A wet and rainy New Hampshire day after Thanksgiving was the perfect time to launch our (almost) completed two-sheet skiff. Being constructed from ¼” luann and PL it’s very light and it was easy to carry to the beaver pond about an eighth of a mile behind our house. After a brief ceremony we launched her and she was as dry as a bone – always a great feeling.

Although she was designed for my son’s weight of 65 lbs she was stable and had a reasonable freeboard with my hulking 165 lbs. Without oars I spent a lot of time paddling in circles. My son decided the rain and mud were too much to deal with on top of testing a new boat, so he postponed his voyage until clearer skies prevailed - he explained by saying he didn’t want to be all wet from the rain in the event he flipped over and got all wet from the pond.

Today we’re back in the shop completing the inwale and a few trim pieces, then it’s back in the pond to determine the best location for the seat and the oar locks. I submit construction photos once we’re all done.

Rick Malagodi
Hollis, New Hampshire