I want to build a boat myself

[januarysails]

I would love to build my own boat! I am thinking for first time around I'd try a wood row boat. maybe give to my bro for his lake in backyard. I was thinking of how to use ceder planking that's beveled. Any ideas or am I just off my rocker??!! But man, how cool would that be......

 

[legoman67]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

building a boat is not as easy as it may seem, i guess you could whip something up in afew hours that would float, but making anything that looks nice, or could hold a motor is a big job, even with wood, it takes high woodworking skills, and a fair assortment of tools. Im not even going to go into making a plank boat watertight....

but, if you have lots of time, and are good with wood, then take the challenge, im sure there are afew guys here who have actually done it and could guide you through the proccess.

 

[jcsftwre]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

I have always wanted to build a wooden boat from scratch. For me I know I could because I can un-a-bashfully say that I am a master craftsman with wood. I have been working with wood and building FINE furniture and other things for 32 years. I have all the tools from my old cabinet shop I once had and most important thing is I have the router bits and a 3 1/3 horse router to run them.

The first question you have to ask yourself is this. On a scale from 1 to 10 what level of wood worker are you? I?m a 10 and have a lot of wood work to show it. And I know I could write a book on how to use the tools and how to build safly.

If you not around a 8 or at least a 7 with the ability to learn very fast I would say start with a wooden boat kit. I have seen them before and know that you can buy them at a reasonable price.

 

[jcsftwre]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

Wood boat kits
http://www.google.com/search?q=wood+boat+kits&rls=com.microsoft:*&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1&rlz=1I7GPEA_enUS291

Wood boat plans
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft%3A*&rlz=1I7GPEA_enUS291&q=wood+boat+plans

Start with looking at some of these links. After some time you will know if it is do-able for you without using a kit or plan.

You know I always had this saying ?If another man or woman has built it so can I!? I stop short on rocket science. I think it is true anyone can do anything they want to as long as they don?t listen to the people that say you can?t. And as long as you are dedicated to learning how to do it.

WHY NOT? I ask you. Start learning and make a goal!

Rick

 

[jcsftwre]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

I once was reading a wood working magazine about a woman that made pictures out of wood. I said I can do that even though I never done it before in my life.

Here is my first attempt

here is my second attempt.

There are some things i would do differnt now but I have got better in the years. I built these back about 1990 when I was 30 years old. The first one I used real walrus tusk ivory for the eyes and in both they have real eye lashes.

I had NEVER done anything like this before I made these.

Edited second picture, was oversized

 

[Mark42]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

There are lots of great and easy to build row boats and canoes that can be completed in just a few weekends. Do your homework and do searches on "boat plans" and "boat kits". Most are designed to be simple stitch and glue build methods using sheet plywood. These are the simplest and cheapest to build. Then there are more complicated strip build boats, but they are for the experienced builder.

If you want something you can build in two or three weekends, look at canoes and kayaks. Great project and gift for someone who lives on a lake.

 

[oops!]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

yep.....yer off yer rocker

but then again....so are all of us.......welcome to the club.

there is a lot of wooden boat building sites...projected time line for a 20 footer....3 years.

it isnt somthing you can pull off in a couple of months.

be aware of a time line, pick a easy plan....and go for it !


btw....cedar, while it was exellent rot resistant properties......does not hold screws well

post here......love to watch it !

cheers
oops

 

[Mark42]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

This is a stitch and glue row boat:

Stitch and glue Kayak:

These are both Glen-L design boats.

 

[mthieme]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

I have always wanted to build a wooden boat from scratch. For me I know I could because I can un-a-bashfully say that I am a master craftsman with wood. I have been working with wood and building FINE furniture and other things for 32 years. I have all the tools from my old cabinet shop I once had and most important thing is I have the router bits and a 3 1/3 horse router to run them.

The first question you have to ask yourself is this. On a scale from 1 to 10 what level of wood worker are you? I?m a 10 and have a lot of wood work to show it. And I know I could write a book on how to use the tools and how to build safly.

If you not around a 8 or at least a 7 with the ability to learn very fast I would say start with a wooden boat kit. I have seen them before and know that you can buy them at a reasonable price.

There's a big difference between building a rowboat and a piece of FINE furniture.
I wouldn't discourage him.
I've seen framing carpenters build a scow to row in.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

Go for it. Use a kit with plans or just a kit. You don't have to be a master woodworker to build a boat...but be warned, you may not want to stop.

 

[Mark42]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

This one has been built before by the guys on boatbuildingonline.com. Really, really, really easy canoe to build. Only takes two sheets of 1/4" plywood, so its a cheap build. Check out these COMPLETE and totally FREE plans.

http://www.bateau2.com/free/ccanoeUS.PDF

Bateau2.com is a neat site to browse. Lots of free plans there. Also boatbuildingonline.com has a bunch of guys who built small boats, skiffs, canoes, etc. Makes for a fun read.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

go for it. i have built several, in the past. when i was a kid, my uncle built one, but, do to his inexperience, was not symmetrical. one side was straighter than the other. it looked funny. but he and his kids fished from it for years.

 

[januarysails]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

Thanks for the encouragement! Mark I checked out Glen-l I'm in! I'm going to give a go on a canoe or kayak to start. and BTW opps... You are off your rocker. I've read the entire extension post. WOW! You're right about the ceder and screws. I went to Fiberglass coatings today for costs. It seems the biggest expense is the resin. 100 bucks for a gallon of resin and a gallon of hardener. Plywood 1/4" on 12 bucks a sheet and clear douglas isn't a back breaker. I plan on starting in the next two weeks, sometime during the holiday break. I figure if I'm in the garage I can't get in trouble w/ the wifey... I'll post progress, and hope for feedback. This site has helped with my other boat so don't hold back. It takes alot to offend me

 

[oops!]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

january.....go for it !....read the safety basics sticky....and try not to get too addicted !....mbs is just a step away !

 

[jcsftwre]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

There's a big difference between building a rowboat and a piece of FINE furniture.
I wouldn't discourage him.
I've seen framing carpenters build a scow to row in.

I didn?t mean at all to discourage him. Man, if I sounded that way I surely apologize and did not mean for it to sound that way. In fact I was trying to encourage but I guess it came out wrong. That?s way I say anyone can do anything they put their mind to. Please no one take what I said to be discouragement. I guess I was trying to have him search himself and if the skill level is not high enough what I was trying to say was go get it learn, try go out and do it. I truly never intended to discourage anyone. I don?t think I was able to put into words the real feeling of what I was trying to say, Sorry.
Rick

 

[erikgreen]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

Woo... seems like my desire to kick off a from-scratch project was only the first of many... not sure I can really claim to have been the first here, but I wanted to express the fact that it's a really cool trend for this board, which has up until now been mostly restoration and rebuilds (not that that's bad).

I'm just about finished with my new workspace... patching concrete and painting the floor now. Then I get to start my from-scratch boat project.

Erik

 

[Stoutcat]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

Hi januarysails and everybody else,

OK... Now we're talking! I'm a mod on a wooden boat forum, and have spent way too much time building wooden boats... Thoughts...

* First of all, what follows is respectful of other's opinions... There's a ton of merit to go around...

* Next... As a hobby wooden boat builder, I've been watching this forum long enough to say that there's an extraordinary amount of talent and knowledge in the people who post here.

* As for building a small boat nowadays... Most are "stitch and glue", or "tack and tape" and that stuff isn't that bad at all. I'd MUCH rather build a 12' rowboat than take out and replace the deck, stringers, foam, and transom of even a small power boat.

* Concerning the talent needed to build a boat... Well... It depends. I think Rick is right... First a person needs to take a fair evaluation of his or her own woodworking skills and go from there. But the basic stuff like kits and/or plans from Dynamite Payson, CLC, Glen-L, etc. is "do-able" by virtually anyone who's willing to do his homework and just "hang in there". (But if you want to see some jaw-dropping stuff, check out: http://www.clcboats.com/okoumefest/)

But in general, anyone can build a decent boat... I built this CLC Mill Creek kayak, and I've got all the skills of a drunken monkey with a chainsaw, (DMWCS - pronounced "Dim Cussed").

* For a small, sheltered-water rowboat/sailboat, I vote for the 12' Bolger/Payson Teal. I grew up, and live on Cape Cod, and have been in my fair share of boats... I'd say that pound for pound, foot for foot, dollar for dollar, the Teal is one of the finest boats ever designed. She's fast, easy to build and looking at her isn't a painful experience.

* The best advice I can give anyone thinking about building a small boat is:
o Do your homework. I recommend buying and memorizing everything Dynamite Payson ever wrote. That's especially true for his book, "Instant Boats" which contains detailed instructions on building the Teal. (And no, I don't work for Payson.)
o Always buy the plans! Yes, you can build out of a magazine article or a book, and I've done it... But building from plans is sooo much easier.
o Use epoxy and marine ply...
o If you don't know precisely what you're doing, stop! Make a mock up... Ask questions... Make a model...
o Finally, be ready to face the fact that mistakes are going to happen. Even on a small build, mistakes will happen. (When building my first boat, I crafted two port sides... I like to think of that event as a "Dim-Cussed Moment", and I don't want to talk about it though I can still laugh about it.)

Anyway, I hope you go forward and build a boat. Anyone who can restore a boat certainly can build one!!! And there's a strange feeling pushing off a shore for the first time in a boat you've built yourself - IMHO, best done at dusk and very tough to describe.

Alan

 

[jcsftwre]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

mistakes are going to happen. Even on a small build, mistakes will happen.
Alan

This is why I always love working with wood because when mistake happens, very often you can peg, glue or spline & glue a piece back on and continue working from there.

I guess that hold true for medal as you have welding back on and even in fiberglass but for some reason my first love has always been wood. I have made many mistakes in wood and a lot of times (depending on what I?m building) I use that for an opportunity to work in another type of wood into the project.

A few people have said to me one of the signs of a good woodworker (or framer or carpenter) is his or her ability to fix a mistake and make it look like it was planed from the beginning. Not the mistake but the final product.

At times I have ended up having my table top banded in another kind of wood because I made the cut to small. Or if I needed to add a piece of wood to make it bigger I then ?inlay? a pattern over the joint. Wood is often forgiving but when building a boat a person wants to make sure it is build solid and will produce a safe, reliable and beautiful boat.

Imagine Januarysails, when your done with this boat you can hand it down to a child of yours and perhaps even influence his or her life into being interested in building or woodworking themselves. What a gift! (and I?m talking about the gift of inspiring interest in talent).

P.S. mthieme, I agree totally! A lot of carpenters are also fine woodworkers also, and many do have advace abilities & skills. I know I sound arrogant when I speak of my woodworking abilities. Well? I guess I am in that area and also in my computer and networking abilities both.
But that is because I am aware of my skill level. (besides the many years of doing commercial work in both fields and making a good living doing so)
Even so in both skills I can remember each time when I said I can do that. And I took my first step to start out to learn how to do it.
I do fully believe that every person has the ability to do what their heart desires. There will be sacrifices and decisions to be made along the way.

I would love to see and look forward to seeing this boat come to fruition.

Now please excuse me while I step over to the wood boat section and take a look. You ?all have sparked an interest that I have over looked. I never gave a thought to reading posts of scratch built boats being built and posted in that forum. I am eager to take a look!

 

[erikgreen]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

Wood boats are very interesting, but there's some stuff you should be aware of regarding how they work.

First, even though you caulk the seams between planks, most wood boats still require high moisture content in the wood to seal. IE, they leak when first put in the water, then as the wood swells they seal.

Second, if you're in the ocean, you'll need to deal with teredos (shipworms) and other marine growth. Wood is biodegradeable.

Third, wood boats require a ton of maintenance to keep the wood in good shape.. cleaning, oiling, painting, etc... and that's not a lot of fun, it's not even woodworking.

All that said, there are a couple good options for you if you like working in wood. First, a big wood boat... there are a lot of vintage wood boats out there that no one will touch as far as restoration... some really good deals can be had on wood hulls that are absolute classics. You could also get a mahogany runabout type boat, lots of wood there too.

Or if you want less work but still wood, build a stitch and glue boat. It's a composite hull, but the core is plywood. Very strong, and low maintenance. Usually the rest of the boat is wood, especially a sailboat, and that's where you can let your skills show. Teak decking, custom brightwork, a swim platform...there's lots of places to show off.

Wood boats are great, but unless you really like doing maintenance instead of boating or making more neat woodwork....

Erik

 

[januarysails]

Re: I want to build a boat myself

Stout, thanks for the info. The 12' is perfect. I couldn't find the plans tho. I'm glad you said buy the plans b/c I was going to wing it. Thought it might make me feel better, but I think I'll listen.... Rick no worries here! Your work is rather in depth. It's funny you said passing on to kids. Last year I built an electric fireplace for dear ol' mom. I thought I'd build and give every X-mas for some one. This year I thought my 3yr old nephew would enjoy an 'Uncle Kevin' build.

I bought the glass matt today on clearance $3. yd. at West (of all places). I'll post as I build. Thanks again for all the encouragement. I know I want to build something small for now. Who knows- maybe I can quit my job and build- or maybe not.