Founded in 1997 by Pete Greenfield, previously editor of Classic Boat and The Boatman, WaterCraft magazine is an independent international bi-monthly. It’s aimed at the boat enthusiasts who want to do it, not dream about it, presenting appealing boat designs from around the world and practical articles about all aspects of boatbuilding, in the boatyard and in the backyard. WaterCraft regularly features wooden boats and ‘green’ boats, with plans for home boatbuilders in every issue. WaterCraft looks at tradition for information, not replication and to the future for inspiration and innovation.

Some readers try to have their boats afloat by the time the May/June is in the shops, that’s 23 April this year – where they find many of our subscribers waiting for them.

• RITORNO ALLA VOGALONGA – Kathy Mansfield looks forward to Sunday 24 May, when over 2000 rowers from across Europe will return for the annual row around Venice: Click to see

• TURNING THE TIDE – Daniel Caparrós Torres extends his survey of traditional wooden boat building in Spain to the coasts of Andalucía: Click to see

• PUFFINS TREK – Diego Le Grelle tells Cat Holman how he launched his company selling and hiring out British-built dinghies for affordable cruising in Brittany: Click to see

• BUILDING YOUR OWN 19’ (5.8m) OUTBOARD LAUNCH – Paul Gartside sends full plans for a ‘sensible’ boat designed for family outings and fishing on Swiss lakes and rivers: Click to see

• TENT OF DREAMS – There are old affordable boats, too good for the breakers, just waiting for the right restorers, writes Matt Lis of Woodbridge & Waldringfield Boatyards: Click to see

• BERT’S ‘POP-UP’ BOATYARD – Dutch boatbuilding teacher Bert van Baar recalls a 9-week project, building a Swedish Eka workboat in a back street of old Amsterdam: Click to see

• CLASSIC ELECTRIC – Still in the Netherlands, Delftship designer Martijn van Engeland devises an ingenious conversion to the outboard of his 50s US-style runabout: Click to see

• PLUS… 

Boatbuilder Colin Henwood celebrates the Thames Traditional Boat Festival • Andrew Wolstenholme reviews Paul Heiney’s Shore Guide to the Netherlands • Moray MacPhail’s series on refining old rigs considers mainsheet options • French designer François Vivier recreates a Ukrainian Lotca for rowing the Danube • Ian Nicolson adds extra berths with homemade pipecots • And Joel Walker’s young family really did mean to go to sea.