McKenzie River Drift Boat Video

One of my customers sent me a link to this great youtube video all about wooden drift boats. It's great. Thanks Scott.

New Homebuilt Boat Photo Galleries added to Web Site

By popular demand, I've added boat photo galleries to some of the boat plans on the main web site for your viewing pleasure. I don't have enough photos of some of the boats yet, so if you've built one of my boats please send in pictures. Here are links to the new photo galleries:

http://spirainternational.com/hg_mack.html
http://spirainternational.com/hg_ozar.html
http://spirainternational.com/hg_cana.html
http://spirainternational.com/hg_yuko.html
http://spirainternational.com/hg_june.html
http://spirainternational.com/hg_glou.html
http://spirainternational.com/hg_caro.html
http://spirainternational.com/hg_hatt.html
http://spirainternational.com/hg_miss.html

Construction begun on 34' St. Pierre Dory

I'm nearly finished with the plans for two new Grand Banks style (St. Pierre) dories. One is a 32' x 10' and the other, it's bigger brother at 34'x12' The person I originally did the plans for was eager to get started on the larger of the two, the 34 footer, so I've been sending him drawings as they are completed. One week and he has many of the ribs finished, so he's not wasting any time at all. He's also blogging about the construction. Here's a link with pictures: http://www.shugarbear.blogspot.com/ Check it out!

Spira Boats Now on Facebook

I just set up a new Facebook page for Spira International Easy-to-build boat designs called Spira Boats. Stop by, check it out and sign up as a friend.

Spira Boats

Create Your Badge

I uploaded a whole slew of pictures, too, many of which have never been published before on my site or blog.

New Oysterman Carolina Dory Launched

Jeff Frankel from up the the San Francisco Bay era of California just launched his Spira International Oysterman Carolina dory. He did a great job on it too. Here's an excerpt from the email he just sent me:

It’s done! I put an old 25HP merc outboard on it and that way enough power. It’s hot flat and glassy on San Francisco Bay this week. I’m going to try water skiing behind it if I can find a ski tomorrow. Thanks for all of your help along the way.

I'm sure Jeff's in for hours of fun in his new boat. Nice paint scheme too!

New Mission Bay Ultralight Stitch and Glue Boat Launched

The builder did an excellent job on this 11' Mission Bay ultralight stitch and glue boat built exactly to plan. These easy to build boats can be put together in a couple of weekends by anyone with moderate competence using hand and hand-help power tools. This hull weighs only about 70 lbs so can be lifted on the roof of a small car or SUV, and launched in any lake, stream, bay or the ocean. This model will handle three people with ease too. Check out the free downloadable study plans for this and other boat designs on the main site using the link to the right.

New Home Built Boat - Hatteras V-Bottom Dory Launched

I just got these photos of a newly launched Hatteras v-bottom dory built from my plans:



It was built by Tom Bashaw. Great Job, Tom!

Here's Tom's e-mail that accompanied his photos:

Hey, Jeff.
Thought I'd send you some pic's of the vee bottom Hatteras. I get more compliments on this boat than any boat I've owned. People love it and most think it's an old restoration, too funny. I launched it on 8/9/09. I was impressed how well it handles. I put 115 hp Evinrude on it. I picked it up for nothing and rebuilt it so I couldn't beat the cost.... hp wise it's a bit much, but weight is just a over 300lbs so it's fine. Hope all is well and thanks for designing such beautiful boats.

Tom

New Article: Home Built Boat Seaworthiness

I just finished and uploaded a new article about homebuilt boat seaworthiness. I seem to get a lot of questions about whether this or that boat is seaworthy enough to handle the conditions at this or that locale, so I thought I'd address the real issues that people should consider before building a boat. It can be found here: http://spirainternational.com/a_seaworthy.html.

19' Alaskan Grand Banks Dory Now Available in Metric

I've added an optional 5.8 Meter Metric dimensioned plans for my very popular 19' Alaskan Grand Banks style dory. These new plans aren't only converted to metric dimensions, but have also been redesigned to use standard metric sized lumber (timber for those of you down under.)

Here's one almost complete in the Gulf Coast of the US:

Follow Me on Twitter

OK gang, I've now put myself on Twitter so you can follow my musings. Keeping up with the latest technology and trends is a necessary part of running an information business these days. It's working too. If you type How To Build a Boat in Google, my YouTube video of the same name comes up #1 now. It's impressive and has resulted in quite a number of new visitors who I've been able to learn about the joys of modern home boat building.

Anyway my new Twitter address is http://www.twitter.com/SpiraBoats

Jeff

New Carolinian Carolina Dory Launched

This beautiful Carolinian Carolina Dory was recently launched in Alaska. The builder did an excellent job and his workmanship shows. He elected to build it with a well mounted outboard instead of the usual transom mount.

New Free Boat Plans Page

I recently updated my Easy To Build Boat Plans site with a new page featuring two boat plans you can download immediately for free. The first is my 12' Huntington Harbor Kayak, Dozens of these have been built to date and are being used in lakes rivers and the ocean. I also now offer Free downloadable plans for the all new Booth Bay 9 foot mini Grand Banks dory. I just completed the design and already there are several under construction. I'll reward anyone who sends in the first photo of a completed hull with a special prize. http://spirainternational.com/hp_frpl.html

New Canadian Drift Boat Launched

This newly built Canadian drift boat was launched recently and is shown here on a river in Michigan. The builder did an excellent job and is ready for many more fun fishing trips this summer. See how a few hours in your garage each week, only a few hundred dollars in materials costs, can turn a woodworking project into an inexpensive summer of boating fun. Check out more easy-to-build boat plans on my main page.

- Jeff

Blogging Building a 19' Alaskan Grand Banks Dory

My customer who is building the 19' Alaskan Grand Banks Dory below is blogging about his experience. He's collected a great series of posts about the actual experience of building a boat. It's worth a read. Remember that blogs are organized backwards, that it the latest posts are first. The best way to read them is from the oldest forward, so it makes sense. Stop by and take a look. It really captures the day by day experiences of what building a boat is all about. Here's his blog: http://build-a-dory.blogspot.com/.

Alaskan 19' Grand Banks Dory Coming Together

This is the second of my designs, this customer has built. His other was an Oysterman Carolina Dory. He's doing a great job on it and it's been skinned already. It won't be long until he'll be out having a blast in his new home built boat. The Alaskan is a very capable, rugged dory suitable for river, lake, near coastal and even offshore use. I'll keep you posted on the progress and post pictures once it's complete.

- Jeff

New Fishing Boat Building Article

I wrote this new article and uploaded it to my site recently about building fishing boats. It takes a look at the special needs of fisherman and offers information about which easy to build boats are most suited to the kind of fishing you do. Check it out at: http://spirainternational.com/a_fishingboat.html You can also download a pdf version of the article to print out and read at your leisure.

- Jeff

Boatbuilding Web Site Update and New Stock Boat Plans

I've just updated the Spira International Easy To Build Boat Plans web site and added some new stock plans. You can now buy the Sitka 27' Pacific power dory plans, the Alamitos 15' vee-bottom dory plans, and the 13' Marsh Rat Duck hunting boat plans.

I also added a page about Custom Boat and Marine Equipment Design where I discuss my capabilities to design your semi-custom boat ideas, custom work boat, pleasure boat and yacht designs, marine facilities and equipment design, heavy load lifting and moving equipment and marine hydraulics systems and equipment. Stop by and take a look: Spira International Custom Boat and Marine Equipment Design.

I also added articles in the free articles section including: "Bearings for Seawater Immersion Use," "Portable Piers - How to Unload Ships Without Port Facilities," and "How to Move Massive Structures Using Hydraulics." You can check them out at: Boatbuilding Article Directory.

- Jeff

New Mackinaw Drift Boat Launched

One of my customers just sent me some new pictures of a gorgeous Mackinaw McKenzie River style drift boat he built from a set of my plans. He was building it for a special fishing trip drifting a river in the upper peninsula of Michigan. Sure looks like he had a great time. It just doesn't get any better than this.

- Jeff

New Boat Building Video on Youtube

Hi All:
I just posted a new video on youtube that I'm sure you'll enjoy. It goes through all of the different types of boats I design. I describe them and show some new pictures I haven't published elsewhere yet. Check it out:




Let me know what you think!

- Jeff

Free Study Plans

I've been looking over other designer's websites and have found that many charge for study plans. I can understand this because they take time and money to print out and mail. On the Spira International, Easy-To-Build Boat Plans web site, study plans are always FREE. You can download them immediately and print them out on your own home computer printer. It makes things a lot easier and you get to see the study plans RIGHT NOW! Isn't that a refreshing change.

- Jeff Spira

New Boats added to Website

I've updated the site with some new boats I've worked on for specific customers. They include a new 20' ultralight stitch and glue rowing dory called the Puget Challenge for long distance rowing, two new vee bottom Carolina dories, the 15' x 7' Alamitos, and the 5.2 M Metric Kachemak. The very popular Mission Bay is also now available in metric dimensions as well. Also the 25' Kona Hawaiian Sampan and 32' Kodiak Pacific Power dory plans are complete and you can now buy them online. Several of these hulls are under construction now and I hope to have pictures soon. I also put up a 14' Jon boat that I've had done for some time called the Crawdad. (Mmmm Cajun mud bugs - makes my mouth water just thinking about them.)

I'm working on a series of sailing sharpies as well. Study plans for the first one are up so you can look it over. It's called the Inagua, named after the island in the Bahamas. It's a 14 footer. I have future plans for a 19 footer and a 24 footer also.

Be sure to stop by and tell me what you think.

- Jeff Spira

New Boatbuilding How-To-Guides Section

When people write in and ask how a certain aspect of building a boat is done, I'm going to start putting together How-To-Guides for various things. Sometimes you get the same question a number of times so these easy-to-follow guides should be just the trick to visualize some of the trickier aspects of the craft. The first one is now up on the website and it is called: How to Layout the Ribs on a Framed Boat. These will be in Adobe pdf format, so they're easy to download and print at home as well as viewing online. They can be located on the main Spira International Boat Building site here: http://spirainternational.com/hp_articles.html

Kona Plans Now Available

I've completed the plans for the 25' Kona Hawaiian Sampan design recently and shipped them off to two initial buyers. This hull, like all of my designs, is simple and inexpensive to build using standard construction grade materials. Since it is a semi-planing hull, it means it scoots along nicely on modest power, a 50 hp inboard will get you perhaps 17 - 18 knots while just sipping $4 per gallon gas - perhaps 1-1/2 gallons per hour. It should be perfect for most coastal conditions.

Can You Really Build a Boat for $50?

I just finished this new article entitled, "Can You Really Build a Boat for $50?" and posted it on my main site under the articles directory. I thought you would enjoy my take of the ultra cheap boat construction using my free boat plans for the Huntington Harbor kayak. Here's a link to the article: http://spirainternational.com/a_lessthan50.html.

New Glousterman Rowing Dory Launched

Jim Aiker of Boise Idaho just completed and launched this very well made 15' Glousterman rowing dory. This ultra light stitch and glue dory can be built of only two sheets of 1/4" plywood. Jim's e-mail to me said:

"Hey Jeff. Here's pictures of my recently completed Glusterman. The more I take her out, the more I like it. BTW weight is 48lbs.

-Jim in landlocked Boise."

Dories for Rough Water Use

I get an e-mail almost every day about how tough the waters are wherever they are. They usually start with a statement like "Gee - here in Mississippi the wind blows over the lakes and wow does it ever it get rough...." as if that's the only place the water gets choppy. Well, unless you live in Tierra Del Fuego or on the Bearing Sea coast, you don't really get rough water. It may seem that way to you but take a look at this.

Here's where the Coast Guard trains for rough water rescue at Cape Disappointment, the entrance to to Colombia River separating Washington and Oregon states. It's called "The Graveyard of Ships" for good reason.

The favored boat for such rough water use for sport and commercial fisherman in this part of the coast is the dory. Whether you're launching through the surf, taking on passing barge wakes, hurtling down class 5 whitewater through the Grand Canyon, or taking on the gales of November on Gitchigoomie, dories will get the job done for you.



I recently published an article about why you should build a dory on my site and I'm uploading it to various article sites shortly called "Why You Should Build a Dory." Check it out at: http://spirainternational.com/a_whydories.html

New Ozark Fisherman Drift Boat Launched

Lowell Grant recently completed this Ozark Fisherman McKenzie River type drift boat. The Ozark Fisherman is a Midwestern style able to handle raging whitewater and calm water with equal ease. Here's Lowell shooting through whitewater rapids on its maiden voyage in the Weiser River canyon in Idaho. After the run Lowell just had one comment - FUN BOAT!

New Article on Lofting

I've just completed and uploaded a new article on my website exploding the common myths about lofting. Well designed, modern boats do not have to be lofted - they're already lofted when they're designed, if designed using computer aided design tools CAD. Read all about it here: http://spirainternational.com/a_lofting.html

New Boatbuilding Tips and Tricks Blog Started

Hi all. I thought I'd start a blog to document tips tricks for building wooden boats and dories. I get questions from some people who are building my boats or are just curious about building my boats and I figure if one person has asked the question, there must be many more who have those question and just don't want to ask them.

Here I intend to discuss home built boat designs, boat construction techniques, boat building materials, tools required for boat building, boat fiberglassing techniques, stitch and glue boat building methods, fasteners for boat building, boat repair and painting, and just about any other topic of relevance about building boats, skiffs, dories, fishing boats sail boats, and more.

If you have any requests or comments, feel free to either post them or ask.