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The Candlefish
16 (Click to Zoom) |
Most boat designers spend a great
deal of time musing about the use of the boats that
they design. The question is: Why design another small
outboard skiff when so many exist in the marketplace?
Many of the small boats are seaworthy, good under sail,
or able to glide over the water with the slightest
pull of the oars. Enter the Candlefish 16 designed
by Sam Devlin, the perfect size boat for exploring
the beach or a new rocky cove, easy to launch by hand
off the beach and with enough performance to bring
a smile to your face. This is really just a pointed
bow open skiff with an outboard on the stern, but with
some very interesting twists to it. You can match the
Candlefish 16 with a 10 – 25 hp tiller steered
outboard depending on how fast one wants to run and
how much load is expected to be carried. This is really
a small truck of a boat with the capability of carrying
a good load, offering lockable stowage, foam floatation
in the ends and deep enough to be seaworthy in just
about any sea condition.
The Candlefish presents a strong sheered, deep, multi-chined
hull with extra freeboard to keep you dry and safe.
The stern features two longitudinal seats on each side
of the stern to allow tiller steering from the left
or right side. There is plenty of leg room in front
of the seats and an interesting mid-deck area, that
acts as a lockable cargo hold to carry plenty of gear.
The mid-deck keeps passengers forward and out of the
way. It is a handy height for setting crab or shrimp
traps on while baiting up. There is a small forward
deck to allow the anchor to be chocked and the rode
stowed in the stowage and floatation space below.
The Candlefish’s hull design is planked with
5-ply 9mm Okoume marine plywood. The Stitch and Glue
style is easy to build and strong and stiff with four
full bulkheads. The kit includes System Three resin
and filler with fiberglass tape and cloth. She can
be finished with truck bed liner on the inside and
camo on the outside, or trimmed up with just the right
touch of brightwork to be the utility and fishing skiff
for a pleasure yacht. Either way the Candlefish will
be the envy of every harbor.
Boating is now affordable again. The Candlefish 16
kit is engineered for easy assembly using Stitch and
Glue boat building technique. The hull goes together
quickly and the fit and finish is up to you. Its time
to return back to the basics but there is no reason
you still can’t have fun – fun building
the Candlefish 16 and even more fun using it on the
water.
Designed by Sam Devlin
Crafted by Emerald Marine Carpentry
Candlefish Easy-Build Kits comes with all lumber pre-cut
for rapid Stitch & Glue construction with precision
pre-cut plywood panels, hardwood components, fiberglass
tape and cloth, 7.5 gallons of epoxy resin and hardener,
filler and bow pad-eye and 2 cleats. The transom arrives
in the kit pre-molded with a gentle curve and ready
for construction. The kit includes a detailed instruction
manual, a copy of Devlin's Boat Building book, 3 hours
of technical support by phone if assistance is needed
and the licensed plans for the design. The final finish
is up to the builder and available as an option.
The Candlefish hull is assembled in about 6 hours of
labor with 1-2 people. Seams are joined and sealed
with fiberglass tape and the hull is sheathed in 6
oz. fiberglass cloth. Sanding, filleting and finishing
will take 25-50 hours of work depending on your standards.
Details and the final paint finish are up to the standards
of the builder and the planned use of the Candlefish.
The lumber kit ships on a 4’x8’x8” pallet
and the fiberglass kits ships on a 4’x4’ pallet
from Anacortes, WA.
$3,900
Options:
Paint Finish Kit
Figured Sapele moulded transom
Honda Marine Outboard motor package
Trailer
The boatbuilders and craftsmen at Emerald Marine Carpentry
can build or finish your Candlefish 16 to your desired
level of trim and completion.
$9,500 - $15,500
Candlefish 16 Specifications
Length: 15'-11"
Beam: 5'-9"
Draft: 6"
Displacement: 715 lbs.
Hull plating: 9mm marine plywood Stitch and Glue construction
Power: 10 – 25 HP
Hull dry weight: 325 lbs
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