Double Ender Down Under

I would never dare alter a design by someone clearly much more capable, experienced and talented than I am, especially when that person is John Welsford, boat designer supreme. But Peter Murton in Nelson, New Zealand, has bravely done just that.

He decided John's elegant rowing boat Joansa would make an even more elegant double ender, so he simply went ahead and built it. He writes: 

"I just used the bow sections of John's drawings. The centre frame was the center of the boat. Next time I would make two centre frames and space them 600mm apart so you end up with a boat about 5.3m long. She is a lot lighter without the transom at about 75lb and still rows very well.
Our next boat is going to be a double ended Whitehall, 17ft long with sliding seat and outriggers."
The result is a lovely looking boat, and it probably goes a bit faster without the transom as well as being lighter.