Lasse 21

The Lasse 21 is a modernised version of the traditional flat-bottomed boats of the island of Oléron, known as « lasses ». The island of Oléron is located near La Rochelle, an historic port that is now the centre of building recreational boats in France. The island faces the mouth of the Charente river and the harbour of Rochefort, where the Hermione, a superb replica of an 18th-century frigate, was built. Lasses were used for fishing and especially for oyster farming in the coureaux, the shallow area between the coast and the islands of Ré and Oléron.
We have made the following main modifications to the traditional lasses:

• Modern plywood-epoxy construction to reduce weight and make the boat transportable and easy to launch and recover from a trailer.Construction contreplaqué-époxy moderne pour réduire le poids et rendre le bateau transportable et facile à mettre à l’eau avec une remorque.
• Water ballast to compensate for the reduction in weight and restore sea-keeping characteristics consistent with the boat’s shape.
• A practical well for an outboard motor, which allows it to be raised so as not to leave the propeller in the water if the boat remains at anchor for a long time. This also places the propeller ahead of the rudder which greatly improves maneuverability. In addition, the motor handle is within reach of the helmsman.
• A watertight self-draining cockpit: the boat can be left in the water for as long as desired, with only a few litres to pump out on return. At sea, rain and spray are collected in a bilge recess. This combines the advantages of a self-draining cockpit with the comfort of an open boat, where the crew remains well protected « inside » the boat.
• The option to add a sprayhood aft of the mast, for shelter from rain, spray and sun. With the addition of a canvas « door » at the rear of the sprayhood it provides a suitably private space for a chemical toilet.

We have attached great importance to safety, going beyond the regulatory requirements. Capsizing is always possible on an open boat, even one as stable as the Lasse 21. The layout of the buoyancy compartments and the spaces that can be flooded, as well as the centreboard that can be locked in the down position, prevent the boat from completely capsizing. This allows it to be righted provided that the crew does not prevent this by remaining on the lower wrong side.

The Lasse 21 is therefore a simple, seaworthy and practical boat, ideal for family outings or fishing with its great stability and spacious interior. It is also very easy to build for amateur boatbuilders. Μthe Lasse’s shallow draft is especially suited to explore shallow warers and its flat bottom makes it easy to launch and recover from a road trailer.

The first Lasse 21 was built about fifteen years ago in its region of origin. Its simple shape made it possible to provide dimensioned drawings. The lofting, consisting mainly of straight lines, is simpler for the scratch builder. However, I recently received an order from an American amateur builder who was attracted by this plan but preferred to take advantage of today’s technology, and have all the plywood parts on a CNC machine. The plans have therefore been adapted and improved so both options remain possible. And, most importantly, a construction manual in English is now available. Like all my recent or revised plans, the construction manual consists mainly of numerous views of a 3D model, illustrating each steps of construction.