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High Performance/Low Cost Sails for Small
Sailboats WRINKLE DINKIE – AN 8’ CANVAS-COVERED DINK By M. G. Fisk, updated by Dave Gray |
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I’ve often
thought that a little heavier version of our white polytarp might make a decent
substitute for 12 oz. Boat canvas. Recently, I came across this set of plans
for a small, lightweight, canvas-covered sailing canoe/dinghy by M. G. Fisk
and decided to try to prove the concept. However, instead of using our 8 oz.
Polytarp, I simply used some of my leftover 6 oz. white polytarp sail
material for the hull covering. (I would use our 8 oz. tarp if I built
another PolyBoat.) Here’s my version below with a
hull weight of 25 pounds as shown. No effort was made to sand or finish the
wood. However, I did plane rough edges on the chines,
stem, and stern; and I did reinforce the keel with vinyl tape on both sides.
There are more construction photos at the end of the instructions. The sail
rig, skeg, and leeboard are yet to be completed.
Simply
substitute polytarp for canvas in the instructions which follow, and you can
construct a PolyBoat in about one weekend! You will
need a rectangular piece of polytarp about 6’ 6” x 10’ 6” for the boat and
another piece about 6’ 6” x 8’ 6” for the sail. You can easily get enough for
both sail and boat out of one of our 7’ x 20’ 8 oz. white polytarps.
Our colored vinyl tape can be used to dress up the finished product, but it
needs to be heated and rolled to stay in place. (I used a special heated
blower and roller to firmly attach the vinyl tape to the polytarp.) I’d also recommend foam flotation. This boat
would make an inexpensive project and could be paddled or sailed on small
ponds for hours of outdoor fun. Notice that a detachable lee board is dropped
over the side and that a paddle is used for a rudder when sailing. It’s not a
good boat for open waters with strong winds, rocky bottoms, or lots of snags,
so use by youngsters should be supervised. Finally, a
few additional words of advice are in order. Please don’t try this project
with a lightweight blue tarp from the hardware store—the lightweight (3 oz.)
tarp rips too easily and tends to disintegrate in the sun. And, don’t forget
the personal flotation device (PFD) when you launch. The covering could rip
on a snag or sharp rock leaving the sailor in the water with either a sinking
boat or a light boat blowing away in the wind. Therefore, PolySail
International disclaims all responsibility for property losses, injuries, or
deaths related to the use of this boat. |
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HERE is the answer for the beginner in
boat construction who is looking for a craft that is easy to build, low in
cost and at the same time as safe as possible to use. The boat can be built
in one week end-in fact, the original was built in
one day while the designer was on vacation at the shore. Some of the
materials needed can be picked up around the
workshop; and are easily attainable, and inexpensive. The boat is 8' long by 29" wide at the center frame
and the measurements are variable depending on whether a boy or man intends
to use it. The wider model is
best for sailing. In the keel, stem and stern assembly and also the
middle cross frame, you will note that wherever possible all sawing is done after
the pieces are nailed together. Also stem, stern and frames are made longer
than necessary and cut off later. This procedure makes for much easier
sawing, and there is little possibility of wood splitting when joints are so
made. The end frames are made after the hull frame is partly assembled. Sizes
of the various pieces' for these frames are taken from the space into which
they are to fit. This is easier than making these frames as a separate unit. ' Attaching the battens over which the canvas is spread
is the next task, and if you follow the suggestions given herewith you will
have no trouble doing a good job. Test each piece of wood for bending before
using. (1” x 2” vinyl strips bend easily if you want to
avoid steaming wood to bend it.) Mark stem and stern posts for
heights, that you desire to make your boat. Drive in temporary nail supports
on middle frame uprights (as per sketch). Cut off one end of a batten at the
proper angle, drill hole and attach batten to stem post at place marked. Tighten
screw just enough to hold the batten in place. Attach another batten to the
opposite side of the same post. Now bend both battens at the same time over
temporary nail rests in frame uprights until they meet the stern post.
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Hold the battens
in this position with a light cord or other means, saw off at angle in line
with post (without taking batten. off of the boat), drill hole and insert
screw. True up the middle frame both ways, drill holes in battens, insert
screws and fasten battens to frame upright. Check over the job at this point and if everything
looks in line tighten screws all the way. The
lower side (chine) battens go on in the same manner. The bottom battens are
not put on until you have built in the end frames. Note that the bottom
battens are not as wide as the side battens and that they are attached
upright instead of flat. The canvas covering is put on in one piece. In the
event that your canvas is made up of two strips sewn together, be sure that
the seam is placed over the keel. Lay canvas over the boat so that it is
centered all ways. Stretch the canvas and tack the ends first. (Don’t tack the polytarp to the keel or bottom anywhere.) Next pull the canvas down tight across the middle
frame and tack at top through battens. "Now pull canvas straight down at
stem and stern and tack to these posts. Do not cut off any of the surplus
canvas at the stem and stern but fold it over instead. (See
pictures below.) Grasp the canvas overlapping at the stem and
stern faces and fold and crease it until you have two overlapping creases
which you can fold over one another on the face of the post. Apply double-faced tape to these folds and then tack securely
to posts with tacks placed no further than one inch apart. The folds inside
the boat at the stem and stem will keep out any water that leaks past the
joint in case you do not get it perfectly watertight. After canvas is attached to stem and stem
posts, work the canvas back as smooth as possible from the ends, tacking
only to the top batten. Smooth out about three feet on each side of the boat
from each end, working toward the middle frame. In the region of the middle
frame you will have considerable surplus canvas to dispose of along the top
edges of the boat. Take up this surplus evenly by leaving a small loop of
canvas between each tack. When molding trim is attached these loops will
flatten out. The extra canvas at the ends of the sides is folded
over to cover the end decks. A small piece of lattice nailed over the canvas at
this point will trim the cockpit. Miscellaneous Construction Notes: 1.
I used strips of towels dipped in boiling water to
help bend the wood 1” x 2”s for the gunwales and chine logs. 2.
I used a combination of screws, nails, tacks, and
glue in assembly. 3.
The ends of the frame bottoms are
attached to the insides of
the chines, or “battens” as Fisk calls them,
not to the undersides of the chines. Screws hold the
frames in place. 4.
The plywood braces on the middle frame must be
fairly large to support the gunwales. 5.
I used some 3/8” x 2”-wide plywood strips for the
floorboards. 6.
I recommend flotation foam be included in the bow
and stern. |
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This
space reserved for a picture of the PolyBoat under
sail. |
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LIST OF MATERIALS AND ESTIMATED COST (All new materials/clear boards
@ local cost in |
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Description |
Material |
Dimensions |
Number |
Est. Cost |
Source |
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Chine logs, middle
and end frames Bottom battens, floor support Rub rail (Stop) Stem, stern posts Keelson, keel Braces, floor boards, lee board, mast step, partner Mast, spars 10’ x 20’ PolySail Kit Screws Screws Screws Tacks Tacks Paddle (if you don’t make your own) Sail hardware Tite Bond Wood
Glue |
Poplar Pine Composite Poplar Poplar Plywood Pine/Bamboo Polyethylene Stainless Brass Brass Copper Copper Poplar |
1” x 2” x 10’ ½” x ¾” x 1 ¼” x 1” x 8’ 1” x 3” x 4’ 1” x 2” x 8’ 3/8” x 2’ x 8’ 1” x 2”x 8’/8’ 10’ x 20’ 3” #10 1 ¼” # 8 ¾” #6 3/8” 5/8” 4’ |
4 2 3 1 2 1 1 2 1 5 Box/25 Box/50 1/8 lb. 1/8 lb. 1 1 |
$24.80 $8.60 $7.92 $3.80 $9.44 $12.00 $5.65/? $79.95 $2.69 $5.69 $5.69 $3.25 $3.25 $8.00 $12.00 $5.00 |
Lowe’s Lowe’s Lowe’s Lowe’s Lowe’s Various Lowe’s/Do It Center PolySail
International Menard’s Lowe’s Lowe’s Wal-Mart Do It Center Menard’s |
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Total |
$197.73 |
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**The actual construction cost was only about $60.00 since I had most of
these materials on hand.
See more details on the following pages….
For additional old boat plans for
novice builders, click on the “Free/Low-Cost Plans” button below.
PolySail International
Email polysail@polysail.com or call Dave
Gray at 317 385-3444
PolySails–Sold on the Web since 1996. Customers in all 50 states and around the globe.
This page updated
on10/19/2009