Not Designed for That

Small boats being converted or used in unusual ways

Lately I’ve been fascinated by small boats pressed into roles their designers never imagined—sailboats converted to cruising powerboats, aluminum skiffs rigged with leeboards and sails, even old runabouts turned into furniture or bookshelves. Of course, some designs—especially working boats—are inherently versatile and have long been adapted to all sorts of tasks. Dories and skiffs come to mind. How about you? Have you used your boat in a way it wasn’t really designed for? Hauled lumber in a sailboat? Turned a Jet Ski into a fishing boat? Tell us about your best “misuses” and Franken-boats below.

Following are some interested examples we’ve come across.

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Here’s a Sunfish converted to a hunting boat.