SuitsUs was my first boat to build back in 2000.  It was a 14′ Stevenson Pocket Cruiser that was very easy to build, very roomy, and very stable.  The wide flat bottom gave it the stability but also was a liability in chop where the bottom would pound like a drum.  Setting a pattern that would follow throughout my boatbuilding, I didn’t exactly stick with the plans.  When I first built the boat I used leeboards instead of bilgeboards and increased the sail area including the area of the jib.  Later, I modified the boat by increasing the area of the cockpit through the use of a bridge deck and eliminated the headsail in favor of a traditional catboat rig.  I ended up selling this boat after many years of enjoyment due to my move from Ohio to Georgia.

I have been using the Florida 120 facebook too keep people updated on my boatbuilding but that isn’t really what it is for.  Several folks have requested a blog so here it is. The purpose of this Blog is to share my adventures in building and sailing boats.  I built my first boat, a Stevenson Design Pocket Cruiser, back in 2000 and haven’t stopped building since.  It is very addictive and a wonderful way to spend the cold months of the year.  Since the Pocket Cruiser I have built 13 boats but the 14′ Pocket Cruiser is still my biggest.  The boats I have built are summarized in following posts.