Some Boats I have built
by Martin Ellacott ellacott@mnsi.net
These boats, like all of my boats, are built of
commonly found lumber-yard lumber. The solid stock used is usually clear oak or
mahogany, and the plywood is exterior grade, good two sides. All boats are
fiberglassed on the exterior, and painted with marine grade paint. Much care and
attention is given to detailing and finishing to a professional level. |
Minicup
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The Mini-cup was about 12' long
by 4.5' wide (I think..not sure), with a lateen sail . |
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Weekender
The Weekender was built without a
bowsprit or cockpit. |
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Considering the type of open water sailing that
I do, I thought that foot-well, would be safer in case of an offshore knockdown. |
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Canadian Sabot
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This is my version of the Canadian Sabot. The
bow deck and the aft seat are air tanks and it uses a dagger board for lateral
resistance. The boat with the painted interior is fairly standard. |
This craft is of stitch-and-glue
construction, which was developed in England many years ago. |
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The Daily Mirror newspaper of
London, commissioned a designer, a builder and a sail maker to come up with a boat that
anyone could build at home, and the Mirror Dinghy is what they cme up with. |
I believe that this boat was
designed in the early 1930's, in Vancouver BC. |
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The second boat, has a varnished
interior and is of marine grade mahogany, has laminated seats, self standing mast,and 8
coats of hand rubbed varnish. |
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Cynthia J
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This is the first Bolger boat that
I have built. The Cynthia J is a leeboard cat-boat. |
A wonderful shoal draft boat, It
has a huge sail for such a small craft....I think that the boom is about 17 feet long with
a short mast, gaff and 150+ feet of sail. |
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I built it with a self bailing
cockpit, but the rest of boat was built as per the plans. |
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Micro
You may have to consult Phil Bolger
or perhaps Elrow LaRowe, but I think that I was the first person in Canada to build the
world famous Micro. I have never sailed a better boat, large or small. When
your course is determined and the mizzen sail adjusted, she sails herself. Building
this boat was certainly a labour of love. |
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To increase storage space, there is
no foot well at the bow, rather, it is decked . Because I dock with the bow toward
land, it also facilitated getting on and off the boat with ease. A small galley
occupies the starboard side of the cabin, and the head is on a track and slides under the
companionway. Sliding doors give access to the bow storage area. Shelves run
the full length of the cabin and are located just under the portholes.One would sleep
directly on the cabin sole in sleeping bags....not really all that comfortable.
Because of the raised bow and flat bottom, sleeping can be difficult because of the
noise....like sleeping inside an oil drum....(although I have never slept inside an oil
drum). |
The interior is lined with
varnished mahogany, and sandwiches foam insulation to deaden sound and for
floatation. Some of the area under the foot will is also part of the flotation
safety system. |
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A self draining foot well takes the
place of the deck access that was designed. Everything else is to
specification. About the only change that I would make if I were to make another
Micro, would be to cold mould a cabin roof of 2 layers of 1/4" plywood
for more strength. Should also consult Bolger about the mast.....something
lighter...takes 3 men and a mule to step it without a gin-pole. |
Any exposed exterior wood is
varnished teak or mahogany and everything else is totally fiberglassed. After some
years of sailing it and being laid up for a while, it is undergoing a good refurbishment
and will be for sale |
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