Duckworks Boatbuilders Supply

Francois Vivier

François Vivier
Naval Architect

The content of stock plans
for home builders

For 20 years, the french magazine Chasse-Marée marketed my plans for "sail and oars" boats. Now, I have made this activity my profession. My plans are more numerous and have more variety. My building handbooks are more and more comprehensive and understandable.

My objective is to design traditional looking boats, suitable for different types of sailing. These boats can be seen on this website. It is also to allow any person who likes do-it-yourself to build a beautiful boat. Having built several of my own designs, one of my objectives is to make the building process not be only easy, but also a source of great satisfaction. It should be a pleasure which will go on for a long time while sailing on a self-built boat.

Stock Plans Content

The plans are in fact a full set of documents including:

A chronological guide to all documents (see further) to be referred to at each stage.
General plans and detail plans, for example centreboard case, specific deck fittings (26 plans A3 size on Stir Ven).

Below: Reduced examples of plans and detail plans

Below: Example of plywood part nesting plan used
for NC cutting or to help manual cutting

Plans with offsets of the sections, the stem with its bevels, the extended transom, and even profile of hull planks.
Attention: some plans do not include dimensioned plans of sections. In that case full scale patterns on polyester film are proposed and they have to be purchased with the plan. In such a case, a notice is always given in the catalogue or price list.
Plans with precise instructions to give your suppliers (sailmaker in particular) ensuring you the best possible result (functional and aesthetic).
"Wooden boatbuilding sheets" which constitute a real illustrated book (50 pages for Ilur) explaining each stage of the construction, step by step. Note: for now, these sheets are not translated into English but equivalent information may be found in English books on boatbuilding

Below: Example of "Wooden boatbuilding sheets"

Detailed material lists of necessary sawn timber, plywood sheets, fittings

Below: Example of fittings list

Instructions relating to the application of regulations (European).
Lastly, a free telephone or e-mail assistance is available to each purchaser.

Study Plans

Study plans are extracts from the plans allowing the buyer to have a more precise knowledge of the boat, the construction process, the detailed content of the full plan... Study plans includes general pages of the construction guide, some main plans (at reduced scale) or detailed plan samples, all material lists in order to estimate budget.

Full Sized Patterns

The laying out of the boat is one of the most difficult stages for a first-time builder. This is why I propose for all designs full size patterns for the sections, stem, transom and often for other parts, including bevels and as many usefull details as possible. You just have to lay out the polyester tracing paper (also called mylar) on the panel to be cut, then trace the shape. It is easy and straightforward.

The patterns are sent by mail in a plastic tube to avoid any damage during transport.

Below: full size pattern (very reduced in size!) on polyester film of fore frames. See the keel cut-out, the bevels of the frames, the profile of bulkheads. The horizontal line at the top is the lay-out plan on the building frame.

If You Want To Build Additional Boats?

I am eager to increase the number of plans offered, in particular boats of different sizes or types. Very often a new plan is the result of a response to a specific request. If I have a feel for the boat; if I think that it can meet a more general demand, it may then be possible for me to draw the boat of your dreams. I will only ask in return feedback on any difficulties you might encounter and a beautiful photograph of the boat at sea.

Computers make it possible to do many things. If you want a boat to be a little longer, or broader, I can quickly modify the line plan and print a full size pattern on polyester film. It will be up to you to adapt the remainder with some advice I could provide.