16 Amesbury Skiff

Tom Barb

Tom Barb

Active member
Anyone ever build or use an Amesbury skiff. This hull design caught my eye and I started doing some research. Lowell's boat shop sells the plans. It looks like some of these boats are planked with plywood? Do people use epoxy on these boats to seal the outside? I don't see how these clinker hulls can be fiberglassed.

If they're not, how are the end grains sealed to keep them from soaking up water? Or are they meant to be swelled?
 
Just took a look and it is a great looking boat. I grew up with boats like that and I love the lines. Sure hope you build it and post lots of pictures.

That's me in the middle between my brother and sister. :)
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Tom


I've done some repair work on Amesbury skiffs before and have always liked the lines of these boats. A real good reference is Wooden Boat magazine(Oct 2014, Dec 2014) issue number 240 and 241. In these issues Graham McKay of Lowells Boat shop details how to build a 16' Amesbury skiff. The articles have plans, diagrams and all the other information you'll need to build a boat. He uses 7/8" white pine or cedar for the bottom planking and 5/8" pine or cedar for topside planking. Another good reference is Building Classic Small Craft by John Gardner.
 
I'd rank Lowell Boat Works products as "living room furniture" quality & hard to see them used for duck hunting pulling them on to a rocky shoreline & whatnot.
Stur-Dee boats in Tiverton RI builds a 16' dory type hull that has a wide enough stern to use an outboard and plane.


If I was building something it would probably be a lumberyard skiff.
 
Have you considered a Tolman Skiff? I don't think I'll ever build a boat, but if I did, this would be at the top of the list.

http://www.fishyfish.com/boards/index.php
 
Grew up with them and saw them all over the inshore waters of MA and CT. Even saw one 35 miles offshore taking yellowfin! Not really a snotty weather 'first choice' design, as borne out by the fact that when the weather blew up, those guys were rarely out and about. They carry a fair load and draw next to nothing, though. Never saw one as a duckbooat, but I'm sure it is done.
 
Grew up with them and saw them all over the inshore waters of MA and CT. Even saw one 35 miles offshore taking yellowfin! Not really a snotty weather 'first choice' design, as borne out by the fact that when the weather blew up, those guys were rarely out and about. They carry a fair load and draw next to nothing, though. Never saw one as a duckbooat, but I'm sure it is done.
 
When I lived in Kodiak Alaska during salmon season it was common to see flat bottomed plywood skiffs that looked like Tolmans.
To me "skiff" means flat bottomed. Planes with minimum HP outboard but a rough rider in any chop. To me, for a duck boat a 16-18 foot skiff makes sense. When I launch at "O dark 30" I have no interest in charging out at top speed.
 
Thanks for the input guys. Terry, those Tolman skiffs are gorgeous. I was not aware of them. Thanks for the heads up.
 
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