building a pond yacht

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Wooden mini yacht.

Build a Wooden Mini Yacht this weekend.

• Time Required!: A weekend
• Print this Project

By Thomas Martin

Thomas martin.

When my son was 3 years old, I made a small bathtub boat with him, using scrap wood and a piece of dowel. It lasted much longer and got more of his attention than any dollar-store bath toy, and about six years later we decided to try building a larger boat for the pool and local ponds we fished.

Here’s the result of our experimentation: a simple and worthy pond sailer that’s rigged and scaled like a real yacht. You can build it in a weekend using readily available materials and tools.

Project Steps

Prepare the sailcloth..

It’s hard to find waterproof fabric that’s easy to cut and won’t fray. You can make your own by stretching ripstop nylon loosely over a frame or 2 hangers, and spraying it lightly (in a well-ventilated area) with polyurethane.

First spray up and down, and then back and forth, until the fabric is well coated but not saturated.

Let dry overnight.

Mark and cut the parts.

Download the project plan and print it at full size. Following the plan, measure and mark the mast, jib boom, and mainsail boom lengths on the ¼” dowel. Trace the hull from the printed pattern onto the top and 2 ends of the cedar block; cut templates or use carbon paper. Draw the keel and masthead crane patterns on the brass strips, and draw the bowser (rigging clip) pattern 8 times on the thin plastic.

Cut and drill all the parts. Any fine-tooth saw will cut the dowel, or you can roll it under an X-Acto blade and snap the score. Heavy-duty shears or a hacksaw will cut the brass; be sure to file away the sharp edges afterward. You can saw or file down the hull’s shape, then use a hobby knife or thin chisel to excavate the slot for the keel. Drill all holes, plus pilot holes for the screw eyes (in the hull, just poke pilot holes in by hand with a thumbtack).

Finally, file, sand, and smooth all parts. The more time you spend here, the better — especially if you plan to use a clear finish over the wood.

Mount the keel.

On the underside of the hull, mask both sides of the keel’s slot with tape. Wearing gloves, and in a well ventilated location, mix and spread some 5-minute epoxy into the slot using a scrap stick or wooden match.

Slide the keel into position and hold it there while the epoxy cures. You can square it up using a business card on each side.

Use a gloved finger to smooth the epoxy along the joint line, and fill any voids with more epoxy.

Finish the wood.

Finish the hull uniformly, or for a big-boat look, paint the outside of the hull and stain the deck.

Sand the hull with 100-grit paper over a sanding block, and again with 150-grit. Apply a first coat of paint or varnish, and re-sand with 180-grit before each subsequent coat.

For a stained deck, first paint the hull upside down, then re-sand the top perimeter to remove any overspray. Rub stain into the deck and edge, let dry, and coat with varnish or polyurethane.

For the mast and boom pieces, bevel the cut edges for a more finished look, then sand with fine grit to remove any fuzz. Stain if desired, and cover with at least 2 coats of varnish or polyurethane sealer, sanding lightly between coats.

Assemble the mast and booms.

Cut a slot in the top of the mast and glue in the masthead crane. Once that’s secure, follow the plan to install all screw eyes: 4 to the mast, 1 on the fore end of each boom, 1 more on the mainsail boom (for the boom vang), and 4 to the deck. Screw these in until the shank of the screw is completely into the wood.

Insert the brass brad down through the hole in the jib boom and bend it into a clew hook.

Use needle nose pliers to open the mainsail boom eye, hook it onto the eye on the mast, and close it. This forms the gooseneck, the joint that lets the boom swing from side to side (far left in the photo). Press the mast down into the hole in the deck with the masthead crane centered afterward, and tap it gently down into its hole with a hammer.

Add the sails.

After the sail material is dry, trace and cut it to the plan patterns. Lay the boat on its side on a hard surface with the masts and booms in place and fit the sails to the areas for rigging. For the grommets, cut a small X at each sail corner, insert a grommet up through the hole, press the cloth down around it, and tap the grommet flat with the eyelet tool until it firmly grips the cloth.

NOTE: It’s a good idea to practice setting grommets first with a couple of sailcloth scraps and extra grommets. It’s time for rigging. Knot and cut a short length of dacron line, thread it through a bowser, and string the boom vang. For these and all other knots, add a tiny drop of cyanoacrylate glue immediately after tying; the line is slippery and won’t hold knots otherwise.

Use 5″ lengths of line to tie each sail grommet to its corresponding screw eyelet or drilled hole with a square knot. You’ll need about 10″ for the top of the jib sail, which threads through 2 eyelets before tying off to the uphaul bowser.

Referring to the plans, tie the 4 lower connections on the booms first, and then add the upper lines for tension, so there are no wrinkles in the sails along the booms. Thread a bowser onto the jib uphaul as indicated: for their final tensions, you’ll adjust the jib using the uphaul at the top, and the mainsail using the boom vang.

For the backstay, tie in a long length of line at the masthead crane and install a bowser, routing the line through the eyelet at the stern.

Tighten the backstay and the sails so that they’re fairly tight but the mast is not bowed forward or aft. Finally, add the 2 lines called sheets. For these, cut two 15″ lines. Tie each one through the hole in the aft end of a boom, thread it through the sheet eyelet on the deck just underneath, then through 2 holes in a bowser, through the other sheet’s eyelet, and finally through the last hole in the bowser, doubleknotting the line.

NOTE: It’s important to tie the bowsers exactly as shown on the plan to make them work. The sheets let you adjust the angle (trim) of the sails — slack for downwind sailing or tight for crosswind — letting you cross a pond or pool in any direction that isn’t too close to directly upwind.

This project first appeared in MAKE Volume 20 , page 56.

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Pond Yachts: How to Build & Sail Them

Description.

This is beautifully illustrated in watercolors, and shows you a bunch of neat detail items to make your model building all the easier and more pleasurable.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction
• Getting a Perspective
• The Rule and why have a Rule
• Designing to fit the Rule: ideas for shape, aesthetics, of hull design, displacement ,and other practical matters.
• Materials needed
• Carving the hull
• Making and fixing the keel
• Making a rudder
• Paint and Finishes for hull, keel, rudder, mast, etc.
• Boat stands
• Going for a sail
• Living with a pond model
• Other boats to build
• Appendices: Glossary, Materials, Miscellaneous Helps

by M. de Lesseps

86 pp., hidden wire-o-binding, softcover

Customer Reviews

This a helpful book very informative and clear language about the principals of design and construction.

very handy for my project

I was expecting the information to be a little more technical

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May 30th 2021

World Pond Yacht Day

A worldwide event.

Sunday, 26th May 2024

What is a pond yacht.

A Pond Yacht is a toy or model yacht made using a buoyant hull of a suitable size, that can be launched by hand and that has been suitably balanced with a weighted keel to allow adjustable working sails to provide free sailing on the open water.  

The term Pond Yacht has today become wrongly generalised to cover all types of model boats, including speedboats. Some 150 years ago craftsmen like shipwrights and shoemakers would spend the winter months in their sheds carving and making a one-off artisan yacht, ready for the spring, these model yachts would have been carved out of hollow selected timber or carved from laid up planks all glued together (Bread and Butter construction) using gouges and hand planes. These yachts would have followed the shapes of full-sized cutters and trawlers of the time as these were beautifully shaped craft designed to make good sail and were then at the cutting edge of technology. Fitted with topsail cutter Riggs, a long-weighted keel and a deep hull, the yachts would have originally been fitted with a gaff sail rig with doubleheader sails fitted to a long bowsprit. Some of these early yachts were works of art with superbly crafted fittings.

As the Victorian era came to an end, yacht designers began experimenting with sleeker hull shapes and began using the Bermuda rig. The sport once having been the select reserve of the wealthy became popular with working classes. Clubs had by now established racing classes to standardise the hull length, displacement and sail area. Municipal yacht ponds were springing up everywhere and had become popular around the world. A model yacht became the must-have Christmas or Birthday present of many boys and girls. Mum and Dad and even Grandma and Grandad would all go down the park and spend a sunny Sunday afternoon watching children sailing their model yachts, Dad or Grandad might even have brought along their big 10 raters, often pulled along on a specially made cart.

After the Great War, the popularity of sailing had come to the attention of many entrepreneurs and many companies sprang up manufacturing model yachts to sell on the high street in many toy shops including Gamages and Hamleys. Some of these yachts are now highly collectable. Between the two world wars, sailing Pond Yachts became the most popular hobby of them all, even more, popular than angling. Sadly the advent of cheap clockwork and battery-operated toys saw the popularity of this pastime decline, today there is a resurgence in interest with specialist companies like Haycroft Pond Yachts and Grove Pond Yachts building beautiful craft once again. Tirot of France and Gunther of Germany are still producing beautiful new toy yachts to this day.

A lightweight Ailsa Pond Yacht of the early 1960's originally designed in the 1920's

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Pond Yachts: Building and Sailing: An Offhand and Rule Boat Spiral-bound – August 18, 2000

• Print length 86 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Two Bytes Publishing
• Publication date August 18, 2000
• Dimensions 7.5 x 0.5 x 1 inches
• ISBN-10 1881907112
• ISBN-13 978-1881907114
• See all details

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Two Bytes Publishing (August 18, 2000)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Spiral-bound ‏ : ‎ 86 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1881907112
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1881907114
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.6 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 0.5 x 1 inches
• #59,040 in Engineering (Books)

About the author

M. de lesseps.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

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Customers say

Customers find the book great and enjoyable for prospective Pond boat sailors. They say it's easy to understand and a good guide for youngsters.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book great and enjoyable for prospective Pond boat sailors and new people to the hobby. They appreciate the clear details.

"...It is an excellent book on how to build free sailing ships, simple, easy tounderstand and a good guide for youngsters.Charles Akesson" Read more

" Great book , if you are new to building or restoring pond yachts this book is a must have." Read more

"...Very clear details, an enjoyable read for Any new person to the hobby." Read more

" Great book but way over priced!! Unfortunately there are very few books available on the subject of Pond Boat building." Read more

Customers find the book easy to understand and a good guide for youngsters. They also say it's an instructional hobby book and if you're a prospective Pond boat sailor.

"...to build free sailing ships, simple, easy tounderstand and a good guide for youngsters. Charles Akesson" Read more

" Great book for a prospective Pond boat sailor ,builder. Very clear details, an enjoyable read for Any new person to the hobby." Read more

" Instructional hobby book ...." Read more

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April 2, 2020

Dumas Pond Yacht Kits

An inexpensive pond yacht kit for at-home model building

If you enjoyed the Bevin's skiff project last week, we suggest something a little more challenging. These are the kits we use to build sailing pond models with students at the museum. This simple and relatively inexpensive sailboat kit from Dumas Products is designed so that even younger children can enjoy the creative satisfaction of building a model boat. Dumas carries a wide variety of model kits that are suitable for model builders of all ages. Just don't forget to order the glue!

HOW TO START SAILING

Well done for visiting the Britannia Pond Yachts website. It is a good place to begin your journey of discovery into the world of model yachts.

How to find a model sailing yacht.

Starting out with sailing model yachts is easier than you think, there are plenty of second hand Star, Bowman and Skipper yachts available on auction sites like ebay or vintage sites like Etsy, there is even a Facebook Marketplace where yachts come up from time to time. Prices vary according to their condition, and vintage yachts are becoming very collectable with J. Alexander of Preston yachts commanding very high sums .

However the Star SY range are still reasonably priced and appear on ebay regularly the SY range are solid hull yachts that sail very well indeed for their size. The Star MK range are hollow and therefore lighter yachts these sail impeccably well. Bowman had a complicated range of yachts but their solid range of Admirals was the most commonly available and they do come up for sale from time to time, be prepared to pay a little more for a good Swift, Aquaplane, Gull or Heron.

Skipper yachts are still relatively modern and very good boxed examples appear from time to time these were made in Suffolk originally and range from 8 inches to 32, with a very nice 21 inch Yawl available for around the £100 mark. There are plenty of older vintage yacht types available but remember their sails and rigging may be delicate and need replacing. You may be lucky to stumble across a vintage racing yacht fitted with steering gear but whatever yacht you own it is true to say  the more you sail the more you will love the art of sailing.

Since the demise of Skipper there has not been another quality mass produced model yacht range available. However a small number of British artisan makers like Britannia Pond Yachts are out there, producing ranges of high quality yachts to sail.

What yacht to choose.

Firstly you need to consider how you are going to transport your yacht, if you use a motorcycle or the bus you will need a compact yacht that is easy to fold away and carry under the arm anything much over 18 inches becomes too hard to handle. If you use a small car then anything up to 25 inches is probably going to be alright but if going away on holiday this size of yacht may be too big to take. If you own a medium sized car then a 36 inch yacht is going to be about the biggest you will want to risk. For Marbleheads and 10 raters you are going to need an estate car and some help to get them in and out of the car let alone in the water. 

Yachts are not all designed to be racers with high aspect Marconi riggs that shoot across the yacht pond, although that is fun. There are plenty of other graceful yachts to choose from fitted with bowsprits and gaff rigs these yachts are classed as cruisers and they do everything in the utmost style and flamboyance.

When choosing a yacht think about where you are most likely to sail, a small pond like the one at Aldeburgh is only really suitable for smaller craft upto about 18 inches, whereas ponds like the round pond in Kensington is more suitable for much bigger yachts. Also think about the depth of water you will sail in, yachts with deep keels will need you to walk out into the pond wearing waders to launch them, whereas cutters with long shallower keels allow you launch them right at the water's edge.

A 1990's Suffolk made Skipper 12 inch Deben Estuary Pond Yacht

A 1930's 30 inch AJ Fisher type self steering racing yacht.

Where to sail, free sailing.

Yacht Ponds and boating lakes.

Where to sail can be a problem, safety should be paramount especially with young children who should be supervised at all at times. When introducing very young children to sailing model yachts it is best to find a raised pond like those at Aldebur gh near the Moot Hall and in the Croft, Sudbury, here you can free sail quite easily. Many parks have ponds and lakes but maturity of overhanging trees and shrubs often dictates that these ponds are only suitable for radio control or sailing using a tether. Some sites like Wicksteed Park in Kettering however do have speciall y designed yacht ponds where you can free sail small and large yachts alike. It is a question of going to look before hand to check the suitability of the yacht pond.

Village and town duck ponds are of course very handy some are in beautiful locations and are perfect for sailing  but only if they do not have steep banks and are not choked with bullrushes, using a tether is advisable if some of the banks are inaccessible. One renowned duck pond is Consols pond near St Ives in Cornwall this pond hosts an all comers sailing event every Good Friday this is a tradition that dates back over a hundred years!

The Seaside

Some seaside resorts provide outdoor swimming pools that fill when the tide comes in, the attraction with these pools is that the concrete edges act like break waters reducing the effect of crashing waves creating a virtual harbour providing a calm sailing experience. Smaller toy yachts can be sailed in rock pools or lagoons, but if you want to sail in the sea then you need to find a coast with a long shallow beach, such a beach will reduce the strength and height of the waves. It is best to find a section of tidal estuary like that near the car park in Kingsbridge, Devon. Your yacht should be washed down using tap water immediately after use as the corrosive action of sea water will cause the metal fittings to corrode.

Lakes are usually very overgrown with the water only accessible from swims made for anglers, they often have steep slippery banks, so they are usually best suited to radio controlled sailing they can be very large, with many obstructions that will impede free sailing, Such dangers are overhanging tree branches, tree roots, thick reed beds, thick Lily beds and islands. It is advisable to sail with a tether then you can at least pull your yacht from danger. Some lakes in parks do a hard standing and Tarmac paths at the water's edge the waters edge is sometimes better maintained, these lakes are more suitable if you are lucky enough to live near one.

Mill ponds can be accessible for sailing model yachts but be sure to ask the land owners permission some can be choked with cabbage weed and be too shallow, but you are certain of a beautiful location. Access may only be available from one bank so tethering your yacht would be sensible.

Sailing in a canal can be difficult if the water is difficult to reach and full of  narrow boats, however there is usually very little current and the banks are free from overhanging trees and bullrushes.

Sailing on rivers can be difficult not only can they have steep banks, but the banks can be unstable and slippery. Some rivers are too fast flowing and are too shallow to sail on, however some rivers like the Great Ouse flow very fast and are also very deep. If you fell in you would be swept away. If you do find a suitable river your yacht will of course have to contend with a current, a tether would be very advisable.

Swimming Pools

Swimming pools either outdoors or indoors provide a super place to sail at home the water is clean and blue, you can access the water from all points round the pool, indoor pools are  perfect for sailing in winter keeping you dry and warm, with added bonus of heated water.

Garden Ponds

If you are lucky enough to have a garden pond you can sail your yachts in the tranquility of your garden, just be careful not spook your goldfish. Garden ponds come in a variety of sizes some are ornamental whilst other have been made to support wildlife, either pond is suitable.

Paddling Pools

Paddling pools are usually inflatable, come in various sizes and some are often deep enough to sail small to medium sized yachts. Just be careful not to puncture the pool. 

Tin Baths and Butler Sinks

Some of us are not able to access a local pond suitable for sailing, but if you have a tin bath or an old Butler sink you can at least float your smaller yachts, in fact on Float Your Boat Day   you are encouraged to sail anything on or in anything that comes to hand whether a bucket or the bath. Float Your Boat Day is held on the 30th June each year and is held to remember the closure of the Star Yacht factory in Birkenhead near Liverpool. 

Sailing a Britannia Polestar on a Loch using a tether

Model Yacht Clubs.

If you are a beginner you could join a local model sailing club, you are then joining a support group of like minded experienced people that will help you get the best from your yacht, there are many model boat clubs up and down the country. Members have varied interests some are into radio control others just power boats but there will be someone that like you that just wants to free sail for fun.

The Vintage Model Yacht Group is also worth joining, you will then receive The Turning Pole ,  this publication is issued monthly you can read other members articles on racing yachts down to clockwork and rubbered powered toy boats. Along with latest news and items for sale. They have an excellent web site that is full of information.

A beautiful long keel 25 inch 1920's Suggs Cutter in as found condition, suitable for sailing in shallow water.

Sailing Your Yacht.

An in depth explanation of of this subject would cover many pages but here is a general outline of how to sail your new model yacht.

To sail your yacht successfully windward (into the wind) you will first need to trim your yacht, to do this you will need to haul the sails in on the horses/travellers or screw eyes by adjusting the bowsies on the sheeting cords. You should not tighten them so that the sails are not pulled dead flat but instead but a little loose so that they are able to fill with air and hence provide nice air flow over the sails.

Your model should sail to windward with both booms parrallel to each other when viewed from aft (stern). The luff of your sails should be as tight as you can get them as your model will not sail windward with a slack luff.

To run before the wind you will need to open up the sails so that the boom is allowed to swing almost square the mast, this is not possible on a lot of model yachts due to the way they are constructed, but let the boom swing as far as it will go. If your yacht has a rudder you can set less helm to help stop the yacht running off wind. With steering gear you can set the quadrant pins nearer to the centre of the quadrant or haul the sails in a little. If  your yacht turns or broaches into the wind then more helm must be given or you will need to ease the sails off a little. 

If your yacht self tacks (sails swing freely across the deck from side to side) then a turning pole is a handy addition to your outing as you can flick the bow of the yacht to turn and sail back across the pond. Older gaff rigged yachts will require you to lift the yacht out of the water before turning and swap around the sheeting holding the header sails, they usually have clew hooks fitted to help with this.

It will take several attempts before you learn how to get the best from your yacht, as we know from experience our weather  is never the same on any given two days, this challenge is in part what makes the art of sailing pond yachts such a rewarding and absorbing hobby. 

Britannia Pond Yachts, keeping British tradition alive.

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Something different a Z scale train layout in a briefcase

11/30/2010      Long Beach CA.

Jack Malone

Today we lost a very good friend, Love you Jack  "Godspeed"

Jack and his winning Newport 12 #701

A project in the shop now under construction.

15 ft. Chester Yawl boat

   Contact us for more information about our boats  E- MAIL Mailing Address:  5264 N. Ventura Ave. Ventura CA. 93001 Want more information about model sailing? look at our links page .

Thanks for stopping and come back soon.

                               

              

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Important Registration Information - 2024 Registration

Pond Yacht Restoration

Restore/complete your own pond yacht and get it ready for sailing or display..

John Stoudt was an industrial arts teacher focusing on woodworking, metalworking, and architectural and engineering drawing. He honed his skills and further developed his expertise here at WoodenBoat School. John took his first class with Alan Suydam, returning many years to build and sail model yachts. He has built and restored over 100 model boats, including many vintage model yachts. His skill set enables him to build a complete boat including hull construction, custom fittings, casting ballasts, making the sails, and tuning the rig for sailing. John is president of the United States Vintage Model Yacht Group (USVMYG) and an associate regional director of the American Model Yacht Association. He collects model yachts and currently has over 60 boats in his collection. John races various pond yachts in Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania and has participated in National events, placing in the top three on multiple occasions in the vintage Marblehead class USVMYG National Championship regatta with his 1934 vintage Marblehead.

This course is appropriate for students with some knowledge and experience. Basic knowledge and use of hand tools is required for most shop courses. Basic knowledge and ability to sail is required for most waterfront courses.

This course involves a low level of activity throughout the week including: occasional standing and working, seating is usually available, working on your own project at your own pace is common.

This is a six-day course ending Saturday

There are various models and pond yachts out in the world in need of repair or restoration. The boat may have been a family heirloom, a model you found in an antique shop or at a flea market, or a project that you began but couldn’t find time to complete. If you happen to have such a boat, this week with John Stoudt will present you with the opportunity to evaluate your model and determine a plan for its restoration and completion. The work might include repairing a damaged hull, building a new rig, making fittings, repairing a vane gear, getting the electronics working, installing new electronics, or re-rigging the boat. An unfinished boat could have a planked deck built and installed, hatch openings framed, hatches built and fitted, spars constructed, electronics installed and set up, or the rig built and installed. A display and travel stand could also be built. And there may even be the chance to establish a waterline and paint the model to your specifications.

Students may bring any type of pond yacht, especially those rigged for remote control. Some older self-steering boats could be reconfigured for remote control sailing or the self-steering mechanism could be repaired. If you have any questions about the boat or model you have, you can contact the instructor through the WoodenBoat School office.

John Stoudt will consult with each student prior to the course to develop an understanding of your boat and plan of work. Together you will determine what materials and supplies you will need to bring along and what John will make available. He will have other materials and parts on hand for the unexpected. A final plan for the restoration and/or completion of your boat will be established on the first day of class. Each morning, the students and John will evaluate where they are, how they have progressed, and how to proceed. Come spend a week at WoodenBoat School and develop a passion for models that is both fun and rewarding!

This course is appropriate for students with some knowledge and experience.  Basic knowledge and use of hand tools is required for most shop courses.

What Our Students Are Saying

John Stoudt is absolutely one of the best instructors I’ve had here at your school. Very knowledgeable and willing to share his expertise with all his students. POND YACHT RESTORATION was exactly what I wanted and needed. I would definitely take this course again!

T.B., Kenosha, Wisconsin

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Woodcarving, carving name boards, build your own plank constructed pond yacht, introduction to woodworking.