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Going on 15 years ago my mother-in-law passed away. In 'the great clean out' of a house where she and her late husband had lived for almost 50 years, I found in his study a set of Mechanics Illustrated plans for a small utility boat called the "Imp", 14'LOA, 5' beam, 5 horse power in-board mounted amidships, with an outboard tiller & rudder steering. Still in the original mailing envelope dated June of 1954, the plans are in the same condition as the day they were mailed. Every now and then I take them out and look them over.

This T-day I took them to Dinner where 20 of the family were. Laid out on the table, the men started to pontificate on where and how to build it, the wives pleasantly patronizing our ability to do so, the kids rolling their eyes to and fro. Hilariously, after discussing at length with my two engineer brothers the changes we would make, we read the instructions. The very first sentence of which read "First of all, Do not consider changing this design in anyway". But where am I going to get 21 16' X 1/2 X 6 planks of Oak or long leaf pine? And why not a small outboard and lose the in-board and wood rudder tiller? Or, would it be cooler to build it to spec, and create a living breathing time capsule (After all, only wood boats live and breathe)

So the question is...... Should I build it?

Peter,

I would say, Go For It! It sound like a fun project and if you check around online, I am sure you can find the oak or pine you need. It may even be close enough to you and you can go to the mill and talk with them about what your needs are.
Have fun sound like a neat project especially if you are doing it with your brothers.

Good Luck,

Phill

Yes, do it.

Hamer Lumber in Conover, WV probably has plenty of white oak in that size. I have 50,000 BF going thru our factory in Peshtigo right now - destination "Old Ironsides" in Boston.

Or substitute marine plywood if you do not have luck finding solid plank material.

Andreas

I was thinking Marine Plywood for siding the boat as so as not to have to keep it in the water. With Plywood I could keep her on a trailer. My brother cautions me that plywood cant take a compound curve (only bends in one direction) and so Given that I'd lapstrake it in plywood vs carvel plank (I think it would look great lapped anyway)

So Andreas, I meant to ask earlier, why is Old Iron Sides in need of 50K board feet of White Oak?