Skerrieskiff 17ft Custom Built Wooden Boat

The Skerrieskiff 17′ is a lightweight and versatile open pulling boat inspired by traditional Scandinavian working craft. With a length overall of 17 feet and a generous 4′ 8″ beam, this design offers an ideal balance between speed, stability, and load-carrying capability. Its slender waterline ensures efficient glide under oars, while the moderate beam provides reassuring primary stability for recreational rowing, coastal exploration, and light camp-cruising. Our workshop faithfully recreates this elegant pulling craft using premium marine materials-including Western Red Cedar, Mahogany, Teak, and high-grade marine plywood reinforced with U.S.-made Hexcel fiberglass cloth, sealed with marine epoxy and finished with System Three marine spar varnish. Each hull is handcrafted using traditional stitch-and-glue or glued lapstrake construction (depending on specification), resulting in a lightweight yet structurally strong boat. Typical build time ranges from 3-4 months depending on finish level and interior detailing. Clients may customize seating layout, rowing configuration (single or sliding seat), interior trim, buoyancy compartments, storage options, and wood combinations-allowing each Skerrieskiff 17′ to be tailored for fitness rowing, leisure outings, or expedition-style adventures. General Dimensions: - Length Overall (LOA): 17ft - Beam: 4.8ft - Displacement: Apprx 170 lbs - Materials: Wood - Propulsion: Oars (optional small outboard adaptation upon request) Performance & Use: Designed for lakes, sheltered bays, and coastal waters, the Skerrieskiff 17′ delivers excellent tracking and smooth acceleration with each stroke. Its efficient hull shape allows for sustained cruising speed with minimal effort, while the stable platform inspires confidence for both novice and experienced rowers. Ideal for day rowing, light touring, or traditional wooden boat enthusiasts, the Skerrieskiff combines classic lines with modern lightweight construction. This wooden boat crafted by us is built from woodenboat.com plans, with full credit given to the original designers. For each custom commission, we acquire the appropriate plans and construct the vessel to order-offering both full-size boats and finely detailed scale models. Disclaimer: Skerrieskiff 17ft is a design by Iain Oughtred. Wooden Boat USA is not affiliated with or endorsed by Iain Oughtred in any way. Contact us to explore specifications, finish options, and build schedules for your Skerrieskiff 17′. The Skerrieskiff 17′ was developed as part of the modern revival of traditional Scandinavian pulling boats, drawing inspiration from working skiffs once used along the rocky coasts and sheltered "skerries" of Northern Europe. These historic craft were prized for their efficiency under oars, seaworthiness, and ability to carry light loads across exposed coastal waters. The contemporary Skerrieskiff adapts these classic proportions into a lightweight, trailerable recreational rowing boat. Introduced during the late 20th-early 21st century resurgence of interest in home-built wooden boats, the design embraced stitch-and-glue plywood construction to make traditional forms more accessible to amateur builders. This method allowed for reduced weight, increased structural stiffness, and simplified assembly-helping expand the popularity of fixed-seat and sliding-seat recreational rowing worldwide. Over time, the Skerrieskiff 17′ earned recognition among rowing enthusiasts for its blend of classic aesthetics and modern performance. It bridges heritage and practicality: retaining the long, lean lines of Scandinavian skiffs while delivering contemporary efficiency, durability, and ease of maintenance-making it a favorite for fitness rowing, coastal exploration, and wooden boat craftsmanship