Bartender 19

The smallest boat in George Calkins's Bartender family, and the one the plan sellers point first-time builders toward. She is 19 ft long with a 6 ft 8 in beam and a draft of about 8 in, and she keeps the flared dory sides and pointed, wave-lifting stern of the bigger boats while being sized for an outboard in a well that lets the motor tilt up for beaching. The recommended engine is a 40 hp, with anything from 25 to 50 hp workable; one owner's report puts a 40 hp Honda at 18 knots on 2.4 gallons an hour.

Construction is marine plywood over simple lumber frames with plywood gussets, screws and epoxy, the method used across the whole range. The plans were recently revised with more construction detail and simplified steps, and they come either for traditional lofting or with full-size patterns, in both cases with written instructions and a complete materials list. A good choice for someone who wants a genuinely rough-water boat without starting on a 22 or 26 footer.