Sea Babe: A 15 ft Outboard Cabin Cruiser Plan, Sleeps 2
A 15 ft cabin cruiser that seats four and sleeps two, quoted at 32 mph on a 25 hp Evinrude or Johnson.
Sea Babe packs a cabin, four seats and real speed into 15 ft (4.57 m). With a beamy 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) hull, it sleeps two and seats four, so it works for both day trips and overnight escapes. Construction uses 3/8 and 1/4 in plywood over a single-curved bottom. The plan quotes 32 mph with a 25 hp Evinrude or Johnson and 25 mph with a Mercury 16. It suits couples or small families who want a weekend boat that moves.
Sea Babe at a glance
| Detail | Sea Babe |
|---|---|
| Type | Cabin cruiser |
| Length | 15 ft (4.57 m) |
| Beam | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Capacity | Sleeps 2; seats 4 |
| Construction | 3/8 and 1/4 in. plywood over single-curved bottom |
| Power | Evinrude or Johnson 25 hp: 32 mph; Mercury 16: 25 mph |
| Designer | William D. Jackson |
| First published | Boat Builder's Handbook, p. 83 |
| Craft Print | No. 210 |
| Plan sheets | 10 |
Weekend cruiser with pep
A single-curved bottom bends the plywood in only one direction, keeping construction manageable while still giving a smoother shape than flat panels. Thicker 3/8 in plywood where loads are high and 1/4 in elsewhere keeps weight down, which is part of how Sea Babe reaches its quoted speeds.
The wide beam is what makes the cabin possible in a 15 ft boat, providing room to sleep two and seat four. It also adds stability at rest, so spending a night at anchor feels relaxed rather than rolly, and the compact length keeps launching easy.
The original plan sheets
These are the 10 original sheets, scanned from the magazine. For building, use the full-size PDF in the download section below.
Who designed it
William D. Jackson designed Sea Babe for the Boat Builder's Handbook, page 83, listed as Craft Print 210. The plan's speed figures with named outboards of the day show the performance Jackson expected from his light plywood cruisers.
Before you build
- Use an outboard in the size class quoted on the plan, around 16–25 hp, and avoid overpowering it.
- Ventilate the cabin well and keep cushions dry to prevent condensation and mildew.
- Load gear low in the boat and keep passengers seated when running near top speed.
Download the plan
Sea Babe's ten original sheets in one file, ready to print at full scale or open on a tablet in the workshop.
Download the complete plan (PDF, 10 sheets, 7.4 MB)
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