Jennie: A Free 1954 Plan for an 8 ft Plywood Dinghy
Weston Farmer's 8 ft plywood dinghy from 1954 can be rowed, sailed or pushed by a small outboard.
Jennie is proof that a lot of fun fits into 8 ft (2.4 m). Weston Farmer designed her to be rowed, sailed or nudged along with a small outboard, so one hull covers three very different moods. She is built of 3/8 in. plywood over molds, which keeps the shape honest and the materials list short. As a yacht tender, a kids' first sailboat or a garage project for a long winter, she earns her space.
Jennie at a glance
| Detail | Jennie |
|---|---|
| Type | Dinghy |
| Length | 8 ft (2.44 m) |
| Construction | Plywood over molds on a false strongback; 3/8 in. plywood |
| Power | Oars, sail rig or small outboard |
| Designer | Weston Farmer |
| First published | Sports Afield Boatbuilding Annual, 1954, pp. 66–71 |
| Plan sheets | 6 |
One small hull, three ways to go
At 8 ft, Jennie is short enough to lift onto a roof rack or tuck into a corner of the garage. Plywood over molds on a false strongback is a tidy, methodical way to build: the molds hold the shape while you plank, then come out once the hull is stiff.
Being able to row, sail or motor the same boat makes her far more useful than a single-purpose dinghy. Start with oars, add the sail rig later, and keep a small outboard for longer runs. That way the project can grow alongside your confidence, and the boat keeps finding new jobs as the seasons change.
The original plan sheets
These are the 6 original sheets from 1954, scanned from the magazine. For building, use the full-size PDF in the download section below.
Who designed it
Weston Farmer drew Jennie for the Sports Afield Boatbuilding Annual of 1954, where she filled pages 66 to 71. The six sheets cover molds, planking and the optional rig. It is a compact plan for a compact boat.
Before you build
- Build the false strongback straight and rigid, since any twist in it will be copied into the finished hull.
- Decide early whether you will add the sail rig, so you can fit mast step and daggerboard reinforcement before the hull is closed.
- Keep any outboard genuinely small; an 8 ft hull trims badly with a heavy motor on the transom.
Download the plan
Jennie's complete 1954 plan in one file: all six sheets, from molds to rig, ready to print or open in the workshop.
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