The Didi Mini is a plywood and cold-molded racing cruiser. It is 21 feet 4 inches long with a beam of 9’10" and displaces about 2400 pounds. You’re looking at, frankly, a "rocket ship" under construction. These boats are almost unbelievably FAST. Here’s Dudley Dix’s page on his Didi Mini design, well worth your time to peruse! dixdesign.com/didimini.htm
The students in instructor Bruce Blatchley’s 2010 Contemporary (wood composite) course built this boat. Simon is cutting a scarf joint by hand using a block plane to trim the "ramp" in this picture.
We built this boat for a local owner here on the Peninsula, who elected to have the cruising version built. The cruising version has a bigger, more comfortable cabin and a lower mast, which makes it easier for the weekend sailor and cruiser to handle.
The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding is located in Port Hadlock WA and is a private, accredited non-profit vocational school. Our mission is to teach and preserve the fine art of wooden boatbuilding and traditional maritime crafts.
You can find us on the web at www.nwboatschool.org . You can reach us via e-mail at info@nwboatschool.org or by calling us at 360-385-4948.
