HomeWithout sacrificing the legendary performance of the traditional guideboat, I have designed a low cost and easy to build high performance rowboat.If you can afford to buy or have the time and skill to build a traditional guideboat, you may be better off looking elsewhere. Guideboats are considered to be the fastest of the fixed seat rowboats—combining the carrying capacity of a canoe with good rough weather ability. A remarkable combination. A well regarded guideboat of its day - the 1880's Grant 'Ghost' - was accurately modeled using marine CAD software for drag and stability analysis. This was used for guidance and comparison. Many styles of construction were weighed and several software applications employed to arrive at the proposed design. 
Eventually, the stitch and tape plywood method was
selected for ease and speed of construction, economy,
and durability.With an eye on the Grant Ghost CAD model, the hull was simplified as much as possible. The part number was reduced to 3 shapes, two identical sides, two identical chines and one narrow bottom piece - the garboard. I went into this project knowing guideboats are beautiful boats, having spent many summers in one years ago, but through this project I came to have a deep appreciation of the design skills of the Grants (and other guideboat builders) of that period. So well optimized was their design, I found it impossible to improve, even using the latest software. |