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Go to almost any Canadian lake
and mention the word “Seaflea” to a cottager and you will
undoubtedly be greeted with a smile.  Many oldtimers remember with
fondness these homebuilt boats that became popular in the
‘70’s, and even many of the younger generation of today are
familiar with them as there has been a resurgence in their
popularity. And with good reason: these boats are relatively
simple and economical to build, they’re portable (The Minimax
weighs a scant 68 lbs allowing it to easily be pulled up on shore
or on a dock, or sometimes even transported on a car-top carrier),
they’re a great project for parent/child, they are wonderful as
a first-time boat for a young sport boat enthusiast, and they are
just plain flat-out fun when used on the water.
The Seaflea consists of two
different models: the Minimax and Minimost. A gentleman named
William D. Jackson introduced these two famous Seaflea boats back
in 1962, and plans were offered to the public through the
publication "Boat Builder's Handbook". During that era, the cost and time to build them was very
inexpensive, a mere $15 and they supposedly took 15 hours to
construct. Today to build these two skiffs is a tad more expense,
as materials have escalated in the past 43 years. There are a lot
of people (especially in the U.S.) who have never heard of these
boats, but after viewing a few photos, they showed them to their
daughters and sons and, voila, they wanted one. These boats are
not just a guy thing; you would be amazed at how many fathers have
inquired about building one, as their daughter was wanting to get
into racing. These are excellent starter boats for all youngsters
who are itching to get into racing or just scoot around the local
cottage lakes.
My first boat was a Minimost
when I was 12 years old. I started off with a 10 HP Johnson,
and then my dad, who was a boater also, saw that I was a
responsible driver and knew that I was ready so he graduated me to
an 18 HP which at that time was perfect. On the other hand, my
buddy had a Minimax and he jumped right into an 18 outboard when
he wasn’t really ready for it. Noticing the way it sat in the
water, too low at the transom, he got a little crazy one day and
flipped it, losing the engine. Thank God he was okay, but needless
to say, that ended his boating career. I had another hydro a
couple of years later, but as time passed my interests changed and
boating went on the back shelf. A few years later, my interests
came right back. I was invited to a friend’s cottage, and lying
against a tree was a Minimost. I asked him what he was going to do
with it, as it looked pretty beat up, and he told me he had
thought of having a corn roast and using it as kindling. I told
him I would supply the kindling if I could take the boat for a
project, and he was cool with that. From that point on, my
interests grew. I spoke to a few fellows who had tried to download
plans from the internet but were unable to understand some of the
measurements. I agreed with them, as you nearly have to be an
architect to read and understand the information they try to give
you. That’s when I decided to offer full size patterns and kits.
From that point on I have built quite a few of these boats. I
really  did
not think I would have much luck in replies with whatever
advertising I had done, but I was mistaken. After people had
noticed the photos, I had many fathers inquire about building one
- not only for their sons but a lot of girls were interested too.
Their dads would bring back memories of these little skiffs, and
the kids wanted in on the action also. They are a great project
for families to do together, and seem to bring them closer
together. For me, it has been a big achievement to hear of all the
compliments from the people I have met over the years who either
have built one with my patterns or had me build one for them. To
see some of the photos after completion and the view of seeing
them scoot around their cottage lake - what a thrill!
I get a lot of questions on what
the difference is between the two. The Minimost (my opinion only)
is the better of the two. There are more contours to the frame of
the "most" than the Minimax, and this allows for it to
be used in rougher water conditions. There is not much difference
in weight between the two but because there is very little contour
design in the Minimax, you basically can only use it in calmer
water conditions for fear of flipping or hitting a wave at the
wrong angle and filling the cockpit full of water. Also, the
Minimost, because of its design, will handle a larger
outboard in horsepower.
Last but not least are the
safety rules of boating. For the experienced hydroplane
enthusiasts, running either the Minimost or the  Minimax will no
doubt be like a walk-in the-park. For the inexperienced, however,
getting to know the feel and understanding its limitations will be
more of a challenge. A recent Minimost first timer, had the
unfortunate experience of too much throttle, and sitting in the
wrong spot of the cockpit for balance panicked, then went
airborne, but fortunately he was able to get the boat under
control and no harm done. Over the years of my seaflea experience
good and bad, I am passing these words of wisdom onto you:
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#3 - I personally recommend to bolt your
engine to the transom so if anything did happen, like a bigger
boat’s waves capsizes you, or any other situation arises,
you won't loose everything. Also, strap your gas tank in.
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#8 - There are plenty more things that could
be mentioned, but play safe, have fun, and check your gas
gauge periodically. Last but not least, "DON'T
DRINK AND DRIVE”
Happy Boating,
Brian Cranfield
Editor's
Note: Count me among those who have very fond memories of
these boats. I'll never forget some of those I've seen over
time, and it's great to see them make a comeback as lately I've
seen a few youngsters riding around in them having great
fun. What a fantastic project for a parent and child, and what a
great way to get started in "high performance boating"!
Brian
offers full size plans and kits for both boats. You can
contact Brian at cranfieldbrian@hotmail.com
or 905-986-4868.
- Mark
C.
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