From the Designer

I started designing some 20 odd years ago when a friend asked me what I thought of a boat he proposed to build. I didn’t like it, for a start it was going to be far too heavy for him to handle on his own and it was a poor match for the proposed usage in a lot of other ways. I was told to put up or shut up, and sent off to produce something better.

He built the boat that I drew up for him, and to the vast surprise of all concerned the new design worked extremely well! I was started on a path which has kept me involved and interested ever since.

I’m still doing the same today, matching boats to usages, resources and environments. But now the design work is backed up by the experience of that two decades plus of study and research, somewhere over 100 designs drawn, over 3000 sets of plans sold, 22 boats that I have built myself, a lot of experiments in glued engineered plywood structures and a lot of practice in all areas of designing for others to build.

In all cases I draw for the first timer, and include a written guide to help follow the drawings. I keep in touch with my builders, and their feedback tells me what information is needed. A lot of them are first timers and I try hard not to assume too much knowledge on their part so the plans go right down to fine detail.

Tools and resources have to be kept in mind as well, although I have a very well equipped workshop I keep in mind my early days when the only power tool I owned was a drill with a jigsaw attachment and don’t expect my builders to have a lot more than that.

Something that I have never lost is the sense of wonder and appreciation that people trust my skills and judgement enough to build a boat from plans that I have created, it is a big thing for me, to be trusted with an investment of time, money and eventually the safety of the crew. The fact that so many of my customers have become friends is the biggest bonus of all, and it is a real buzz to be involved in a trade with so many really great people.

John Welsford
Designer
December 2003

TO SEE WHAT PLANS ARE AVAILABLE CLICK ON THE OPTIONS ABOVE.

Pictures and drawings of the boats. As well as information on building and using the boats.

This is the latest edition of the book. SORRY TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK.