Taking everything into consideration an over all length of 13 feet 6 inches was decided upon. The water line length as shown on the plans is 11 feet 9 inches; the breadth is 4 feet 1 inch; and the draft of the hull with center board up and rudder un-hung is 5 inches. The freeboard at the bow is 1 foot 8 1/2 inches; the least freeboard, 1 foot 1 1/2 inches and the freeboard at the stern, 1 foot 5 inches. So it will be seen that Alone is a burdensome little boat and one which has considerable seakeeping ability. When completed I think you will find the weight of the boat with its rig will come to something less than 195 pounds; this provided the weights of construction are kept to the materials and dimensions shown on the plans.

The lug-sail plan has many obvious advantages. Not least of these is the short lengths of all three spars; all will stow inside the boat. The mast is only 11 feet long and 2 1/2 inches in diameter; if it is made of spruce it can easily be stepped or unstepped while the boat is in the water. There is no standing rigging, none is required. A single halyard in one part raises and lowers the sail. The sail area is very modest for a boat of this size, 54 square feet, and for this reason the running rigging does not require double purchase.

Alone is not expected to be a fast boat; however she will be an easy one to sail and a very safe one as well. In fact for poking into all kinds of secluded bays, creeks, and rivers she will afford an owner rewards far greater than if she was over rigged and over fancy. An owner with plenty of time might very well cruise in her from Maine to Florida and enjoy every moment of the time so spent, and at a cost negligible in comparison to the interest, pleasure and health received.

From the standpoint of simplicity and shipshape charm there is a great deal to be said for the accompanying design. For those fortunate boat lovers who have the ability to build their own little ship she is ideal: and for those boat men that do not have the knack of using tools, the skiff Alone can be built by a professional builder at a figure that is within the modest means of most of us. There is no pretense or grandeur about the lines, arrangement, sail plan and character of the useful little packet whose plans grace these pages. There is, however, a certain dignity and worth-while-ness about this lug sail rigged skiff and I hope her air of usefulness reflects the unusual amount of time I have spent on her design. Because here are plans of a boat which will give the utmost in summertime pleasure for the least in time and money spent in its production and for its maintenance.