John Gardner dory skiff - started new project

[jan nicolaisen]

Hi all,

after the Core Sound 17 went to happier owners, I lofted a little skiff that I always have thought to be quite good looking and also a solid performer (I built it before, in 1995). This time I spent a little extra time fairing the lines and really trying to get the plank lines right..we'll see!

It is the 10' Chaisson dory tender presented by John Gardner in his indispensable Dory Book, page 250. No sail plan is shown, but I will try to come up with something workable, cause it's going to be a sailboat, narrow bottom and all.

I glassed the bottom and garboards before planking the rest of the hull.

Planking completed on Spring Equinox.

The first 'Skiff Hayduke', as I call it, on the Green River, Utah.

Jan

[DGentry]

Boat looks great! I had once planned on building one of those myself, but . . . .

Are you going to put a daggerboard in her?

I've floated the Green, too, via canoe. Pretty amazing. Did you take-out at Mineral Bottom? How'd you like that road? Nuts!

Congrats!

Dave Gentry

[jan nicolaisen]

Thanks Dave,

yes, a dagger board.

Did take out at Mineral Bottom, but with my truck in Green River I relied on hitch-hiking to get back. This was in the winter and I encountered no prospects at the beach. So after hiding my stuff in the tamaracks I started walking. And walking. I did the entire 20 miles to the pavement before a friend happen to pass and pick me up! Come to think about it, that photo must be from another trip since I wouldn't have brought a motor for the Green. Probably Lake Powell below Cataract Canyon, in the vicinity of Dark.

[paul_stewart]

Jan, tell us about your clamps.  -- Paul

[jan nicolaisen]

The clamps? Pretty simple deep reach lap clamps. They don't need to be strong if glued lapstrake is all you're going to use them for. The big one is vastly overbuilt for the purpose, sawn out of oak and fitted with a 3/8" bolt and stout welded handle. The smaller is 1x pine, dainty and light, 1/4" bolt with wing nut. Can't exert a lot of pressure with that one, but work as well or better. But the former can double for many other tasks, like clamping rails, seat risers, knees etc.

I have a dozen of each, about right for up to 16' boats. The hole in the arm that has the nut needs to be slightly elongated for smooth operation. On the hardwood clamps i have glued pine pads on the jaws to protect the soft planking stock. The hinge is tubular climbing webbing held by copper tacks.

Off course if you subscribe to the ideas and techniques of the smart & thourough John Brooks then no clamps are needed at all. But his book came out after I learned this stuff, and my ways works for me.

[PAR]

That's so funny, as I have about 3 dozen real nice home made lap clamps. I used them once, realized I didn't need them using other methods and they've lived in a box ever since. They should be tossed, because they've not seen the light of day in many years, but I can't bring myself to get ride of them "just in case". Very similar construction to yours, except I used a wedge and fixed pivot on half of them, which I found faster to use.