Graefin-10 Pram

Description

The Graefin-10 is a classic, lightweight plywood sailing pram designed by Will Graef in the 1930s and popularized through Popular Mechanics plans as one of the earliest affordable DIY boats, emphasizing speed, strength, and simplicity for backyard builders using exterior-grade plywood coated in plastic resins like fiberglass precursors, with modern adaptations including stitch-and-glue methods and even experimental cardboard hulls for ultra-low-cost prototypes. At 10 feet LOA with a 4-foot-6-inch beam, 125-pound hull weight, and a shallow 6-inch draft (with leeboard up) rising to about 2 feet 6 inches (down), it serves as an ideal tender, trainer, or solo day sailor for beginners learning basics on small lakes or bays, powered by a simple gaff rig with around 50 square feet of sail area for gentle planning in light breezes up to 10 knots, while rowing efficiently with floorboards or accepting a 2-horsepower outboard for auxiliary propulsion. Its broad, flat-bottomed hull with built-in buoyancy and high freeboard offers remarkable stability for one adult plus a child—demonstrated by surviving two-story drops and suspending a Jeep from one gunwale in durability tests—though adding a skeg improves tracking when rowed; the open cockpit includes thwarts for seating and storage, making it forgiving and fun for pottering or short coastal hops, with plans still available online or via reprints for under $20 as a timeless entry to wooden boatbuilding that prioritizes quick assembly (under 40 hours) over luxury, outshining fragile inflatables in ruggedness for generations of tinkerers.