Selway Fisher Design

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Selway Fisher Design

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Over 50 years of yacht and boat design, offering almost 500 plans ranging from canoes to yachts and steam launches.

Selway Fisher was started in 1982 after I had worked for almost 10 years in the design offices of McGruers and Silvers on the Gareloch (Clyde) to offer a yacht and boat design service for the home boatbuilding enthusiast modern wood and epoxy methods (stitch & tape, Cedar Strip Planking, Cold Moulding and Clinker/Ply). Most of the designs in our catalogue are individual commissions and cover canoes, dinghies, dayboats, pocket cruisers, yachts, motorboats and steam launches.
9 manuals written by Paul Fisher are also available from our web site describing the different methods of construction as well as sail making and model boat making. Paul is happy to discuss your individual boat design needs.

05/10/2026

Just received these photos of Matthew Hyde-Edwards' Selway Fisher 10' Outboard Motor Canoe finished and in the water.
Matthew modified her by taking 150mm off the length so that she would fit the stern davits of his motor cruiser and raked the transom slightly. So he now has a multi-role tender for rowing, paddling, motoring and sailing.
Further photos and details can be seen at https://www.selway-fisher.com/Mcanoe.htm

28/09/2026

On page 37 of the latest edition of 'Funnel' from the Steam Boat Association of GB is this photo of two of my steam launch designs together at the Bristol Harbour Festival. Both boats were built by Mike Bell. In the foreground is Annabelle one of my Edwardian 26 launches stretched by Mike to 30' and behind her is the 26'8" Michelle which I designed for Mike in 2012.
And in the background of course, is the S.S. Great Britain.
Both launches are strip planked and details and further photos can be seen on my Steam Launches 20' to 30' page - https://www.selway-fisher.com/Steam2030.htm

21/09/2026

Roger Wickham's Mk2 Selway Fisher 22' LOD Kittiwake Canoe Yawl is making good progress with the hull and much of the deck work complete. Construction is stitch and tape or, as in Roger's boat, clinker ply with the building jig forming the permanent framework for the boat.
Interestingly, because she is double ended, auxiliary propulsion will be two E Propulsion 1Kw pods working in wells each side of the cockpit which can be shut off flush with the hull when sailing.
Further details and construction photos can be seem at https://www.selway-fisher.com/Yacht2024.htm

14/09/2026

'Lady Lou' is Peter Sabire's Selway Fisher 17'3" Gdansk dayboat.
The Gdansk was based on the Puck double ender which I drew up in 1991 based loosely on traditional Polish fishing boats of the Baltic which were renowned for their seakeeping qualities. For the Gdansk version I added a transom to give more cockpit space.
Construction is stitch and tape in 9mm ply and I gave her a sprit rig with jib although several have been built using second hand gunter rigs to keep costs down.
Further details and photos can be seen at https://www.selway-fisher.com/DoubleEs.htm

07/09/2026

Peter Dalby has converted his standard plywood 15'4" F***y the Fantail Launch with it's inboard engine and rudder etc to outboard power with the Mercury15 in a well and with a bit of re-ballasting, is very happy with the result.
The last 3 photos show Mable as she was with the inboard drive.
More details and photos of the F***y Launch can be seen at https://www.selway-fisher.com/McClassic.htm

01/09/2026

Photos of a Selway Fisher 14' Kingfisher built by David Ace from a Jack Chippendale kit in the year 2000 and now based in France.
I developed the Kingfisher design with Jack back in 1995 as a modern stitch and tape family fun dayboat/dinghy. The kit is no longer available but plans are.
The plans eventually included an alternative yawl rig with short bowsprit. Additional drawings were then completed to give an alternative schooner bow - further photos and details can be seen at https://www.selway-fisher.com/GPDinghyover13.htm

24/08/2026

I first designed the 15' Hazel Guide Bateau way back in 1983 well before the advent of home computers and design software. Construction was for traditional clinker/lapstrake construction.
A decade later I modelled the Hazel on the computer and faired the lines and produced up to date mould shapes for clinker construction followed by the plank shapes for stitch & tape construction.
These photos show a very nice recently built example by Dave Wentworth of the Heritage Coast Sailing and Rowing, Inc., Tawas City, USA using clinker ply.
Further photos and details can be seen at https://www.selway-fisher.com/Rowskiffs.htm

17/08/2026

Scott Herrick built his Selway Fisher 11'6" Little Kate open canoe (5 plank version) with longer decking and floatation/storage and is seen here trialling her at Belews Lake in North Carolina - a rig will be added later. Construction is lightweight stitch and tape using 4mm plywood.
More details and photos of the Little Kate can be seen at https://www.selway-fisher.com/Opcan15.htm

11/08/2026

Just added new photos and an updated set of plans for the Highlander 9 dinghy updated to a Mk2 version - go to https://www.selway-fisher.com/index.htm and scroll down to the 'List of Latest Site Updates'.

Address

24 Lancaster Drive
Melksham
GL155SL

Website

http://www.selway-fisher.com/, https://www.selway-fisher.com/blog_&_latest_news.htm

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