Elf
Description
The Elf is a compact, versatile faering-style sailboat designed by the renowned Scottish naval architect Iain Oughtred in the late 1990s, inspired by traditional Norwegian faerings with Viking-era roots. Featured in Oughtred's extensive portfolio of lapstrake wooden boats, it's detailed in resources like The Dory Book and his biography A Life in Wooden Boats by Nic Compton (2023). The Elf is a plans-built design for amateur or professional builders, emphasizing glued lapstrake plywood construction for affordability and ease, making it an excellent first-time project. At 15 feet, it's ideal for solo or short-handed (1–2 people) rowing, sailing, or light coastal cruising in protected waters like bays, lakes, or marshes—trailerable and portable (under 200 lb. rigged). The sprit or lug rig and centerboard provide forgiving handling for beginners, while its characterful lines offer responsive performance in moderate winds (up to 10–15 knots).
The standard boat dimensions
| i | - |
|---|---|
| j | - |
| p | - |
| e | - |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
Blueprints
Sails
| Sail Type | LUGSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 7.58 ft - (2310 mm) |
| Foot | 7.83 ft - (2387 mm) |
| Leech | 10.5 ft - (3200 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 74.5 ° |
| Diag (clew/throat) | 9.33 ft - (2844 mm) |
| Head | 5.67 ft - (1728 mm) |
| Area | * 54.96 ft² |
| Sail Type | LUGSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 7.48 ft - (2280 mm) |
| Foot | 7.68 ft - (2341 mm) |
| Leech | 10.335 ft - (3150 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 75.21 ° |
| Diag (clew/throat) | 9.252 ft - (2820 mm) |
| Head | 5.741 ft - (1750 mm) |
| Area | * 54.17 ft² |
| Sail Type | SPRIT |
|---|---|
| Luff | 8 ft - (2438 mm) |
| Foot | 6.75 ft - (2057 mm) |
| Leech | 9.33 ft - (2844 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 84.92 ° |
| Diag (clew/throat) | 10 ft - (3048 mm) |
| Head | 5.58 ft - (1701 mm) |
| Area | * 52.52 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite.