Little Chief: A Stringer-Built Paddling Boat
Twelve stringers over molds give Little Chief its rounded, molded lines; paddle it, or fit a small outboard with slight changes.
Little Chief has the soft, rounded look most people associate with much harder building methods. The trick is twelve stringers bent over molds and stems on a building form, which gives the hull its molded lines without exotic skills. It is meant for the paddle first, and with a few slight changes it will also take a small outboard. Think of it as a graceful little boat for quiet lakes, with an upgrade path built in.
Little Chief at a glance
| Detail | Little Chief |
|---|---|
| Type | Paddling boat |
| Construction | Molded lines; 12 stringers over molds and stems on a form |
| Power | Paddle, or small outboard with slight changes |
| Designer | William D. Jackson |
| First published | Boat Builder's Annual, p. 28 |
| Craft Print | No. 60 |
| Plan sheets | 4 |
Curves without the fuss
Twelve stringers spaced around the molds act like a skeleton that bends naturally into smooth curves. Because the form, molds and stems are set up first, the shape is controlled before any covering goes on, so a careful builder gets a fair hull. Paddling keeps it simple and quiet, while the option of a small outboard with slight changes means the same boat can cover more water later. Four plan sheets keep the drawings compact and easy to follow.
The original plan sheets
These are the 4 original sheets, scanned from the magazine. For building, use the full-size PDF in the download section below.
Who designed it
William D. Jackson drew Little Chief for Boat Builder's Annual, where it appeared on page 28 as Craft Print 60. The four sheets show the form, molds, stems and the twelve-stringer layout.
Before you build
- Bend each stringer on the molds before fastening and replace any that show a hard spot, since one kinked stringer spoils the curve.
- Fit seats low in the hull to keep the center of gravity down when paddling.
- Make the slight changes the plan calls for before mounting any outboard, and keep the motor genuinely small.
Download the plan
All four Little Chief sheets in one file, from building form to stringer layout, ready to print or view in the shop.
Download the complete plan (PDF, 4 sheets, 1 MB)
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