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CHAPTER THIRTEEN
that would be wasted; it wouldn't make her go much
faster and would only add more weight and bother.
If you object to small motors because they don't have
any reverse, just remember that you can fill that void by
turning them around 180 degrees. When you do, slow
the motor down to idle, and don't hesitate once you
start swiveling it around. Ned Grade, a New York
English teacher and the owner-builder of the 7 -foot 9-
inch Elegant Punt included in my first book, Instant
Boats, was teaching his young son how to do this with
the mini-motor he had hung on her transom. He got as
far as "This is how to..," when they found themselves
up to their necks in water. He had paused just long
enough at 90 degrees hard over to flip her in one quick
motion, furnishing a prime example of the old saw
about he who hesitates.
Let's collect the makings and get one of these Pointy
Skiffs in the water.
Materials
. Two sheets ~-inch 4-by-8-foot AC exterior ply-
wood. One sheet %-inch 4-by-8-foot AC exterior 4-ply
plywood for bottom. (If you can't get 4-ply, use ~-inch
AC exterior 5-ply or, alternatively, use two sheets of !,i-
The Pointy Skiff was designed with the working
fisherman in mind, but she serves the pleasure-seeking
boater just as well. Loaded with a couple of tubs of bait,
spare gas, two grown men, and the usual mishmash
thrown in, her ample freeboard and her 4-foot 2-inch
beam ensure safe pass~ge from dock to mother ship
even in a moderately steep chop. Or you can substitute
the average family picnic for the above load and head
for a nearby island.
I planned to use her for fishing myself, but I dropped
out of lobstering just about then and shelved the plans
until I got my activities a little better organized. I gave a
set to the Region Eight Vocational School in Rockland,
but I had completely forgotten about that until one day
I saw their prototype sitting on a fisherman's float.
She was built twice as heavy as needed, starting with
a VB-inch crossplanked bottom instead of the %-inch
plywood called for and proceeding with heftier seats,
extra framing-the works. But she looked as she was
supposed to. Ironically, it turned out she had been
bought by my brother-in-law, who has never had a kind
word for anything Phil Bolger designed. When he said,
"It's the best skiff I ever owned," weight and all, I
decided not to press the matter.
The Pointy Skiff rows well with 6- to 6J.7.-foot oars,
and a 2 or 3 h.p. outboard drives her easily. More than
11 ()
Pointy Skiff, Sheet 2.
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A 3 J /
NEW BOATS TO JOIN THE ORIGINAL FLEET 114
With the side panels upside down on the floor,
they are fastened to the forward and midframe
molds and to the stem, then to the after frame
mold, and finally to the transom.
inch glued together; don't use %-inch marine grade-it
costs an arm and a leg.) Three or four clear 12-foot 2 x 4s
to make up gunwales, chine logs, drag strips or skids,
and framing.
. One pound each, *-inch, I-inch, and 1 \-8-inch
number 13 bronze anchor nails. One-half pound, 1-
inch number 13 or number 14 smooth-wire copper
nails. One box, I-inch number 9 brass or bronze screws.
Two pounds Weldwood dry powder glue or a marine
glue of your choice.
. One pint epoxy resin with hardener. Twenty-five
feet of 3-inch fiberglass tape. Two quarts each, plywood
primer and finish paint.
. One set Wilcox, Crittenden oarlocks and side
plates.
Layout and Assembly
Bending the nail points over on the forward-bottom
internal butt strap.
When laying off the parts for assembly, note that the
numbers 1 through 16 on the drawings are keyed to the
numbered list of the parts accompanying the plans, and
not to the order of assembly.
My building procedure varies somewhat from the
layout of the parts' patterns shown by Bolger on the
plans. Bolger's plans indicate that the forward and after
sections of the side panels would be traced on separate
plywood sheets, cut out separately, and then butted
together. This procedure would use the plywood most
efficiently but at an increased expenditure of time.
Instead, butt two sheets of plywood together first. Mark
both long edges of the plywood sheets at I-foot
intervals and draw lines across with a straightedge.
Note that the interval at --- ~---
side panels is 0-11-4, or 11 j,7. inches,
inches used elsewhere.
Next, mark off on the lines, -
panel. Working from nails or brads driven
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FFT
116
NEW BOATS TO JOIN THE ORIGINAL FL
to be right for bracing your feet against the face of the
number 3 bulkhead. I recommend setting a few cleats,
say ~ inch by 1 Y2 inches by 6 inches, at distances
suitable to accommodate the various leg lengths of
male. female, and juvenile rowers. Any boat rows very
hard and is not really safe, either, if the rower's feet
slide. For convenient oar storage, I cut holes in the
number 2 bulkhead to receive them.
If frequent use of a motor is likely, I would fasten a
~-by- 7~-inch motor board to the transom.