Our expertise with both original designs and the development of plans from existing craft (often historically significant) can bring your ideas to life.
Hylan & Brown is a custom yacht design and construction company specializing in traditionally-inspired designs created with the highest standards of craftsmanship. Whether we are building a 13′ 100 lb peapod or a 43′ 12-ton power cruiser, we are committed to producing heirloom quality watercraft that indulge one’s senses and inspire rich experiences. We offer the rare opportunity to bring your custom yacht from vision, to design, to reality, all under one roof. Our design and construction portfolio includes numerous examples of unique new construction, accurate and sensitive restoration of historically significant vessels, and tastefully customized and updated versions of classic yachts.
Ruby Slipper is 23 foot daysailer designed for the ambitious amateur builder – someone who has perhaps enjoyed building a simple boat and is ready to step up to a bigger project. Glued lapstrake construction is well-proven as a wonderful method for building small boats. They go together quickly, require less maintenance than traditional wooden boats, and are immune to drying out when stored on a trailer. Although a little more mentally challenging than the stitch & glue method, it swaps a few simple woodworking skills for lots of mind-numbing sanding, and is ultimately quicker and less expensive. And to my eye, the resulting boats are better looking in the bargain!
Ruby’s hull is shallow and light, with a long waterline. Generous beam allows for a cockpit that can accommodate a crowd in comfort. A hefty chunk of lead in a NACA foil keel keeps her standing up to her generous sail plan, and will help carry her through fluky spells. Her shallow draft makes her suitable for trailering, and at 2500 pounds, she could be hauled home behind a reasonably-sized car. Her particulars indicate rewarding sailing performance.
Performance aside, Ruby Slipper would be a good fit for wobbly old salts like yours truly, who just want to go out for a sail on a lovely Maine summer afternoon. Said mariner might be a tad cantankerous and prefer to sail without the complication of a crew. He needs a boat that is easy to board from the dinghy, and rarely asks him to leave the cockpit. It wants to be big enough to be stable under foot, yet small enough to keep maintenance and handling from becoming a chore. She should go to weather in a smart fashion, be fast enough to provide a thrill and stable enough so that a gimbaled drink holder is rarely wanted. Getting underway should be simple, and if the breeze doesn’t look as promising as expected, there must be room enough for a lovely water-cradled nap!
TO PURCHASE PLANS: On eight sheets: Sail Plan, Lines Plan, Ballast Plan, Joiner Details, Building Jig, full-size patterns. To order online using Paypal’s ordering system (which accepts credit cards and eChecks), please select one of the following buttons:
U.S. orders. $400 + $30 shipping = $430International orders, including Canada. $400 + $80 shipping = $480You can see your Paypal Cart at any time by clicking the button below:
You can also order plans by sending a check or money order to Hylan & Brown Boatbuilders, 10 Frank Day Ln, Brooklin, ME 04616.
An 18′ daysailer/beach cruiser available in multiple configurations
Siri’s design began when Brooklin boatbuilder Eric Jacobssen of North Brooklin Boats approached me about developing a set of plans for a cold molded version of Iris, a lovely little canoe yawl that appeared in the August 2, 1888 issue of Forest and Stream Magazine. Iris would have attracted the attentions of devotees of the canoe cruising craze that was sweeping Europe, and particularly England, at that time. At 18 feet and 1800 pounds displacement, she represents a middle ground in the evolution of a type that started with John MacGregor’s tiny Rob Roy, and, some would say, culminated in Albert Strange’s beautiful Sheila. A similar boat, HALF MOON, resides in the collection at Mystic Seaport Museum.
Lovely as she is, the Iris design has some shortcomings. Like many of her sailing canoe sisters, she is too narrow to stand up to her generous rig. With this, and the lack of a centerboard, her windward performance would be quite compromised. Perhaps “gentlemen don’t sail to windward”, but nowadays, they don’t like to row there either, particularly in an 1,800 pound boat.
So here is Siri, an updated version of Iris. Modern construction and a few extra calculations allow her to carry all her generous ballast on the bottom of the keel, where it does the most good. Five inches of additional beam will help keep her on her feet in a breeze. The centerboard will assist in getting to windward in good fashion. Flotation compartments will ensure that she will remain afloat if the worst should happen. A few additional tweaks have been incorporated to ease construction or improve appearance.
I became so taken with Siri that I began thinking of other possibilities for her. It occurred to me that glued lapstrake construction would be an attractive option for many builders. For sailors with no concerns about shallow water or trailer launching, a deeper keel with a cut away forefoot would give her a sports car personality. If she could spend her season with her rig permanently set up, a gaff sloop might have some attraction. For those who love working with shavings instead of glue, there ought to be a traditional construction plan.
Siri’s plans show all of these options, and many of these may be “mixed and matched.” The plans are highly detailed, as I have learned that extra time on my part results in better boats and fewer phone calls. No lofting is required — there are full sized patterns to get the builder off to a quick start. Hardware is fully specified, so you will not have to spend time hunting down rare pieces.
Siri is probably not a good project for an inexperienced first time builder. However, if you have previously built a simple boat, or have well developed woodworking skills, she should present no problems. She would make a fine daysailer or beach cruiser and she will certainly turn a lot of heads wherever she goes.
TO PURCHASE PLANS: On eight sheets: Lines, Balanced Lug Sail Plan, Gaff Sloop Sail Plan, Cold-Molded Construction, Glued Lapstrake Construction, Carvel Plank-on-Frame Construction, Building Jig, full-size patterns. Also included is a CD with full specifications and miscellaneous builder’s info. To order online using Paypal’s ordering system (which accepts credit cards and eChecks), please select one of the following buttons:
U.S. orders. $250 + $20 shipping = $270International orders, including Canada. $250 + $80 shipping = $330You can see your Paypal Cart at any time by clicking the button below:
You can also order plans by sending a check or money order to Hylan & Brown Boatbuilders, 10 Frank Day Ln, Brooklin, ME 04616.
The working craft of Chesapeake Bay have once again provided the inspiration for this design. The success of our Point Comfort outboard-powered skiff has led to requests for plans for a more traditional round sterned, inboard-powered sister.
The plans for Wicomico contain information for two versions: an older-styled fan-tailed version suitable for displacement speeds, and a semi-displacement version with the stern immersed, as seen on more recent Bay boats. At 25 feet, this is a small rendition of the traditional Bay work boat, and she has comparatively more beam and less displacement than a traditional older sister.
The fantail version will provide old time elegance for those who are not in too much of a hurry. Limited to hull speed (about 7 knots) this version will make the best use of minimal power – the very smallest diesel, or for those who value their peace & quiet, an electric drive. The semi-displacement version is capable of speeds up to about 12 knots with 25 horsepower, or up to 17 knots with 50 hp.
The hull is built upside down over molds and a ladder frame. Heavy 3/4” plywood planking allows for a minimum of internal framing and makes future maintenance easier. This boat will be happy to live on a trailer, with no worries about drying out or opening seams. She uses the same plywood construction techniques that have proven successful in my Point Comfort skiffs, but her rounded stern will add a bit more challenge to the project.
Included are details for a cabin version and a shade top – the two could be combined for spartan cruising for those with sufficient pluck.
The plans consist of nine sheets: Lines, Outboard Profile, Construction Plan, Construction Sections, Alternative Arrangements, Building Jig, and three sheets of full-sized patterns.
TO PURCHASE PLANS: Plans include 4 sheets. To order online using Paypal’s ordering system (which accepts credit cards and eChecks), please select one of the following buttons:
U.S. orders. $300 + $30 shipping = $330International orders, including Canada. $300 + $80 shipping = $380You can see your Paypal Cart at any time by clicking the button below:
You can also order plans by sending a check or money order to Hylan & Brown Boatbuilders, 10 Frank Day Ln, Brooklin, ME 04616.
Good speed and seakeeping ability with low impact and noise
TOP HAT traces her heritage to the vee bottom boats designed by William. Hand in the early 1900s. Her lines, construction and propulsion have be updated, but the essential virtues remain – seaworthy and seakindly performance, good speeds with modest horsepower, handsome looks and ease of construction.
A 50 HP Honda outboard in a well gives very quiet operation, easy maintenance and good handling in reverse. Also shown is an alternative inboard engine version.
Plans are well detailed, and consist of 8 sheets: outboard profile, lines & offsets, inboard construction profile, constructions sections, building jig, two detail sheets, and inboard diesel construction.
A CD of photos in JPEG format taken during the construction of the prototype is available and will be a help to all builders.
TO PURCHASE PLANS: Plans include 8 sheets. A photo CD is also available. To order online using Paypal’s ordering system (which accepts credit cards and eChecks), please select one of the following buttons:
U.S. orders, plans only. $250 + $20 shipping = $270
This runabout was designed for a man who wanted a boat as elegant and beautiful as the landscape surrounding his summer home at Pretty Marsh on Mount Desert. With lots of flare in the bow sections, and tumblehome at the stern, she has looks that match her performance.
Moderate deadrise gives good performance with modest horsepower, a soft and predictable ride. Rugged construction means she can take a pounding if she has to. The plans show alternatives for outboard or I/O propulsion and runabout or center console layout.
Construction is for developed plywood, but this design could be modified for aluminum construction as well. The plans are on five sheets and include lines, construction plan & sections, and construction alternatives.
Marsh Hen is the result of a design/build commission from a gentleman who enjoys kayaking in the extensive marshlands of coastal South Carolina and Georgia. She would also make a fine little cruiser for a small family who was willing to get back to basics.
Marsh Hen’s hull form show genes from both William Hand’s early V-bottom designs and the Maine lobster boat. Both parents contribute seaworthy and seakindly performance, good speeds with modest horsepower, and handsome looks. Her plywood construction is more accessible to amateur builders.
A 90 HP Evinrude outboard in a well gives very quiet operation, easy maintenance and good handling in reverse.
Plans are well-detailed, and consist of 6 sheets: outboard profile, lines & offsets, inboard construction profile, constructions sections, joinery details, and building jig. A CD of photos in JPEG format taken during the construction of the prototype is also available.
TO PURCHASE PLANS: Plans include 6 sheets and a photo CD. To order online using Paypal’s ordering system (which accepts credit cards and eChecks), please select one of the following buttons:
U.S. orders. $300 + $20 shipping = $320International orders, including Canada. $300 + $80 shipping = $380You can see your Paypal Cart at any time by clicking the button below:
You can also order plans by sending a check or money order to Hylan & Brown Boatbuilders, 10 Frank Day Ln, Brooklin, ME 04616.
Both glued lapstrake plywood and traditional cedar over oak construction.
Under license from the MIT’s Hart Nautical Collections, Doug Hylan and Maynard Bray have collaborated to produce a highly detailed builder’s package for both amateur and professional builders, as well as students of Herreshoff’s work. Nathanael Herreshoff designed Coquina for his own use in the winter of 1889, and used her for may years, perhaps longer that any other of his personal yachts. Herreshoff wrote in some detail of Coquina in his later life: “I sailed quite often, both summer and winter.” Surely such a boat, used so much and remembered so fondly by a man of Herreshoff’s means and experience, must have applications for today’s sailors.
Plans are fully detailed, and consist of 11 sheets including Herreshoff’s original construction drawing.
Other sheets include sail plan, lines plan, original construction, glued lapstrake plywood construction, spars & rigging plan, building jig, and four sheets of full sized patterns and plank layouts.
COMPACT DISC – also available, a CD containing over 500 photos of both traditional and glued lapstrake plywood construction, covering every aspect of building, rigging and sailing these wonderful boats.
TO PURCHASE PLANS: Plans include 11 sheets. A photo CD is also available. To order online using Paypal’s ordering system (which accepts credit cards and eChecks), please select one of the following buttons:
U.S. orders, plans only. $200 + $20 shipping = $220
International orders, including Canada, plans only. $200 + $80 shipping = $280
International orders, including Canada, plans + CD. $250 + $80 shipping = $330
U.S. orders, CD only. $50 + $6 shipping = $56
International orders, including Canada, CD only. $50 + $15 shipping = $65
You can see your Paypal Cart at any time by clicking the button below:
You can also order plans by sending a check or money order to Hylan & Brown Boatbuilders, 10 Frank Day Ln, Brooklin, ME 04616.
FAQ: Many questions are answered in Frequently Asked Questions. Please check there first. There are also some Coquina-specific FAQs at the bottom of this page.
Particulars
LOA
16′ 8″
Beam
5′ 1″
Draft
8″ / 3′
Weight
450 lbs, with rig
Trailerable
Yes
Hull type
Round-bottom lapstrake
Construction
Glued lapstrake plywood or traditional cedar over oak
Suitable for
Somewhat protected waters
Skill needed
Skilled amateur
Lofting required
No
Level of detail
Very detailed
OTHER REFERENCES:
Herreshoff of Bristol, Bray & Pinheiro, pp. 50, 51, 126, 146. “Getting to Know COQUINA” by Maynard Bray, WoodenBoat Magazine, No. 187, p. 76.
Coquina FAQs (click to open)
Do you take Credit Cards? How can I pay for my plans?
As if August 1, 2007, you can now use the PayPal ordering system to pay for most plans. PayPal accepts Visa / MC / AmEx / Discover / eCheck / PayPal. Or you can send a check or money order to: COQUINA, 53 BENJAMIN RIVER DR., BROOKLIN, ME, 04616. We do not wait for personal checks to clear, usually shipping your order within a day or two.
Do you ship plans outside of the US?
Yes, we will ship plans anywhere. International postage rate are $50.00 for plans and $8.00 for a CD.
Before I buy, where can I get more information on Coquina?
The best source for general information is Maynard Bray’s article in WoodenBoat, number 187. Another good reference is Michael Hanyi’s article in the Nov/Dec 2001 issue of the British magazine Watercraft.
I have some woodworking experience but have never built a boat before. Do you think I can build Coquina?
This is a very difficult question to answer. We have seen beautiful boats that have come from the hands of inexperienced builders. And we have seen not-so-nice boats from builders with considerable experience. Given enough time, almost anyone can build a boat that will float and sail or row. We have gone to great lengths to put together a plans package that is as detailed as possible, in order to leave as few questions as possible for inexperienced builders. We have found that this is the best way to insure success in a project like this.
Should I build a simpler boat first before building Coquina?
If you have no boat building or woodworking experience, this may not be a bad idea. If it is a very simple boat, like Joel White’s fine Nutshell pram or Shellback dinghy, you may find that the skills acquired in building it will so speed up your Coquina project that you will have two boats for nearly the same time commitment as one. And once you start building boats, you are likely to want to keep it up.
Can I count on you for help in building my Coquina?
We want your Coquina project to have the best possible outcome, but unfortunately, if we answered every question that came our way, we would never get anything else done. You might consider asking someone to work with you on your project. This person may have more experience than you, and two heads are usually better than one. On our CD, we will provide a more extensive FAQ section addressing builder’s questions, as well as a list of applicable books and sources for maternials. Old WoodBoat Magazines are a great source of information – check out their on-line index. Finally, the WoodenBoat Forum at WoodenBoat.com can be a source of helpful (and sometimes not so helpful) information. If you need to contact me, e-mail me through this web site and include your phone number and best time to call.
What are the pros & cons of traditional construction?
Traditional plank on frame construction is the real thing – just what Herreshoff himself used. Some builders enjoy working in real wood and avoiding epoxy. A higher level of skill is required for traditional construction – joints are more complicated, steam bending is required, and better fits are required.
What are the pros & cons of glued lapstrake construction?
Glued lapstrake plywood boats are immune to drying out and the problems associated with the natural shrinking and swelling cycle of wood. They don’t leak, and are much better able to withstand life on a trailer. Their maintenance is slightly lower and the skills required to build them are less fussy.
I love Coquina, but do not have the time or interest to build my own. How much does it cost to have one built for me?
At Hylan & Brown – Boatbuilders the current price for a completed Coquina is around $29,000.00. Consult with other builders for their prices.
How may hours are involve in building Coquina?
Our first boat took us about 250 hours to complete the hull, about 850 man hours for the total project. This was for an experienced builder.
How much are materials likely to cost to build Coquina?
For the boats we built, the materials came to about $3200.00. We enjoy some wholesale and quantity discounts, but not to a great extent on a boat of this type.
A fast and stable boat that can carry a real load.
Based on traditional crabbing skiff documentation by Howard Chapelle, this has proven to be a fast and stable boat that can carry a real load. While primarily a sailing skiff, she is reasonably handy under oars and easily driven with a tiny outboard. She also displays good manners when towed.
As Mike O’Brien said in his WoodenBoat design review, “Doug Hylan has drawn a striking skiff that looks sharp in any company.” Plans are on four sheets: Lines and offsets, construction, leg o’ mutton sail plan and sprit sail plan.
Traditional detailing is combined with easy maintenance and simple plywood construction.
TO PURCHASE PLANS: Plans include 7 sheets: Lines, Construction, Sprit Rig, Leg-o-Mutton Rig, Setup Jig, full-size patterns. To order online using Paypal’s ordering system (which accepts credit cards and eChecks), please select one of the following buttons:
U.S. orders. $150 + $20 shipping = $170International orders, including Canada. $150 + $80 shipping = $230You can see your Paypal Cart at any time by clicking the button below:
You can also order plans by sending a check or money order to Hylan & Brown Boatbuilders, 10 Frank Day Ln, Brooklin, ME 04616.
Most boats produced as tenders today row so poorly that it is little wonder that their owners often turn to an outboard motor for help. But if you wish to forego the noise, expense and pollution of a motor, you may find that a peapod is the ultimate yacht tender.
These are great little boats, seaworthy, stable, and easily rowed. Here is a pod that is a bit smaller than most, but she will still carry a big load and bring you through some lumpy water with confidence.
Beach Pea uses modern glued lapstrake plywood construction, so she is lighter and easier to build than a traditionally-built boat. In addition, you won’t have to worry about her seams opening if your pod has been out of the water for a while. The clean interior will be easier to maintain, and a coat of paint will last longer on the stable plywood surface.
Two sailing rigs are shown, an easy to strike lugsail, and the more traditional sprit rig. Doug Hylan drew Beach Pea’s plans with the beginning builder in mind. The plans are well-detailed and full-size patterns eliminate the need for lofting. Plans are on five sheets, including lines, construction, two sail plans and full size patterns for molds and stems. A 22 page “how to build” booklet is included to help you along.
The extended version of Beach Pea is 15 feet long with the same beam. Basically, the longer boat uses the same molds as the 13 footer, just spaced further apart. Also the stems are pulled out a bit to the same proportion. The plans include instructions for re-spacing the molds, a layout for the new stem shape, and an optional arrangement with side decks and flotation compartments in the ends. There is also a slightly bigger sail plan and rudder arrangement shown.
EXTENDED 15′ VERSION: The plans for the extended 15′ version of Beach Pea are an add-on to the regular 13′ plans. Please thus order the plans for the 13′ version (see above) and the add-on plans below. To order online using Paypal’s ordering system (which accepts credit cards and eChecks), please select one of the following buttons:
U.S. orders. $50 + $6 shipping = $56International orders, including Canada. $50 + $15 shipping = $65You can see your Paypal Cart at any time by clicking the button below:
You can also order plans by sending a check or money order to Hylan & Brown Boatbuilders, 10 Frank Day Ln, Brooklin, ME 04616.
Here are a pair of boats that will feel right at home on the working waterfront. Both boats would make fine boatyard skiffs or small harbor ferries. Both would be fine for a little recreational fishing or getting around the lake on summer vacation.
Garveys originated as shallow draft, burdensome, and very easily built boats for working the shallow bays and estuaries of the Jersey Shore. The advent of the internal combustion engine, and later, the outboard motor, ensured their survival since the hull form is actually much better suited to mechanical power than to the sailing rigs of the early boats.
Doug Hylan has refined the Ben garveys a bit from their original form. They show a strong sheer and more rake to the bow transom for good looks, the buttock lines aft have been straightened out for planing speeds, and the construction is updated to make use of plywood and epoxy adhesives. But they still display the same characteristics that made their forefathers popular: ease of construction, shallow draft, good stability, and great load capacity.
The Ben garveys are built of plywood, upside down on a ladder frame over temporary molds. Lofting is required, but is extremely simple. The chines are easily made using epoxy fillets and fiberglass tape. Flotation compartments ensure that a swamped boat will float level and even support the motor head above the water.
The plans are on five sheets (four for Big Ben) and include lines, construction, details, and building jig. Also included are instruction sheets which cover tools and materials, scarfing plywood, construction, and use.
