NOW AVAILABLE: AROHA Building Plans & Kits

An Elegant, Efficient Classic Power Boat for Coastal Cruising

AROHA is a design collaboration between Peter Sewell, Brooklin Boat Yard, and Off Center Harbor. Adapted from the New Zealand boat WHIO, the design can now be built in your own shop from either:
 
1) The set of plans and a kit that contains: the building jig, frames, bulkheads, etc.,
OR…
2) The set of plans and a set of full-size mylar patterns

NOTE: All three items are purchased separately as described below.

TWO PATHS TO TAKE

There are two options/paths to choose from in building this boat. You can:

  • Purchase the plans set and the CNC kit (purchased separately, and no need for the extra “set of full-size mylar patterns”)
  • Purchase the plans set and the full-size mylar patterns (purchased separately below, for those who prefer to build “from scratch” with no kit)
  • Note: there is no table of offsets in the plans, so either the kit or the set of full-size mylar patterns are needed along with the plans set

PLANS SET – $349 plus shipping:

The Set of Plans can be purchased via a simple checkout below, and include 7 pages of paper plans along with one mylar with patterns for the details listed below.
The level of detail in the plans is average (the plans are beautiful, professional and thorough, but leave some smaller/aesthetic details to the choice of the experienced builder).
Photos Included — Approx. 20 photos of details of the original boat WHIO (access will be sent via email after purchase)
Materials suggestions are minimal (not an exhaustive list)
One 36″x72″ mylar is included with full-size mylar patterns for the following:

    • Stem & cap, including keelson forefoot
    • Aft portion of skeg
    • Stern post & cap
    • Deck beams
    • Aft corner of cockpit coaming
    • Forward outline of cockpit coaming
    • Portlights
    • Breasthooks

     

    CNC KIT – $6,450 plus shipping & any applicable taxes

    Kits of the plywood pieces, pre-cut, can be ordered from Off Center Harbor. CLICK HERE to fill out an inquiry form to ask questions and/or initiate your order. Kits ship within 4 weeks and often quicker, on a first-come-first-served basis. Please see what parts come with the kit, and what extra plywood is needed below.

    Plans sets are not included with the kit and must be purchased separately (see above paragraph on “Plans Set”).

    International Orders: Kits can be ordered from Off Center Harbor and cut in a variety of locations around the world from our trusted partners who cut and ship the kit, including: the U.S. (East Coast and West Coast), Canada, UK/Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Please CLICK HERE to fill out the inquiry form to see if kits can be cut nearby you and delivered to your location. Please note that the sales price is for the kit only and does not include any applicable taxes/GST. Please note that the kit can ONLY be produced by OCH’s trusted partners and having digital files sent to another CNC shop near you is not an option.

    The kit has been created by Brooklin Boat Yard (BBY) and Off Center Harbor (two organizations that have worked together almost daily for ten years). No ordinary skiff kit, this kit is designed by Will Sturdy at Brooklin Boat Yard, who is well-known for the highly efficient and user-friendly setups and components used by boatbuilders at BBY. The kit employs the leading-edge stringer-frame construction method, with the strongback and other components all fitting together with tabs that lock into one another. This methodology increases accuracy, while dramatically reducing the time required in getting the boat’s structure setup for building. Notches for the backbone and stringers are pre-cut as well, so you’ll save hundreds of hours in the setup and begin planking much sooner with much more accurate molds.

    Here is Will Sturdy’s visual representation of what you could have set up in relatively short order after purchasing the kit:

     

    Here’s Will Sturdy’s animation of the 3D model of AROHA:

     

    The kit will include pre-cut pieces of certified BS1088 plywood and Advantech (or similar material), all shipped on a pallet in 8′ sections:

    • Strongback – 3 longitudinals (Advantech or similar)
    • Temporary molds (Advantech or similar)
    • Pilothouse top click-in jig (Advantech or similar)
    • Frames
    • Bulkheads
    • Floors
    • Engine bed stringers
    • Bunk front stringers
    • Steering shelf & doubler
    • Quadrant

    EXTRA PLYWOOD FOR PLANKING, HOUSE SIDES, COAMINGS, etc. (check for current price):

    Some builders prefer to purchase their marine plywood locally, but often the local supply is not so good. So the extra plywood needed for planking, house sides, coamings, cabin sole and any other plywood parts beyond those listed above is also available as a separate item from the kit. This package is definitely available in the U.S. and may also be available from our international CNC partners depending upon your location. If you’d like to order the extra plywood for planking/etc., simply send us an email letting us know you’d like the Extra Plywood for AROHA to support@OffCenterHarbor.com and we’ll reply with the current price (plywood prices are fluctuating these days). If you choose to purchase, we’ll send you an invoice that includes shipping cost and get the order under way. 

    To Order Kits:. Again, kits can be ordered directly from Off Center Harbor. To order: CLICK HERE to fill out an inquiry form to ask questions and/or initiate your order.

    SET OF FULL SIZE MYLAR PATTERNS – $499:

    This mylar set is not included in the plans set and can be purchased below via a simple checkout.
    This set of mylar patterns is needed along with the Set of Plans if you are building from scratch without the kit. They are an alternative to the CNC Kit and enable an experienced builder to build the boat along with the Plans Set above. If you purchase the kit, you wouldn’t need this set of full-size mylar patterns.

    Mylar Sheets – 2 sheets 36″x 107″ each

    Includes full size patterns on mylar for the following:

    • Frames
    • Bulkheads
    • Floors
    • Temporary molds
    • Pilothouse top jig
    • Engine bed stringers
    • Steering shelf & doubler
    • Quadrant

    WHY THIS BOAT?:

    Simply put, we love this boat. But it’s also very unique/different. In a world where boats are almost always a combination of trade-offs and compromises, it’s rare to find a design that is both stunning to look at from every angle and also a great performer. Usually it’s one or the other, or some percentage of one versus the other, but this design maximizes beauty, speed, efficiency and seaworthiness.

    It’s no wonder — her original lines were developed by Peter Sewell in New Zealand, surrounded by a host of seafaring friends with significant knowledge. The new version AROHA takes the New Zealand seafaring pedigree and adds the expertise of Off Center Harbor and Brooklin Boat Yard. The result — plans and a kit for a boat that can be built relatively easily. Once we saw this boat, we just knew this had to be done, and bottom line, we just want to see more of these boats out there on the water.

    THE NEW NAME “AROHA”:

    This beautiful, complex and simple boat calls for a name that evokes her unique qualities of form and function. So for a name we turned to the native New Zealand Maori word AROHA (Ah-Row’-Ha), a simple word that is commonly used to mean love, but according to Maori culture it also has deeper and more complex meanings that include” “encompasses the breath of life and the creative force of the spirit, and it assumes that the universe is abundant and that there are more opportunities than people.”

    SPECIFICATIONS:

    LOA – 29′ 10″
    LWL – 29′ 1″
    Beam – 7′ 0″
    Draft – 23-1/2″ @ DWL
    Displacement @ DWL – 3,660 lbs.
    Hull Construction – Cold-molded skin over a stringer frame (multiple layer diagonal planking)
    Suitable For – Inland waterways and coastal cruising
    Trailerable – Yes (behind an SUV or half-ton pickup for example)
    Propulsion – Beta 38 (38hp Marine Diesel Engine / Electric Drive Is An Option and Well Suited)
    Speed – Up to 16 knots; cruising comfortably at 12 (Pete’s special prop may increase top speed)
    Skill Level Required – Experienced Amateur or Professional

    MODIFICATIONS FROM WHIO TO AROHA:

    The primary modifications from the original WHIO to the new AROHA design are the following:

    • The construction style has been modified to take advantage of more efficient and approachable stringer frame construction with planking made from multiple diagonal layers of plywood.
    • The propulsion system has been revised to retain her exceptional performance while using a stock marine diesel engine, off-the-shelf propeller (if desired), and a standardized shaft line system (we expect to make Peter’s original custom propeller available for purchase as well).
    • The skeg has been modified to provide protection for the prop and easier trailering

    PETE’S PROPELLER:

    Many of those purchasing plans for AROHA have expressed interest in purchasing a custom propeller similar to the propeller that Pete made for WHIO (you can click here to see a video about this propeller). We anticipate creating custom propellers to Pete’s design specifically suited for the new AROHA and making that propeller available for purchase. This unusually efficient prop matched to the power plant and hull is one of the most intriguing things about this boat. The prop for AROHA will be slightly different than WHIO’s due to the smaller space available, but performance and characteristics should be very similar. When we have more specific information and/or the prop becomes available for purchase, we’ll post that information here.

    DETAIL & SUPPORT MATERIAL AVAILABLE (Or Not):

    While the plans are unusually thorough for this type of boat, some of the details are left for the experienced builder to figure out based on photos of WHIO that are included with the “Plans Set.” A complete video series on how to build this boat from beginning to end is currently being released. A forum for builders of this boat has also been created. Aside from all these helpful resources, it’s important for potential AROHA builders to know that OCH does not have the resources to provide one-on-one support or advice to accompany the plans and kit. We expect builders not to require hand-holding.