Tolman Alaskan Skiffs (Previously A Skiff for All Seasons): Building Plans for Three Plywood / Epoxy Skiffs

I'm here in the Kenai visiting grandkids, going to Homer next week where Tolman lives. Kachemak bay, 32' tides twice a day. 46 degree water in the summer...storms rolling in from Kodiak and the Bering Strait. There are a lot of Tolman Skiffs on Kachemak. Homemade at about half the cost of the good aluminum competitors. Performance just as good....life a little shorter. Going after Winter Kings, Halibut, Rockfish...does a great job. If you need a hard use boat for serious saltwater, and your budget is tight...this is the boat, proven over 25 years.

This is about the most practical book that I have found on building a fishing boat. First of all, the design of this boat has been refined over many years as it was being tested in real-world conditions in Alaska. Second, it is an easy design to implement. Almost anyone can do it with modest set of tools. The key to this is that it is a stitch and glue design that makes it easier to form the curves in the V over designs where one has to create a much more complex jig to form and support the curves. Third, it is light weight design that requires very little horsepower. It sips gas. Without getting into all the advantages of gas and HP economy, this makes the boat ultra practical, one which allows it to be used day in and day out.

The fifth book on boat building I've read this year. My favorite. I've also read one of Dynamite Payson's books, (a close second), The Dory Book, Building Classic Small Craft (mostly plans), and Building Small Boats. If you're getting into plywood/epoxy boat building, this is worth it even if you don't build a Tolman skiff this year. Tons of insight on plywood/epoxy boat building. Plus, you can build a Tolman skiff (3 versions) from the book! That's cheaper than alot of boat plans out there. Good one.

I really like the book, but I think the claims that just about anyone can build a boat using this book are probably inflated. It's a great value for sure, but even after reading it several times I still have questions. Like what constitutes good stringer to bottom fit? The photos are small and some of the diagrams are hand drawn, so details are hard to see at best. I have spent a considerable amount of time trying to answer these questions on the internet. I have almost zero woodworking experience so directions like "rip the beam at 12 degrees" have to be researched before execution. Mr. Tolman has done a great service to all us frustrated would-be skiff owners, now if only some one who has built a few of these boats would make a dvd with video explanations for some of the more complex steps, I could probably build it. Perhaps Mr. Tolman will commission an "Alaskan Skiff for Complete Noobs" DVD. I would certainly buy it. I have learned a lot from the book already but need more answers before beginning a build. Great Job!

If your thinking about building a boat this is the right book and hull for you. I'm nearly complete with my boat and I have tested Renn's description of "ordinary" woodworking skills. My last shop class was in 8th grade and I didn't do that well. With that said, after reading the book, fishing on another boat and talking to other builders I was convinced that I could do it. The book lays out in great detail all of the tools and materials that you need. There are pre-cut kits available to purchase and then assemble. If I can build one so can you. If you can cut a reasonably straight line with a skill saw and read a tape measure you can build your own custom, fuel efficient boat.

Great Book, but I would have appreciated better photographs of the process the Skiff building. I found some of the skiff construction process when following the book would become confusing. I found I would continually have to flip the pages back verifying I was working in the right order and right spot. The best resource is reading posts from the website FishyFish that other Tolman Skiff builders have posted. I would recomend this book to people without hesitation.

Definitely worth a read. If planning to build then you will need to read several times. There is a forum that can help.

I know this is a Bible for some folks so I will be careful. The book is poorly written and a stream of consciousness in random order. It says there are plans, but not really. Just hand drawn draftings of various pieces. If you are a beginner and never done this before, the book is almost useless. Renn Tolman was a great guy and master boat builder, a writer, not so much. There are no specific instructions, no real drawings. Imagine sitting across a table from Renn while he describes building a boat and draws pictures on a napkin. That is this book.