Sea Skiff: A 13 ft 9 in Plywood Skiff for Oars, Motor or Sail
William D. Jackson's Sea Skiff seats five and takes oars, an outboard, an air-cooled inboard or a sail, all on one plywood hull.
Some boats are specialists; Sea Skiff is a generalist with a generous waistline. It measures 13 ft 9 in (4.2 m) with a 60 in (1.5 m) beam and seats five passengers. You can row it, push it with an outboard, fit an air-cooled inboard or set a sail, so it adapts as your needs change. Waterproof plywood over forms keeps construction approachable, making it a solid all-round boat for families and fishing friends.
Sea Skiff at a glance
| Detail | Sea Skiff |
|---|---|
| Type | Skiff |
| Length | 13 ft 9 in (4.19 m) |
| Beam | 60 in (1.52 m) |
| Capacity | 5 passengers |
| Construction | Waterproof plywood over forms |
| Power | Oars, outboard, air-cooled inboard or sail |
| Designer | William D. Jackson |
| First published | Boat Builder's Handbook, p. 136 |
| Craft Print | No. 64 |
| Plan sheets | 6 |
One hull, four ways to go
A 60 in (1.5 m) beam on a 13 ft 9 in (4.2 m) hull gives a lot of usable room and a stable feel underfoot, which is exactly what five people need. That width also makes it forgiving when someone stands to cast or shifts seats.
The list of power options is unusually broad: oars, outboard, air-cooled inboard or sail. Building in waterproof plywood over forms keeps the shape consistent, and six plan sheets give the detail to make the most of whichever setup you choose. Few hulls of this length welcome so many different setups.
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
William D. Jackson drew Sea Skiff for the Boat Builder's Handbook, page 136, where it carried Craft Print 64. The six sheets cover the forms, plywood planking and the various power arrangements.
Before you build
- Decide early which power you will use, because an inboard or sail rig needs structure you should build in from the start.
- Count five passengers as the upper limit and spread the load evenly from bow to stern.
- Fit flotation under the seats so the skiff stays afloat if swamped.
Download the plan
All six Sea Skiff sheets in a single file, ready to print at full size or keep on a tablet while you build.
Download the complete plan (PDF, 6 sheets, 4.4 MB)
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