Atkin & Co.
Submitted by cac on Thu, 2007-01-11 23:25
Atkin & Co.
Individualized Designs For Unregimented Yachtsmen
Established 1906
Where to start... I've been putting this one off for two long because there's just more than I can deal with in a simple post. I'm going to give some of the basics here and point you to the web site... read... read some more... think... read some more. There is something to learn for everybody.
I looked at the Atkin father and son team's plans a while back but didn't really pursue it. For whatever reason checked again, and as with several other things, they have plans that fit right in to some of my new directions. Their tunnel hull Seabrite Skiff hulls are very intriguing.
William Atkin started designing boats not long after the start of the 20th century, and his son continued until nearly the end. John's (the son) wife still sells the plans. Plans are very inexpensive.
There are designs for sail, tug boats, runabouts, classic craft, houseboats, shanty boats, you name it.
There are some excellent articles, and the various plans all have detailed writeups describing the craft and some of the background ideas behind the plan.
David Gerr's Summer Kyle design is based on ideas developed by Atkin. A modern designer following along some of these still non-traditional plans. There was a detailed writeup in PassageMaker Magazine, August 2000.
One of note to me, to be covered in more detail elsewhere, is the River Belle... this is a tunnel hull craft right in line with the Mundoo 3 and V39. Obviously not designed for electric power, but I bet it would fit into that hull nicely.
There is an active Atkin Boats mailing list that's friendly and well work a check.
Comments
Atkins Boat Plans
If you buy plans from Atkins please be aware that most of them are "old school". That means building wooden frames and such. Not stitch and glue. I bought what I thought were simple plans for a small houseboat from them. What a shock. After buying plans from the likes of Glen L, boatplansonline.com, instant boats, and even Duckworks, to name just a few I found Atkin's plans horrible. Called for covering the plywood with canvas. How funny. There wasn't any part of the plans that described building the cabin part of the craft. I did get three pages of genaric pictures that turned out to be the same ones they post as advertisments on the webpage. When I wrote and explained the problem I was told by Pat that many boats had been built from these "things" and the faded reprint that was supposed to be a "how to" sheet. I kept telling her there was something missing from the plans. No luck. Gads! I threw my money away on that one. Live and learn, baby.. Buyer beware...