Building the Tubby Tug

I mentioned that it takes at least two and preferably three or four adults to move the boat on and off a pickup truck bed, since hull and cabin together weigh about 200 pounds. This isn't very practical for launching, so we purchased a jet ski trailer and I shimmed up the bunk boards with 2x4's so the bottom of the boat is well above the trailer fenders. With this arrangement I can launch and recover the boat myself, and I would recommend it to anyone who is "short handed". I guess you could rig something with ramps and rollers from a pickup bed if you don't want to spend the money on buying or building a trailer.

The name was a big area of indecision too. We always viewed the boat as being for Emily, and belonging to her - but she is still too young to name it herself. We always knew the right name would come to us if we waited long enough, and that's what happened. When I first brought the boat to the local marina for "sea trials" (without Emily - would you put a two year old in an untested boat?), a small crowd gathered. Some of the onlookers were a bit confused, I guess because they had never seen anything like it and don't have children of their own. I kept on having to explain that it was a kid's boat and for my daughter, not for me. By the time I got home, I had an idea for a name based on this experience - my wife agreed, and we named the boat "Kid Stuff!", at least until Emily picks another name.

In terms of fitting out, I put in a ship's bell which Emily and other kids can ring, and this year I plan to put in an 18 inch wood ship's wheel we bought in an online auction, just for pretend. The 2 hp Honda doesn't lend itself well to any kind of remote steering setup, and most kids who would enjoy being in Kid Stuff! are too young to be allowed to pilot the boat without an adult anyway, so we're going to stick with the tiller on the outboard for real steering. I might also rig up a little steam whistle - the model type - that can be run off a compressed air tank.

Two questions I've often been asked are, how much did it cost and how long did it take? I really can't answer these questions easily since I didn't keep track of either - I worked on the boat when I had some spare time and bought things as needed. I think someone could build the boat for as little as $200 if they used the cheapest materials they could find, like luan underlayment for the hull and hem-fir 2x material for the cabin, but the result wouldn't last very long or look very good, in my opinion. The luan might not even take the curves without cracking - I certainly wouldn't advise using it for the hull. Using ACX fir would bump the durability up a lot without the cost of marine grade plywood - maybe that's a good middle ground. I didn't consider it because I didn't think it would finish well bright. But the choice is yours.

As far as how long it takes, that's such a subjective thing - it depends so much on your skills, your experience, what tools you have, what options you choose, where you build, and how many other distractions you have in your life. I'll take a chance and say at the very least 200 hours, and that's if you can work full-time in a well equipped boatshop (I could do neither, so it took a lot longer). But I'll also say that if you like the design and want to build it, don't worry about how long it will take.

What's it like to cruise in a Tubby Tug? Well, from the adult perspective, it's a little like being a kid again, at least for me. Everything is kid size, although not uncomfortably so. You're down pretty close to the water and usually have to look up at the "real" boats, so that reinforces the feeling of being a youngster. The high freeboard makes it hard for the smaller kids to get in and out, so it's best for a grownup to hoist them. The high freeboard also catches the wind when it's blowing, but that doesn't make handling particularly difficult and I think it lends a secure feeling to small children and non-swimmers. Having a flat bottom, the hull is extremely stable, although if there are waves over about six inches, she will pound and slap heading into the wind, like any flat-bottomed boat - but kids seem to enjoy it when this happens. We had Kid Stuff! in Barnegat Bay with waves of 1 to 2 feet and never felt unsafe, but it might have gotten uncomfortable after a while. Since the hull only draws 4 inches with passengers, you can easily stay in towards shore and away from the heavily traveled channels and bigger boats.

From my perspective, the most memorable things about an excursion on Kid Stuff! are the reactions of others, just as the Glen-L description says. The effect the boat has on boys (and some girls) between the ages of 6 and 11 is amazing! I guess it's like a storybook character come to life. A lot of adults get a kick out of her too, unless they're into taking themselves and life too seriously. Inevitably, there are some people who are very impressed with the Honda 4 stroke and ask me all kinds of questions about it, while ignoring the unique boat to which it's attached. Oh well - it takes all kinds to make a world.

The real maiden voyage took place at the Toms River (New Jersey) Wooden Boat Festival in July of 1999. Kid Stuff! cruised right up among century-old steam launches, carvel planked sailing vessels and strip-planked runabouts from the 1920's, to the general delight of the attending public - many people took pictures. We were invited to stay, but couldn't because of prior commitments. We plan to visit again this summer.

To conclude, this is a very special little boat with a great deal of character. If you decide to build it, you won't ever be sorry for having created (with the wonderful help of the designer) something which gives so many people of all ages a reason to smile. And if you have kids or grandkids, you will be giving them some precious and invaluable memories of childhood. For those of you considering building a Tubby Tug (or any boat, really) but are still trying to decide if you should go ahead, let me quote Mark Twain to help you make up your minds:
"In thirty years time, you will regret the things you didn't do a lot more than the things you did."

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