Ever Built Your Own Boat ?

[hummingway]

I built a cedar strip canoe a bunch of years back. The design was for a 18.5' by 34" canoe but when it came off the strongback it was 20' long! Really stable even in pretty nasty weather. I got a lot of use out of it and then passed it on to someone else. The lions share of the cost was in the West System epoxy. It was work but not overwhelming. I never got tired of the project. I'm thinking about doing it again.

[Polunu880]

wow! I though I was the only sick one I have only built three dinghy's 1 kayak, 2 tri's and two cats. I think I have the building bug out of my system, now.
The real thing is if a caveman can build a boat, so can you.

[dana-tenacity]

Originally Posted by hummingway

Is that a Whitehall?

Local fella
http://www.jwboatdesigns.co.nz/plans/joansa/index.htm

[Glenn C]

After much research, I built a Roberts 36 in the late 70's - 80's from scratch. Foam sandwhich over a male mould. I did it because I wanted to go cruising, and didnt have the cash to buy what I considered necessary (inspired actually by Eric Hiscock's, Cruising Under sail....he mentions multi's in that book and suggests they may become the ultimate cruising craft. Very prophetic I think given he was writing in the early 60's ). I flirted with the idea of a cat , but ultimately went for the Ketch rigged Roberts because I thought I would have needed a cat over 40 ft, lack of designs and thought it would take too long. I wouldn't build again, but I certainly have no regrets about building from scratch. Ultimately I cruised full time for about 3 years, and eventually sold the boat in 2001, so I did get all those weekends back.

Nowadays with so many kits and more options it probably doesn't make sense time wise to build the hull, although when I was building that was where most of the cost saving were for an amatuer.

During my project I did help a mate build a paper tiger, used Klegacell foam core, and was not popular when my beloved discovered I had 'borrowed' the vaccum cleaner in an early attempt at vacuum bagging......

We do hope to have our next boat built by a semi - cudstom builder, and am really looking forward to that project.

Have a go, because you do end up knowing every inch of the boat and ultimately it is was extremely satisfying sailing my boat.

[Jmolan]

DESIGNER/BUILDER - MARPLES 35'*CC35A*TRIMARAN

Should be read by anyone considering building. After 8 years of work, it is for sale.

[Slowing Down]

I built an F9A, carbon over duracore. It took 2 years from 91-93. Building a decent sized boat is no small undertaking and I would have been money ahead buying an F-31 instead when I consider missed work/income and everything. But the F=31 wasn't available when I started and I ended up with a superior product I think. And, I'm forever proud of what I accomplished to the point of questioning whether I'd ever be able to part with it. You see, I've changed and want more creature comforts (40-45' cat) and I don't mind slowing down some. The boat that was right for me 20 years ago isn't quite right for me now.
Building a boat is a huge endeavour. Can be very rewarding and/or painful.

[s/v Beth]

My first boat was a cat with tractor tires for hulls (tied off and laid out). Don't ask for pictures of that one, as I was 14. (38 years ago) Recently I built a dingy to fit my Compac. Lots of free designs on the web. Just havta look for them. Most I have spent on one? About 200 USD.

[Microship]

It's seductive, especially if your passion is for the building at least as much as the eventual sailing. There's a deep joy in sculpting nautical shapes and conjuring systems...

But never forget that the average completion time of a homebuilt boat is 137 years.

[Red Horse]

I built a Marples CC35 estimated time two years spread over 10. It was built outside big mistake there, As I could only work on it early in the morning or evening. Not at all in the winter. I built it in the desert. Marples designs have sweet lines and are attention getters. Wish I still had it. The 37 would be better for extended cruising in my opinion.
Red Horse

[dana-tenacity]

Found a better photo of the mighty Squid

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha,
I've completed 3 but always started with someone elses castaway hull. Usually you can find someone who is willing to sell cheaply or giveaway there old project and you may get a lot more for your money than starting from scratch.
kind regards,

[SkiprJohn]

Based on a dinghy by Herreshoff from the Marco Polo. Foam stitch and glue with poly fiberglass both sides of the foam. That's when I inherited it. Just a shell.
regards,

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Based on a dinghy by Herreshoff from the Marco Polo. Foam stitch and glue with poly fiberglass both sides of the foam. That's when I inherited it. Just a shell.
regards,

I love it John. Two questions. Do yo know where the plans could be found and where did you get the mast and sail rig?

[SkiprJohn]

Boat plans are in one of L. Francis Herreshoff's books of designs under Marco Polo. The dinghy design is there. The mast is a cut down Rhodes 19 that was broken, the boom is homemade by laminating two pieces of cedar together. Bowsprit is another piece of the broken Rhodes 19 mast. Mainsail is a cut down Widgeon 12 and the jib is an unknown that I bought used from Bacon and Associates. Daggerboard is an old Laser daggerboard and the kickup rudder is one I cobbled together from lots of odds and ends. I didn't install the daggerboard trunk until I had the daggerboard, then laminated the trunk around the daggerboard with waxed paper between daggerboard and trunk. When all the laminating was done I slipped the daggerboard trunk off the daggerboard then installed it. Had to estimate where it should go and I got it right.
The hull was free. The Widgeon sail was free. The broken Rhodes mast was free. The Laser daggerboard was free. All the other rigging I either had or made. I did buy new wire and some turnbuckles. I did my own swaging for the rigging.
The reason the hull was free is because I helped the original owner build it. It sat around for 15 years without being completed until he gave it to me.

I'd recommend looking around for a hull that's completed and going from there.

regards,

[Philsboat]

I built a Cape Cod Frosty a few years ago.6'3" long.Goes upwind nicely but very scary downwind!

Phil
http://www.google.com/images?rls=GGL...ed=0CDIQsAQwAw