How to Build a Romilly Boat

Create a hull from Western Red Cedar planking. LOA is 22 feet, beam is 6 feet 11 inches, and draught is 1 foot 8 inches. Attach hull to keel.

Seal with epoxy resin. Make sure the wood is clean and level before applying epoxy. Fill all holes with wood putty and sand away imperfections. Mix resin with hardener using a clean wooden stick, then immediately pour into a shallow, disposable pan. Mix only as much epoxy resin at a time as can be used in 20 to 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, the mixture will solidify. Once it becomes stringy, discard and begin a new batch. Apply with a foam roller and squeegee away any excess. Apply firmly and evenly. Check after 15 minutes to ensure evenness of application. Allow to dry completely and apply at least one more coat.

Ensure your centerboard fits. The centerboard on the Romilly increases the draught to 5 foot 1 inch, for better stability in this shallow boat.

Position the rudder on the bottom of the boat so that the it extends barely beyond the stern of the boat. The front of the rudder may just reach the back of the keel. This is ideal. Create a slot for the rudder with a knife and glue it into the slot. Make sure it is in the center of the hull (from right to left); otherwise, your boat will pull in one direction.

Attach the main sail towards the bow and attach the shorter rig mast astern of the rudder. Total sail area should be 242 square feet.