Rhode Runner

Product Description

The Rhode Runner is a 1950s-style wooden runabout, updated to use modern rapid construction techniques for builders at home.

Chesapeake Light Craft designed this small runabout to echo the grace of the post-war Lyman and Chris Craft runabouts. The deep sheer line is unusual in a retro runabout – she looks almost Norwegian at idle speed.

It is a smooth-running powerboat that is light, durable and fast, thanks to its modern plywood and fibreglass composite construction. The CNC-cut panels are assembled using the stitch-and-glue method to naturally form the correct hull shape, without needing any sort of building mould. The topsides use CLC's LapStitch™ construction for a classic clinker appearance, while the bottom panels form a smooth v-shape with 12.5° of deadrise at the transom. The plywood panels are sheathed in transparent fibreglass to produce a stiff and strong hull.

The boat is named after the Rhode River, where CLC have launched many of their new prototypes over the years.

The boat is well-behaved in general and doesn't skid in turns. She isn't much slowed by a crew of three adults, either. In trials we saw 24 mph (just under 21 knots) with a 25 HP motor.

Read a review of the Rhode Runner in Small Boats magazine.

The kit includes CNC-milled grooves in the plywood deck for gluing in dark sapele strips to evoke the decking of traditional runabouts. The kit is available with integral wooden seats or without seats, for those who prefer aftermarket seats.

As one of CLC's ProKit range, this kit is not recommended for first-time builders. The building instructions are aimed at confident builders who have already completed a couple of stitch-and-glue boats. The complete kit can be assembled in 250-300 hours. Full-size plans are also available for builders who prefer to cut out the panels from scratch.

The kit includes:

• Pre-cut okoume plywood panels with pre-cut joints and pre-drilled tie holes
• Solid Sapele for outwales, floorboards, foredeck accent strips and seat trim
• Solid Douglas Fir for sheerclamps, carlins, deck beams and cleats
• Epoxy resin and activator
• Epoxy fillers
• Copper ties
• Woven glass fabric
• Woven glass tape
• Building guide
• Free technical support from a competent builder

The windscreen, steering wheel, throttle and other engine controls are not included.

What else do I need?

This kit weighs a lot and requires a specialised courier. The price of delivery will vary with your address. You are, of course, very welcome to collect the kit from our Lake District workshop.

Steering package

The steering package includes:

• A rotary steering system featuring a planetary gear helm gear, providing a more balanced steering effort
• A universal steering cable with stainless steel output fittings (O/B connecting arm not included)
• A stainless steel steering wheel
• A plastic spinner control knob that clamps to the wheel

Hull hardware package

The hull hardware package includes:

• Stainless steel half-oval rubrails
• Stainless steel skene bow chocks
• Stainless steel bow cleat
• Stainless steel stern cleats
• Stainless steel bow eye
• 2 stainless steel transom eyes
• Fixings for the above

Windscreen package

The windscreen package includes:

• Three cast mounting brackets (unpolished)
• CNC cut acrylic windscreen panels (smoke grey)
• Rubber gasket material
• Installation hardware

Motor mount pads

Inner and outer pads to protect the transom where the motor clamps are fastened. These pads are CNC cut to match the mounting area on the Rhode Runner transom. They are made from black Starboard, a hard-wearing polymer designed for marine conditions.

Plans and building guide

The building guide is the same one that is included in the kit. It is 34 pages and well illustrated in full colour. Please note that, as a CLC Pro Kit, the building guide for this boat assumes prior knowledge of stitch-and-glue techniques.

The plans include full-size drawings for every part in the boat. The plans and building guide contain sufficient information on the cutting of the panels to make it possible to build the boat from scratch rather than a kit.

PDF plans and building guide

This option is to download the complete plans and manual for building the Rhode Runner in PDF format. You will need access to a printer/plotter capable of printing sheets up to 36″ × 240″ (914 × 6096 mm) in order to build the boat using these plans.

After credit card authorisation a download link will be sent to the email address put on the order form.

Building guide

This is intended for pre-build study or to help with the decision to purchase the kit. Reading this building guide will help you decide whether or not you can build the boat kit. It is the building guide that accompanies the kit. If, later, you decide to purchase the kit the cost of this printed building guide will be deducted from the kit price.

This building guide does not contain the plans of the panels with the cutting instructions so it is not possible to build the boat from scratch using only these instructions.

PDF building guide

The building guide for the boat is also available as a PDF download. After credit card authorisation a download link will be sent to the email address put on the order form.

PDF study plans

These study plans are intended to give you an overview of the construction of the boat. They are in PDF format that can be viewed using Adobe Reader. There are four pages and they measure 914 × 610 mm (36″ × 24″). They can be printed for carrying around.

After credit card authorisation the plans will be sent to the email address put on the order form.

When you have studied the plans, your next step might be to order the printed building guide, which will walk you through the project step-by-step.