Piccup

Description

The Piccup Pram is a lightweight, simple 11-foot sailing/rowing pram designed by Jim Michalak, a prolific American amateur boat designer known for easy-to-build, practical plywood boats using taped-seam (stitch-and-glue) construction. Introduced as one of his early designs (noted as "the first boat of my design" in some references), it features a multi-chine hull for straightforward building, leeboards instead of a centerboard/daggerboard for shallow draft and easy beaching, a balanced lug rig (typically with a sail area around 55–70 sq ft depending on version, on a freestanding mast), and excellent versatility as a car-toppable, solo or small-family daysailer/rower suitable for protected waters, exploring creeks, or casual fun sailing. No single commercial builder exists; it's a plans-built design sold through outlets like Duckworks, with many home builders constructing them affordably (often $800–$1500 in materials) over months using marine plywood, epoxy, and basic lumber—no class association or strict one-design rules, so variations occur (e.g., taller masts or custom sails), and a related "Piccup Squared" variant exists with squared ends for even simpler building. Exact quantity built is unknown but likely in the hundreds given its popularity among backyard builders and positive reports on forums like WoodenBoat and Reddit.