This is probably the easiest boat to build in the whole web site and it's not the smallest one. If you ever thought of buying one of the aluminum utility boats sold by department stores, build this one instead. She will cost you less, look better and you can customize her easily to fit your preferences. She is designed for rowing and outboards up to 5 hp but a small 1.5 hp outboard will move her at hull speed. Plans for a larger version of this boat, 14' 6" LOA, are available: see the FL14.

The FL12 is a new version of our FL11. The FL11 plans were chosen by schools and youth organizations all over the world to introduce young people to boat building and boating in general. Thousands of FL11 were built. The FL12 differs slightly from the FL11. While the FL11 has always been a very easy boat to build, we found ways to make construction easier and improve the looks of the boat. The FL12 hull shape is almost identical to the FL11 but the assembly is now faster and easier. The butt blocks are completely hidden and we eliminated the upper part of the frames for a cleaner look. A prototype was built to test the new assembly method. Pictures were taken and this new HowTo file shows every step of the construction, from reading the blueprints to the final coats of paint..

Building method:
This boat is built from flat plywood panels assembled with epoxy-fiberglass tape. The construction method is called "stitch and glue". For a detailed description of the stitch and glue boat building method, see our "How To" section where you will find a complete illustrated tutorial as well as information about epoxy, fiberglass and plywood.

Required Skills:
The FL12 skiff is very easy and fast to build, there are no plywood scarfs, we use simple butt blocks. The sides are cut from standard sheets of plywood.

No woodworking skills or special tools are required.

Options:
Except for the buoyancy foam, there are no options for the FL12 but many builders have customized her to fit their needs.

Bill Of Materials:
(Excerpts from our BOM)
The BOM list materials based on our standard layout and includes a 15% waste factor for resin and fiberglass. For plywood, we use standard sheets 4' x 8' (122 x 244 cm). Please read the building notes and see the plans for detailed specifications.
This boat can be built from inexpensive exterior plywood since it is completely coated with epoxy resin.

Cost:
The FL12 skiff can be build for less than US $200.00 (1999).

We offer an epoxy fiberglass kit with free shipping in the US. Our kit cost less than the same supplies bought locally. See the main page, top left panel.

Labor:
The average construction time for the hull is 20 hours.

More:
Visit our message board, help pages, tutorial pages and read our FAQ: most questions are answered there.

Plans packing List: