Sam Devlin’s two Candlefish designs measure 16′ and 18′. They are big, burdensome boats that can carry large outboard motors—up to 50 hp for the 16-footer and up to 90 hp for the 18-footer.
Capable open skiffs are just the thing for so many activities on the water: fishing, pulling crab traps or shrimp pots, commuting, tent camping, and just exploring the edges of salt or fresh water. Here are two open outboard boats from Sam Devlin, who has been designing boats for stitch-and-glue construction for a long time. These designs display his experience in building small plywood boats and his enthusiasm for logical solutions that work for builders and users.
These hulls are notably beamy, and there’s a story behind that. The original concept was to create a series of simply built, low-deadrise boats that would operate efficiently with limited horsepower, of a shape like the pangas of Central America. But today’s fishermen want to get to “the spot” fast, and real speed is easy with big modern four-stroke motors. These motors are heavy, and the best way to handle weight is to increase waterplane area. Coincidentally, that wide low-deadrise bottom aids easy planing if the overall weight can be kept in check, and open boats can be kept light with some care.
Both of these Candlefish designs are intended for relatively large tiller-steered outboards, maximum 30 hp on the 16-footer and 70 hp on the 18-footer. Those looking for best efficiency from a 9.9-hp outboard should consider a narrower hull form. On the other hand, if you want high speed in semi-protected water, a Candlefish will be worth looking at.