The Falcon: A 14 ft Sloop With White Oak Framing

The Falcon is a friendly 14 ft (4.3 m) sloop that seats two to four people. White oak framing gives it a sturdy backbone, plywood covers the hull, and a centerboard lets you raise the foil in shallow water or when landing on a beach. The sloop rig, with a jib and main, offers just enough complexity to keep sailing interesting. It is a good fit for families and friends who like to sail together.

The Falcon at a glance

Detail	The Falcon
Type	Sloop
Length	14 ft (4.27 m)
Capacity	2–4 passengers
Construction	White oak framing; plywood hull; centerboard
Power	Sloop rig
First published	Boat Builder, p. 34
Craft Print	No. 30
Plan sheets	6

A sociable sailer

Room for two to four passengers makes The Falcon a boat for sharing. The sloop rig lets one person steer while another handles the jib, a nice way to learn sailing as a team. White oak framing is strong and long-lasting, and the plywood hull keeps building straightforward. The centerboard can be raised for shallow water, and six sheets cover the whole build.

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.

Before you build

• Build the centerboard trunk carefully and seal it well, as it is a common source of leaks.
• Set up and tune the sloop rig on land before launching.
• Keep passengers balanced and do not exceed four aboard.

Download the plan

The Falcon's six original sheets in one file, ready to print full size or follow on a tablet at the bench.

Download the complete plan (PDF, 6 sheets, 6.3 MB)