I was gonna build a Great Pelican about 20 years ago, the sailing boat. I had the ply. I instead got distracted by a 28' sailboat which then led to a 25' sailboat to a 21', etc. as I've gotten older and gimpier.

After awhile I thought mebbe I'd take that 16' ply and build a shantyboat. BUT...shantyboats are ok for quiet streams but what I got here is the Willamette River, the Columbia River, Puget Sound and above. Not shantyboat waters for the most part. So I decided that what I wanted was sailboat speed, a large capacity yet seaworthy hull, and some headroom similar to a shantyboat but more boat than shanty. So I have simply had the Great Pelican hull built but with my cabin and interior. I know it seems a stretch but I based my decision partly on the GP of a friend of mine which has been all over the country from San Francisco Bay to the 'glades and up into the San Juans, large lakes, etc for a dozen years with great success both under sail and under power with the Honda 5 hp he uses for aux. He makes trips in his GP often of five moths at a time. He's a sailor who has logged over 175,000 miles in his lifetime aboard his and a variety of other's boats around the Pacific and I guess I put some faith in his opinions as time has gone along.

Time will, of course, tell whether this is folly or wisdom but cheap enough for either, I reckon.

Pic is of his boat, the Starbird.