Bee Plans Download

About Woods Downloadable Plans

Specifications:

LENGTH 4.86m
BEAM 1.3m
WEIGHT 49Kgs
CARRYING CAPACITY 4 Adults
SAILAREA (optional) 3.5sqm

Note: The BEE and LINNET are very similar designs, differering mainly in their aesthetic appeal, although BEE's slightly longer waterline makes it a bit faster.

BEE has a Vee bow which allows her to slice through a choppy sea. The moderate freeboard midships with reduced windage fore and aft plus the built in daggerboard case mean that sensible owners can take her out in coastal waters, in addition to all inland waterways.

BEE can also be fitted with a simple low rig for offwind sailing or when the crew are feeling lazy. Because of it's light weight and easily driven hull, BEE will surprise with her speed. BEE can easily be rowed for long periods by one, or even by two. In either case there's room for passengers and lots of gear. She is stable, so you don't need to be an expert to handle her.

Al writes

"I wanted to thank you and share with you all the enjoyment that building Bee brought me. They were certainly some of the most enjoyable hours I have spent in a long time.

Unfortunately my time spent on Bee was quite unexpectedly cut short. The very day that I launched Bee, as I was about to recover her from the launching site at our local reservoir I was approached by a father and his young son. He complemented me on the boat and inquired where it was purchased.

Telling him that I had built myself was very satisfying indeed and I offered the use of the boat to them.

The sheer joy and excitement that young boy expressed took me back to my own youthful days, what a great reminder! After about an hour or so, they returned and the father asked if I would sell them the boat.

One glance at the son and I knew I could not refuse. Thank you for the opportunity to give another generation a lifetime of memories that like my own, richly provided me."

Because of her light weight BEE can easily be cartopped, opening up many more cruising grounds BEE is very easy to build using just 3 sheets of 4mm (3/16") and 3 sheets of 6mm (1/4") plywood, plus some timber and epoxy.

The photos below show BEE when flooded. Very few open boats remain stable when flooded, yet as the lower photo shows, Bee can still take my weight when full of water without capsizing. LINNET has similar stability

Rowing boats are not always rowed! A family having fun on a 5m (16ft) homebuilt plywood rowing boat Bee. Build your own from plans by Woods Designs. This boat was 18 years old when the video was taken:

Richard Woods writes:

"I was sent these photos today, the boat is on a river in France. In the close up of the lady in pink you can see the inner end of the oar is weighted with lead to ensure it is balanced properly."

Best wishes

Richard Woods of Woods Designs
sailing catamaran designers
www.sailingcatamarans.com