Building Skin-on-Frame Boats (Paperback)

by Robert Morris (Author) "SKIN-ON-FRAME boat building probably began about eight to ten thousand years ago in central Asia..." (more)
Key Phrases: keel stringer, stern cross pieces, gunwale stock, Providence River, Ken Parker, Robert Morris Drawn (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This book is a goldmine for experienced and novice boat builders and wanna-be boat builders alike. Based on classic skin-on-frame boat building techniques of the Inuit, learn step-by-step how to construct seven boat styles, from a kayak to a canoe to a small sailboat. Discover innovative materials, such as the well-named "ballistic nylon," that result in strong but incredibly light and transportable skin-on-frame boats. Builders are encouraged to apply their own judgment to a few basic rules and every aspect of the boat can be customized. Detailed instructions are complete with illustrations, diagrams, photos, personal anecdotes and a thorough tool guide.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Hartley and Marks Publishers (November 27, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881791911
• ISBN-13: 978-0881791914
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #355,097 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding work, April 12, 2001

By	Michael J Edelman (Huntington Woods, MI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Robert Morris has built a lot of skin-on-frame boats in his shop- not just kayaks, but canoes, dinghies and other forms as well. He's used a number of different woods, skin materials, coatings, designs and techniques, and they're all summarized here in magnificent detail. There are scores of photos, detailed drawings, historical notes, boat plans, discussions of tools and technique as well as extensive discussion of hulls design and dynamics. Miller understands the whys of hulls; he will tell you how moving a strake closer to the keel or the gunwhales will change the behavior of a boat, and why you should heep the skin suspended off the ribs.

If you have the urge to built a skin-on-frame boat- or even if you're just curious about the topic, you need this book. As good as previous books on the subject by George Putz, Wolfgang Brinck and H. C. Petersen have been (and I have them all), this book goes a step further. I've been reading all I can find on the topic in preperation for building my first skin-on-frame kayak, and with this book my research is finished.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars errors, errors, errors, July 28, 2005

By	Michael Davey (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

While this book is full of useful information, you must be carefull as it has a number of errors.

In many places the text does not match pictures or drawings. For example, following the text will give you a boat with 9 frames, following the diagrams gives a boat with 11 frames.

When dealing with shaping the gunwales, the text first says cut at an angle about five inches long, then it says six. Six appears to be correct. The book says to cut the keel 1 x 7/8. Later the text appears to suggest but does not come right out and say, that the keel should be 1 x 3/4.

Even with it's problems, Building Skin on Frame Boats is still a winner. Building Skin on Frame Boats gives you lots of background, hints, tips and not just how to do things, but why, which is important for understanding the process.

I recommend that you purchase "Building Skin on Frame Boats", and you also buy "Building the Greenland Kayak, A Manual for its Construction and use", by Christopher Cunningham. Read both very well, and take the best of both books.
Just be sure to read the whole book, then as you build read well ahead of what are working on.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review of Building Skin-on-Frame boats, February 2, 2002

By	Orvil J. Dillenbeck (Kimmirut, Nunavut Canada) - See all my reviews

An exellent book. Detailed where necessary, but still concise. I am in the process of building the Greenland design that Morris recommends as a first qayaq and find the directions easy to follow and complete.
You can order supplies from Morris if you choose to build a boat.