The Nottage dinghy is the stock design used for the Traditional Boat Building Course at the Nottage Institute in Wivenhoe (more photos on that link).

Length 3.0m (9ft 9ins); Beam 1.6m (4ft 7ins); Sail Area 5.0 sq m (55 sq ft)

This boat is deliberately heavily-built, with a straight keel and internal floors, specifically for traditional clinker construction (though the clinker plywood method has also been used without varying the basic design). The overall dimensions give a craft with substantial carrying capacity despite the short length, a stable craft with good freeboard suitable for use as a tender or for children to knock about in. Designed for sailing and rowing, she can carry a small outboard. The boat tracks well, but is probably not the best for towing behind a larger boat.

She is designed with a lug rig for simplicity - however to obtain sufficient sail area the mast has to be longer than the boat. The sail area is sufficient except in light airs, and the boat will perform with a crew of 2 adults.

The Plans are in metric units. There are two A1 sheets: a construction sheet on a scale of 1:5, a sail plan (and other details) on a scale of 1:10. The hull construction specifications are on the plan. Then there is an A0 sheet which has the lines plan (at 1:5) plus full size drawings for 3 or 7 moulds, transom, plus stem/knee assembly, and sternpost/deadwood assembly. The mould patterns are also marked to guide lining out of the planking - ten planks per side. We build with only three moulds, but it is better to use seven to control the shape and for using light or plywood planking. Edited plans appear below.

The builder will need to acquire bevels for the stem etc as desired by lofting on the drawings. There are no instructions, so the builder will need recourse to "the texts".

Plan Price £55

BELOW a couple of photos of "LILLIAN" - a clinker plywood version