden

The author's initial outings in his boat, ADVENTURE, were on Western rivers. In the summer of 2009, he plans an expedition along the Maine coast. The boat sleeps two and has ample dry stowage.

Small Boats Annual 2009

Marblehead Gunning Dory

A boat that almost builds itself

Under sail, the Marblehead gunning dory is both fast and responsive, though it's intended to be rowed.

Small Boats Annual 2008

Nancy’s China

A 15' hard-chined pocket cruiser

The Nancy’s China design is a marriage of the big and the small. It’s the biggest boat you can fit in a garage and the smallest boat you would want to sleep on.

August 2024

Adirondack Guideboat

A classic rowboat updated for modern construction techniques

Newfound Woodworks’ Adirondack Guideboat, based on guideboats of the late 1800s, is a strip-planked kit version of this fine-ended rowboat with traditional elegance and can carry one or two passengers in style.

August 2024

Sunfish

A simple sailboat from the 1950s

Derived from the popular Sailfish, the Sunfish was a collaborative creation from two sailors and two designers. Since the first 20 plywood boats were built in 1952, it has been in continuous production in fiberglass and more than 500,000 have been built and sailed worldwide.

Small Boats Annual 2007

The NorseBoat

A Cadillac of a camp-cruiser

The NorseBoat requires more study time per foot than most small craft. Besides an attractive hull and an unusual sail plan, she has more bells, whistles, and unexpected features than a 1970s conversion van—certainly more than any boat in her class.

July 2024

The Friend·Ship Canal Boat

A comfortable cruising boat for sheltered waters

Phil Thiel’s canal boat, suitable for at-home building by moderately experienced woodworkers is a comfortably appointed boat for long, leisurely trips on sheltered lakes, rivers, and canals and can accommodate six adults overnight.

July 2024

The Shrike Kayaks

CNC’s modern sea kayaks steeped in Inuit tradition

Based on an original Inuit Disko Bay kayak in the collection of the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Shrikes, from CNC Kayaks, are designed to be built as simply and as lightly as possible. The result is a range of boats that connect the paddler with the environment and reward the user with speed, agility, and grace.

June 2024

The Scout 10

The “smallest camp-cruising sailboat” from Duckworks

The new Duckworks sailing dinghy, the Scout 10, is within the reach of first-time builders and has some innovative construction techniques to make the boat light and strong.

June 2024

Waterlust Sailing Canoe

Chesapeake Light Craft’s versatile canoe for paddle or sail

Inspired by the sailing canoes of the 19th century, the Waterlust from Chesapeake Light Craft can be paddled, pedaled, or sailed, and is designed for high-performance expedition cruising but is still well suited to a gentle afternoon outing.

May 2024

FLOW 19

A fast and sporty trailer-sailer

A trailerable sport-cruiser designed by Antoine Mainfray, the Flow 19 is as suited to racing as it is to gunkholing and beach cruising.

May 2024

Stir-Ven 19

François Vivier’s water-ballasted daysailer

Influenced by traditional Breton workboats, François Vivier’s lapstrake daysailer incorporates water-ballast tanks to reduce weight for trailing.

April 2024

Newfound Wherry

A cedar-stripped rowboat updated for sail and oar

Newfound Woodworks drew inspiration for the strip-planked Newfound Wherry from New England working boats.

April 2024

Acorn 17

Iain Oughtred’s Whitehall

Based on the Whitehalls of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Iain Oughtred’s Acorn 17 is the longest in a series of sail-and-oar lapstrake dinghies.

Small Boats Annual 2015

Puddle Duck Racer

Descended from sandboxes