The marshes and paper-thin reaches of New Jersey’s Barnegat Bay demand boats that can sail-in water less than one foot deep. The famous Barnegat Bay sneakboxes, low on freeboard and blunt of shape, evolved to meet the needs of the 19th-century duck hunters (market gunners) who supplied the tables of nearby Philadephia and New York City.
16′ Melonseed Skiff
DESCRIPTION
Hull type: Round-bottomed daysailer
Rig: Gaff
Construction: Lapstrake-plywood planking over steam-bent frames
Alternative construction: Cold-molded, strip
PERFORMANCE
Suitable for: Protected waters
Intended capacity: 1-4
Trailerable: Yes
Propulsion: Sail
BUILDING DATA
Skill needed: Intermediate
Lofting required: No
RELATED RESOURCES
Boat Design Quarterly, Vol. 29
PLANS DATA
No. of sheets: 10
Level of Detail: Above average
Plans Format: Print or Digital
Cost per set: $90
Plan No. 120
Particulars
LOA: 16′
LWL: 15′2″
Beam: 4′10″
Draft: (cb up) 4″
(cb down) 2′
Weight: about 250 lbs
Sail area:
Gaff 90 sq ft