Conrad Natzio --- Boat Builder
(1729 total words in this text) 
Conrad Natzio
Boat Builder
New: Little Grebe, see entry after Sandpiper
for details

New!!! Example plans (Actual plans are of a much higher
quality).
Example Plan 1
Example Plan 2
Example Plan 3
Example Plan 4
Example Plan 5
Example Plan 6
Example Plan 7
Example Plan 8
Example Plan 9
New:
Little Grebe Brochure and Sample Plan
Designs and Plans for Home Builders
Here is a range of four simple designs for small sailing craft,
all extremely easily built by the novice to boatbuilding with only
basic woodworking experience. They are easier to build than many
'kit' boats.
All four share the same style of construction. They are
flat-bottomed, single chine boats of detectably American ancestry,
intended for sailing on sheltered water. Construction is from
sheet-plywood panels, bent around prefabricated frames; there is no
need for lofting, building frame or jig, or temporary moulds. All
joints are simply nailed and glued: polyurethane glue is
recommended.
Sailing performance is ensured by centreboard or long bilge
keels, giving excellent directional stability as well as windward
ability. All the boats can be rowed, or used with a small outboard
motor. Their light weight means they are easily trailable. All are
intended for use in sheltered waters - lakes, rivers, and
estuaries.
With a tent cover, they offer camping possibilities for one or
two crew members.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS ARE KEYED TO THE DETAILED PLANS FOR
ALL BOATS, ALL MAILED IN A STRONG POSTAL TUBE.
Oystercatcher
The pioneer of the fleet, derived from traditional New England
shellfishing skiffs.
Various choices of rig, including schooner!
Dimensions: 4.7m x 1.5m (15' 3" x 5' 0")
Hull weight: 90kg (200lbs)
Sail area: 6.5 sq m (70 sq ft)
Plans: £45 post free (£47 outside
Europe)
Like her working ancestors, Oystercatcher has a stiff and stable
flat-bottomed hull with a jaunty sheerline and boldly-raked
transom. She has the qualities which made a successful working
boat, combined with the benefits of modern lightweight construction
and easy maintenance.
Her lines give her good performance under sail or oars, and if
necessary a small outboard motor can be mounted on the transom. The
well-rockered bottom allows her to carry a heavy load and still
tack quickly and cleanly. The pivoting centreplate is actually
offset to port, giving maximum unobstructed interior space and
simplifying construction: the endplate rudder enables her to sail
in a few inches of water.
Hull construction is from two sheets of 3/8" (9mm) and three
sheets of 3/8" (6mm) ply, with solid timber for framing, gunwales,
etc.
"... we scooted along ... a pleasant surprise"
Classic Boat, March 1998
" ...the boat coped nicely with the wind against tide chop and
seemed completely at home tacking within the confines of a narrow
river ... a flattie like Oystercatcher is perfect for exploring
such area ..."
Afloat! August 1995
"... surprisingly spacious accomodation with a tent covering the
boat from end to end."
Afloat! July 1994

Oystercatcher
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Oystercatcher - easy to beach
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Oystercatcher - rigged for camping
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Oystercatcher - on an Australian lake,
photograph courtesy of David Barrott
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Oystercatcher - clips along under her optional schooner
rig
|
Sandpiper
Specially designed to be built by beginners over the four days
of the BOATS 99 boat show, although Sandpiper reduces boatbuilding
to its simplest elements she is a good-looking rowing and sailing
skiff - her bilge keels give her a spacious and unobstructed
interior.
Choice of rigs: spritsail sloop, as seen here, or standing
lug.
Dimensions: 4.2m x 1.4m (13' 9" x 4' 8")
Hull weight: 60kg (132lbs)
Sail area (sloop): 6.5 sq m (70 sq ft)
Plans: £40 post free ( £42 outside
Europe)
Sandpiper illustrates the principles of "handsome is as handsome
does", since the main considerations in her design were speed and
ease of construction - but the outcome was a capable and attractive
little boat. Her hull is formed simply by bending parallel-sided
panels around prefabricated frames, and adding strength and
stiffness with solid chines and gunwales. She is built from four
sheets of 1/4" (6mm) ply, with solid timber as required for framing
and longitudinals.
Instead of the usual centre- or dagger-board, Sandpiper has twin
long bilge keels which give her windward performance in very
shallow water, as well as an unusual amount of space within the
boat. Her light weight means she can very easily be trailed to the
waters of your choice, and for the single-hander she makes a simple
weekend cruiser if fitted with a tent cover. Two adults can
comfortably spend the day aboard exploring out-of-the-way places
generally accessible only to wildfowlers in long thigh boots.
Particularly full and detailed building instructions are
accompanied and illustrated by copies of the article on Sandpiper
from "Practical Woodworking", the magazine sponsoring the event at
Boats 99 where the first examples after the prototype were
built.
"... an enjoyable and relaxing boat to sail ... a great boat to
learn about boatbuilding and sailing ..."
Water Craft, September/October 1999
"... a handy little craft for use on sheltered waters for
sailing, fishing, or just pottering ..."
Practical Woodworking, Vol 34 no 4

Sandpiper
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Sandpiper in Mulroy Bay, Ireland - easy access to wild
places
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Sandpiper - beached for a run ashore
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Sandpiper - first stages of construction: side panels bent around
the midships frame
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Sandpiper - shows the clean interior produced by this style of easy
building
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Sandpiper - performs well with her sprit rig
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2. Sandpiper - was built in the four days of BOAT 99, and finished
off at home, photograph courtesy of Martin Waide
|
Little Grebe
Little Grebe Brochure and
Sample Plan
A pure rowing version of the sailing skiff Sandpiper, Little
Grebe follows the same style and methods of construction, with
slightly reduced beam and freeboard: she is an elegant and stable
boat for relaxed and enjoyable recreational rowing, or freshwater
angling.
Dimensions: 4.06m x 1.22m (13'4" x 4'0")
Hull weight: 52kg (115lbs)
Plans: £30 post free (£32 outside
Europe)
Little Grebe is (despite her handsome appearance) designed for
exceptionally quick and economical building: apart from the solid
timber needed for framing and longitudinals, all her hull
components can be cut from three sheets of 3/4" (6mm) plywood,
though construction can be slightly simplified (and appearance
enhanced) if transom and thwarts are made up from varnished
hardwood. As with the other boats in the range, building requires
no special equipment or skills and presents no problems to the
single-hander.
There are two rowing positions, though with two people at the
oars a passenger on the stern seat is desirable for good trim. A
single rower will find Little Grebe fast and responsive, tracking
well and with excellent stability thanks to her flat-bottomed
design, which also makes her a good choice for the fisherman. Her
shapely form will allow her to take her place among any group of
craft at a Thames-side picnic on a fine summer's afternoon.
Spoonbill
A simple but roomy scow hull, only weighing 111kg (244 lbs),
gives a lot of boat in a compact space. Spoonbill can be sailed, or
used with a small (electric?) outboard motor as an open launch with
loose chairs.
Dimensions: 4.8m x 1.5m (15' 10" x 5' 0")
Hull weight: 111kg (244lbs)
Sail area: 7.4 sq m (80 sq ft)
Plans: £45 post free (£48 outside
Europe)
Spoonbill has a flat-bottomed scow hull (with a bow transom),
with easy lines for good sailing and simple building with no hard
bending - like her sisters, she is put together without any need
for moulds, jig, or building frame, from pre-cut panels and
prefabricated frames using readily-available materials. Five sheets
of plywood, preferably marine, are needed for the basic hull
structure - two of 3/8" (9mm) and three of 1/4" (6mm). Frames and
longitudinals are made up from hardwood or softwood.
Spoonbill is intended as a dual-purpose vessel. She sails well
with the recommended sprit-boom rig shown, but the transom will
accept an outboard motor and her completely open interior can be
fitted out with loose chairs as a river launch, ideal for sedate
family outings or fishing trips. An electric outboard is the ideal
means of propulsion. Under sail, her ability to go to windward
comes from her two long 3" (76mm) bilge keels, which also give her
excellent directional stability.
With an overall tent cover, there is ample space for two people
to sleep in comfort; being flat-bottomed, the boat can readily be
run ashore for a peaceful night.
Buoyancy is built in beneath the bow and stern decks, and should
enable Spoonbill (like her sisters in the range) to comply with the
requirements of the EC Directive on Recreational Craft if
necessary.
Illustrated instructions are keyed to the plans.
"... ... handled well ... ... spacious and comfortable&an
ideal craft to sail with friends for a picnic ... ideal fishing
boat, or river launch."
Classic Boat, March 1998
"It's a tempting proposition."
Practical Boat Owner, May 1998
" ... this remarkable craft ... "
Water Craft, March/April 1998

Spoonbill
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Spoonbill - is ideal for quiet relaxation
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Spoonbill - prefabricated components laid out flat
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Spoonbill - the bottom panel goes on in one piece
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Spoonbill - can be rowed
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Spoonbill - can be motored
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Spoonbill - can be sailed
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Shoveler
The smallest boat in the fleet; a beamy but compact pram dinghy
with a spacious interior, she offers overnight accommodation for
the single-hander when a tent cover is fitted. Sails well with her
twin bilge keels, rows well, and tows well.
Dimensions: 3.0m x 1.4m ( 9' 9" x 4' 8")
Hull weight: 47kg (103lbs) Sail area: 5.3 sq m (57 sq ft)
Plans: £25 post free (£27 outside
Europe)
Shoveler is, like the duck for which she is named, most at home
in lakes, ponds, rivers, and the upper reaches of tidal estuaries.
She is a flat-bottomed pram dinghy with the unusual feature of twin
bilge keels instead of daggerboard or centreplate, and this gives
her a remarkably roomy interior for a boat of her compact overall
dimensions. She is light enough to be carried on the roof of the
average family car.
Shoveler has comfortable sprawling space for two adults, but if
tented over makes a minimum cruiser for the single-hander. Her long
bilge keels give her the feel of a much bigger boat; she tacks well
under oars or sail, and goes to windward in very shallow water with
her endplate rudder.
Construction is similar to other boats in the range - ? (6mm)
plywood is the hull material, and only three sheets are needed.
Rigidity is provided by the solid gunwales and chines, with
buoyancy built in fore and aft.
She can be easily rigged with a lugsail or spritsail, perhaps
boomless for simplicity and to spare the crew? heads! A small
outboard can be clamped to the transom.
"What could be simpler for a first boat - or a first
boatbuilding project?"
Water Craft, March 1998
"A good boat for children to learn to sail in, or as a
general-purpose tender & easy to use and practical both under
sail and oar."
Classic Boat, March 1997

Shoveler
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Shoveler (lug-rigged) - shows her paces
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Shoveler - gets away from it all
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Shoveler - and her sisters are easily launched
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Shoveler - a home-built sailing off Antigua, photograph courtesy of
Steve Mearns
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To order
PLANS WILL BE SENT BY RETURN ON RECEIPT OF REMITTANCE (IN
STERLING, PLEASE)
To order plans, or for more details on any of the above, contact
by fax, mail, or telephone:
Conrad Natzio,
15 Lanyard Place,
Woodbridge,
Suffolk,
IP12 1FE
United Kingdom
Telephone/fax: +44 (0) 1394 383491 |