Dolly Varden: A Strip-Planked Weston Farmer Utility Boat
A round-bottomed, strip-planked utility boat in 13 ft or 15 ft 6 in versions, carrying four at 6–14 mph.
Dolly Varden is the round-bottomed beauty of the utility class. It comes in two lengths, 13 ft (3.96 m) or 15 ft 6 in (4.72 m), with a 4 ft 2 in (1.27 m) beam, and carries four people. Strip planking over steam-bent frames gives it the soft, traditional curves you rarely see in plywood boats. With a modest outboard of 1 1/2–7 hp it moves along at 6–14 mph, making it a gentle, good-looking boat for fishing and lake touring.
Dolly Varden at a glance
| Detail | Dolly Varden |
|---|---|
| Type | Utility boat |
| Length | 13 ft or 15 ft 6 in (4.11 m) |
| Beam | 4 ft 2 in (1.27 m) |
| Capacity | 4 persons |
| Construction | Strip planking over steam-bent frames, round bottom |
| Power | 1 1/2–7 hp outboard; 6–14 mph |
| Designer | Weston Farmer |
| First published | Boat Builder's Handbook, p. 141 |
| Craft Print | No. 179 |
| Plan sheets | 6 |
Curves worth the effort
A round bottom moves through the water quietly and handles small waves with an easy, kindly motion. Strip planking makes that shape achievable for a patient amateur: narrow strips are fastened one after another over the frames, so you build up the curves gradually instead of bending big panels.
Steam-bending the frames is a satisfying skill to learn and gives the hull real strength. The choice of two lengths is handy too, letting you pick the shorter version for a small garage or the longer one for extra room and a smoother ride. Either way, the finished boat has a look that turns heads at any launch ramp.
The original plan sheets
These are the 6 original sheets, scanned from the magazine. For building, use the full-size PDF in the download section below.
Who designed it
Weston Farmer designed Dolly Varden, published in the Boat Builder's Handbook on page 141 as Craft Print 179. Farmer was a naval architect and an influential writer on small boats, known for designs that mixed traditional good looks with home-builder practicality.
Before you build
- Build a simple steam box and test-bend a few spare frames before committing to the real ones.
- Stay within the 1 1/2–7 hp outboard range, which is matched to the hull's 6–14 mph speed.
- Choose the 13 ft or 15 ft 6 in version before lofting, as the frame stations differ between the two.
Download the plan
Six original Dolly Varden sheets come in one file, covering both lengths and ready to print or view on a tablet.
Download the complete plan (PDF, 6 sheets, 4.9 MB)
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