Payson - Instant boatbuilding with Dynamite Payson: the fastest, easiest way to build 15 boats for power, sail, oar, and paddle

Plans, Patterns, and Sails for Boats in this Book

H. H. Payson and Co. (plans and sails)
31 Pleasant Beach Rd.

South Thomaston, ME 04858
207-594-7587
www.instantboats.com

Peter Spectre
Compass Rose (full-size patterns)
P.O. Box 201
Spruce Head, ME 04859
207-594-2457

Stimson Marine, Inc. (shed plans)
261 River Road
Boothbay, ME 04537
207-380-2842
www.by-the-sea.com/stimsonmarine/

Plywood and Lumber

Boulter Plywood Corp.
24 Broadway Dept WB
Somerville, MA 02145
617-666-1340
617-666-8956 (fax)
www.boulterplywood.com

Harbor Sales
1000 Harbor Court
Sudlersville, MD 21668-1818
800-345-1712
800-868-9257 (fax)
www.harborsales.net

Edensaw Woods Ltd.
21 Seton Road
Port Townsend, WA 98368
800-745-3336 or 360-385-7878
360-385-5215 (fax)
www.edensaw.com

M. L. Condon Lumber
248 Ferris Ave
White Plains, NY 10603
914-946-4111
914-946-3779 (fax)

Maine Coast Lumber
17 White Birch Lane
York, ME 03909
207-363-7426 207-363-8650 (fax)
www.mainecoastlumber.com

Hardware and Fiberglass Suppliers

Ducktrap Woodworking
Walter Simmons
P.O. Box 88
Lincolnville Beach, ME 04849
207-789-5363
207-789-5124 (fax)
www.duck-trap.com

Hamilton Marine, Inc.

P.O. Box 227
Searsport, ME 04974
207-548-6302
207-548-0481 (fax)
www.hamiltonmarine.com

Spruce Head Marine
P.O. Box 190
Spruce Head, ME 04859
207-594-7545
207-594-0749 (fax)
www.merchantcircle.com/business/Spruce.Head.Marine

Jamestown Distributors
17 Peckham Drive
Bristol, RI 02809
800-497-0010 or 401-253-3840
www.jamestowndistributors.com

Surfacing Agents

Advance Coatings Company
42 Depot Road
Westminster, MA 01473
508-874-5921
www.advancecoatings.com

Model Supplies

BlueJacket Ship Crafters
160 East Main St.
Searsport, ME 04974
800-448-5567
207-548-9974 (fax)
www.bluejacketinc.com

Micro-Mark
340 Snyder Ave
Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
800-225-1066
908-665-9383 (fax)
www.micromark.com

When I first began selling boat plans and giving out my telephone number, I was dealing with the unknown. On the one hand, I didnt want to sell plans and then run and hide, because I remembered when I had first begun building boats and would dearly have liked to ask a few questions. On the other hand, I feared incessant interruptions from people who wouldnt take the time to try to figure things out for themselves. What I feared most was phone calls in the middle of the night.

As it turned out, there havent been all that many, but just a couple of nights ago, a fellow called me up. He sounded sober, and he asked, Do you remember me? I built your light dory twenty years ago. We chatted for awhile, and the conversation continued like this:

But except for a few callers who have trouble with time zones, over the years I have found that most people are considerate, courteous, and appreciative of any help they can get. And the nature of their questions ranges from practical details to the philosophical.

Probably one of the hardest questions Im asked is, Which boat should I build? My reply is usually more questions, starting with: What skills do you have? What are you going to use the boat for? Where are you going to use it? How much time and money do you want to invest? This last question is critical, because it often affects not only the builder but the builders spouse as well.

In fact, the marital implications of boatbuilding are a frequent theme of comments in the chatroom on my website (www.instantboats.com). One example: Im going to build a boat as soon as my wife gives me my boat allowance. She apparently did, because he later wrote, Your book made building this boat possible and has given me the confidence to take on bigger projects. My wife now believes that I can build more than a very large and expensive flowerpot.

And another: To make a long story short, while separated from my future former, she dragged my Bolger-designed Sweet Pea to the road and put a FREE sign on it. At least now I can build in peace.

So if youre married, the answer to the what boat should I build question is: Dont ask me! Ask your spouse. If youre going to use the boat together, make it a joint decision, leave me out of it, and go for it!

(The chatroom, by the way, has greatly reduced the number of phone calls that I receive from builders, because people answer each others questions, make suggestions, and have a chance to show off their successes. Its a great resource, especially considering that Im not much into computers and my wife, Amy, only checks my e-mail once a week or so.)

I will give you one more tip, however, on the subject of what boat you should build. Think about how many people and how much gear youll have aboard and about the conditions of wind and water in which youll be boating. Most of the plans show the boats displacement waterline at a specified number of pounds, but this doesnt mean you can load the boat to this weight under all conditions and expect to get away with it. Once youve built your boat, try the weight loading cautiously and under different conditions until you know your boats capacity and your own capabilities. But in deciding whether a particular boat has the right capacity for your needs, youll have to make an honest assessment of your seamanship skills and your tolerance for excitement. I cant do it for you.

Im not a boat designer either. Sure, Ive built hundreds of boats, but Ive designed very few, none of them recently, and none of them Instant Boats or anything like them. So dont direct design-related questions to me (hull modifications, structural changes, sail rig choices, etc.), because I just dont know. I build what the designer calls for. That way, if it doesnt work, I can blame him.

Nevertheless, some builders do direct design questions to me. Like this one from C.F. in Rutland, Massachusetts: