Selway-Fisher’s Mandarin 15’ & 17’

Selway-Fisher has a large collection boat plans, including many rowing designs.  One of the designs is the Mandarin, in both a 15’ (4.6m) and 17’ (5.2m) version. The versions are virtually identical except for length and interior arrangement of seats and oar locks.

Specifications for 15' and 17' Mandarin

Mandarin 15'

• Length: 15' (4.6 m)
• Beam: 45" (1143 mm)
• Weight: 75 pounds (34 kg)
• Hull Mid Depth: 1' 2" (356 mm)
• Draft: 4.5" (114 mm)
• Water Line Length: 13' 11" (4.2 m)
• Water Line Width: 37" (940 mm)
• WLL/WLW Ratio: 4.5:1
• Hull Speed: 5 knots, 9.3 kph, 5.8 mph

Mandarin 17'

• Length: 17' (5.2 m)
• Beam: 45" (1143 mm)
• Weight: 85 pounds (39 kg)
• Hull Mid Depth: 1' 2" (356 mm)
• Draft: 4.5" (114 mm)
• Water Line Length: 16' 0" (4.9 m)
• Water Line Width: 37" (940 mm)
• WLL/WLW Ratio: 5.2:1
• Hull Speed: 5.4 knots, 10.0 kph, 6.2 mph

Construction:

Both boats can be built three different ways (plans support all three):

1.    Stitch and glue with plywood planks

2.    Carvel planked on frames with plywood planks

3.    Strip planked with solid wood on frames modified to eliminate flat spots.

Overview of the plans for the Mandarin 15' (top) and 17' [Drawings source]:

15' Mandarine

 

17' Mandarine

Owner Views

Video of a Mandarin 17 rowing.

An interesting capability of the Mandarin 15 is that she can be built in two halves, split at the center seat.

Mandarin 15' Half

Bill Martin built his 17' version using strip planking...

Bill Martin's 17' Strip Built Mandarin...

...and Interior View

Paul Kirwin's Mandarin 17 Beautifully Fitted Out (including a needlepoint cushion)

A Mandarin 17 in Light Chop

Conversion to an Oar Cruiser:

• Add 2 bulkheads (with water-proof access hatches) separated by 7' (2134mm), centered in the hull to provide a cockpit and sleeping area.
• Provide decking to create a 5' (1524mm) long cockpit opening, approximately 2' (610mm) wide.
• Add a 4" (102 mm) coaming on all sides of the cockpit opening.
• Add cross-slatted floor boards that span the bottom 4 planks for the full length of the cockpit.
• Provide foot braces and a rowing seat that would lock into the floor boards.
• Add temporary shelter to provide protection in inclement weather.

Summary-Pros:

• Large enough to provide storage space for equipment and supplies.
• Narrow hulls with minimum wetted surface (due to 'round bottom' design) and high WLL:WLW ratio (4.5:1 and 5.2:1) result in higher cruising speed than many Oar Cruisers.
• Low windage.

Summary-Cons:

• Longer build time than other plywood panel-built boats.
• Depending upon which build method is used, weight of boat will vary.