Timeline of a Fascinating Project
It was in 2013 that I had the idea of building my own small wooden sailboat, after noticing the popularity of building this type of traditional boat on the East Coast of the United States, in Australia, the United Kingdom, France, and in some Canadian provinces, such as Nova Scotia and British Columbia. At the same time, I realized that here in Quebec, on the contrary, there were few enthusiasts of wooden boats, and even fewer who built them. It's sad because the construction of wooden boats was still common before the 1960s, all along the St. Lawrence River and its estuary.
In any case, for my part, I wanted to see how to go from intention to action… I knew that building a wooden sailboat myself wouldn't be easy. As a friend pointed out to me, “Daniel, think carefully before you embark on this, because building a boat isn't like making a piece of furniture. It's more like building a musical instrument: it's a full-of-curves complex structure!” This warning, however, was not enough to discourage me from trying to complete my project, but I will keep it in mind throughout the process, so as not to lose sight of the guidelines for the construction of my future boat: symmetry, harmony, solidity, watertightness... and an understanding wife!
However, before embarking on this adventure, besides the skill required to build my future boat, I had to consider three other factors: cost, time, and where to do it. The first two points were manageable: I had already estimated my budget based on the materials and tools I planned to buy at a discount. As for the timeframe, I hadn't set one, since I planned to dedicate myself to it once I retired and especially when I felt ready. The remaining question was the most suitable location. Not having a garage or shed, I needed to find a space to build the boat. Definitely, building a garage for this project would be too expensive. So, I opted for the veranda attached to the house: a 20' x 12' space open on three sides, but enclosed by a wooden lattice, and under the house roof. It was a good compromise for carrying out work from May to October, especially for work related to the hull and other large components. As for the basement workshop, it will allow for work requiring little space, as for during the winter: mold stations, centerboard trunk, centerboard, rudder, tiller, rigging, oars…
Furthermore, I did not rush things because I wanted to ensure the success of the project; I spent nearly four years researching online in my spare time, learning about the techniques, materials, and tools needed to build my future wooden boat. This research convinced me to embark on the adventure, partly because of the abundance of useful information provided, notably by numerous enthusiasts who, like me, had taken on the challenge of building their own boats. Their skill levels ranged from the meticulous perfectionist to the jack-of-all-trades… In short, I thought to myself, “If they can do it, I can do it!”
First step: finding the plans for my future boat. After viewing a multitude of boat plans sold on the website of WoodenBoat Store in Maine, I settled on a 16-foot skiff model called Melonseed, designed by Marc Barto of O’Connell’s Wooden Boat Shop. The plans consist of seven sheets and the designer categorizes the construction as “intermediate” in terms of difficulty. No matter, I judged that the challenge would only be more exciting! And besides, by the grace of its lines, this model seduced me.
But my first observation upon receiving the plans was that the task would be even more arduous. Although they adhered to the indicated scale (1 1/2 in. = 1 foot), I noticed that some details were lacking, however the outlines of the mold stations, the bow, and the transom were drawn to full size.
On the other hand, what initially appeared to be an obstacle turned into an opportunity because, along with the boat plans, I acquired a technical book entitled Building Small Boats by Greg Rössel. The author is an esteemed instructor of wooden boatbuilding at the renowned WoodenBoat School. This book proved to be my guide and reference throughout the boat-building process, thanks to its clear information and illustrations on tools, materials, data, and technical tips. With it, I have been able to make variations I deem appropriate to my boat and, in some cases, modify or add the types of materials and components suggested by Barto while still maintaining the basic parameters of the plans. This is the case, in particular, with the addition of oars, a removable rowing bench, a rear bench for steering, a removable floor, a hatch, as well as certain other accessories absent from the version of the Melonseed Skiff proposed by its designer.
At the same time, I needed to acquire the essential tools for building my boat, some of which were unfamiliar to me and required learning to master the techniques and use them properly.
Another major challenge was determining which wood species would be best suited for building the various components of my boat design. I hoped to be able to use as many locally available wood species as possible. For example, I planned to build the hull using white cedar planks, even if it means dealing with knots (instead of marine plywood planks glued with epoxy proposed by Barto). The planks would be assembled with clench copper nails (clinker). Moreover, all the boat's hardware, such as screws, nails, bolts, etc., would be anti-corrosion: copper, bronze, silicon bronze, stainless steel. I also wanted to build the deck using strips of Spanish cedar, an exotic wood I bought at a very good price from a local cabinetmaker. The other woods I planned to use are white oak, ash, black cherry, larch (tamarack), and spruce.
During 2017, I began by dedicating myself to making various components of the boat: oak deck hardware including cleats, fairleads, mast rings, wooden blocks, and sheaves. I also built the 12 mold stations, and a steam box (connected to an electric kettle by a car radiator hose) for parts that need to be steam-bent, such as mast rings or hull frames.
Then, I finally found where to buy at a good price the white cedar I needed to build my boat hull. An old man living in the town of Bury, in the Eastern Townships, offered to come and choose the cedar logs myself and help him saw them to my specifications with his portable sawmill. Good deal! I got about fifty 3/4-inch x 8-10-inch x 8.6-foot boards for a very advantageous price. Wood that I would later plane and shape to make the planks for hull of my boat, 3/8 inch thick x 16.4 feet long.
Meanwhile, my friend Louis told me he was planning to cut down a larch tree on his property of Saint-Alexis-des-Monts in Mauricie, and offered to provide me with the stump, knowing that's what I was searching for to build the bow (or stem) of my boat. We agreed that I would go and help him cut down the tree and remove the stump. It wasn't an easy task, but the effort was worth it, because once dried, this stump allowed me to make the strongest possible stem for my boat!
In short, the actual construction of the boat took place from spring 2018 to fall 2021, representing several thousand hours of hard work, but how exciting and rewarding it was.
As the work progressed, I took many photographs. Through this blog, I'm pleased to share with you each step of the construction process of my beautiful sailboat (See links opposite). Who knows, it might awaken in you the desire to take on the exciting challenge of building your own boat?
I gave the name COLOMBE (means DOVE) to my boat in homage to my mother, Colombe McMurray. In fact, traditionally, boats were always given feminine names.
Finally, in the summer of 2022, my beautiful COLOMBE sailed for the first time on the majestic Lake Memphremagog in Quebec.
Some variations made to Marc Barto's Meloseed Skiff
(1) All the chandlery made of wood: pulleys, cleats, fairleads; (2) forestay, halyards, shrouds, and sheets made of three-strand polyester imitating hemps; (3) wooden deadeyes as turnbuckles; (4) slightly smaller sail area; (5) rudder pintle and gudgeon attached to the transom only; (6) centerboard pivoting with handle (no lead ballast); (7) boom with a wooden gooseneck; (8) addition of a deck hatch; (9) hull planked with white cedar; (10) stem made of a single piece of wood (tamarack stump).
Some other elements added to the model proposed by Barton's model
Floor timber, deck beam posts, removable flooring, removable rear bench and rowing bench, oars and oarlocks, drain plug, and bow eye.
COLOMBE Specifications
Designer: Marc Barto
Overall Length: 16 ft 2 in (4.9 m)
Beam: 5 ft 2 in (1.6 m)
Draft (centerboard up): 4 in (10 cm)
Draft (centerboard down): 2 ft (approx. 70 cm)
Approximate Weight: about 250 lb (115 kg) without rigging
Sail Area: 86 sq ft (8 sq m)
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