WHAT ARE THE CHANCES

rarhomes · 07-14-2009, 08:07 PM

What are the chances of a guy who has never built a boat to build one worth a hoot ?

Lets say I hired a naval architect, told him what I wanted in a boat and he came up with a design. Could I build it ?

I have built airboats, swampbuggies, homes, buildings, seawalls and just about anything in between but can I build a fishin boat ?

I think I might like to give it a try but it would really suck to spend 2 years labor and 300k/400k to splash this beautiful rig and have her run screwed up or something.

Is it worth the risk ?

Capt Rick

Fritz · 07-14-2009, 08:28 PM

trades are trades. Boat building I believe is another trade encompassing many of the other trades including carpentry, electrical, mechanicals, and plumbing in addition to the specialized knowledge of hull performance, running gear, and the like.

I bet you can, if you follow the rules / codes and use quality materials. But I would be doing an awful lot of due dilligence regarding technigues / tricks of the trade for handling different materials, etc. and I would be prepared to make a lot of mistakes along the way. Anyway, its kind of like this-How do you eat and elephant? You do it one bite at a time.

I say GO FOR IT!

seapower · 07-14-2009, 08:57 PM

You have the skill's. If you have the desire and know when to stop and ask for help, you should do fine. I've had V 12's taken apart down to the last nut. A fella came up and asked "how are you ever gonna put that thing back together"?, One bolt at a time , my friend, one bolt at a time. Frank

clt_capt · 07-14-2009, 09:10 PM

Absolutely you can.- Everybody had to start somewhere...

If you have the carpentry skills and the glass skills, it will be a shorter road, but you will do enough of both to get really good.

As a first time builder, you will miss some tricks that could save you some time and effort, but the boat should be just fine.

If you are looking at a cold molded boat, there are a bunch of companies that will CNC cut the jigs for you - a lot of the hard work (brain work) is in the jigs - Stringer locations, ribs, etc. Heck some of them will even include a detailed materials plan - take a look at Applied Concepts - They made the jigs for a number of the builds that have been posted here... You may even get some feedback from those builders about their boats...

Sea Draggin · 07-14-2009, 09:18 PM

The Seawitch was built in a guys backyard in summerfield, nc. Very nice looking 40ish express boat.

brokensheer · 07-15-2009, 03:06 PM

well I agree with all the above, and yes everybody built one for the first time. get a good N/A one you can comunicate with, the guy who won't give you time of day arn't worth the phone call! I have met a few!, one guy even went to the effort to cover up all the bottoms of the boats in his office when I went to meet him,, he was one you will want to steer clear of!,, as I found some builders will welcome you in there shops and offer advice, I have had a the pleasure of meeting a few of these folks One guy even said when you get 20 miles up the road and forget something you wanted to ask me call me back!
be sure to look into many methods of construction , I would say don't use seaflex, its old tech and is a pain to work with . This is from my expierance, The cnc roputer guys are the way to go but you should also understand the principles of lofting as well , this way you can be sure what you get from the computor guy is what you are looking for lastly , and will minimize the time you have to invest in fairing the hull, build a pretty boat it takes the same amout of labor as building an ugly boat as it does to build a pretty one!

bigfish4me · 07-17-2009, 08:40 AM

Anything is possible if you have 2 key ingredients.......Time and money

porkhunt · 08-13-2009, 07:13 AM

in australia you can buy an aluminium boat kit already lazer cut and all the parts ready to go.all youy have to do is weld it togethter.maybe if you want to build your own boat you should take that aproach.

07-14-2009, 08:28 PM	#2
Fritz Crab mustard is good Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Fish out of Cape May Posts: 647 Credits: 3,095.5 Boat: Leprechaun Home Port: Cape May Occupation: business owner	Tools are tools and ...... trades are trades. Boat building I believe is another trade encompassing many of the other trades including carpentry, electrical, mechanicals, and plumbing in addition to the specialized knowledge of hull performance, running gear, and the like. I bet you can, if you follow the rules / codes and use quality materials. But I would be doing an awful lot of due dilligence regarding technigues / tricks of the trade for handling different materials, etc. and I would be prepared to make a lot of mistakes along the way. Anyway, its kind of like this-How do you eat and elephant? You do it one bite at a time. I say GO FOR IT!

07-14-2009, 08:57 PM	#3
seapower I think Admin is going to let me have this space Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bath,NC Posts: 1,450 Credits: 4,826.1 Boat: 25' DownEaster Home Port: Bath, NC Best Catch: My wife Occupation: marine diesel service owner	Sound's to me like, You have the skill's. If you have the desire and know when to stop and ask for help, you should do fine. I've had V 12's taken apart down to the last nut. A fella came up and asked "how are you ever gonna put that thing back together"?, One bolt at a time , my friend, one bolt at a time. Frank

07-14-2009, 09:18 PM	#5
Sea Draggin www.easterntackle.com Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: High Point, NC Posts: 5,637 Credits: 9,466.6 Best Catch: The next bite on a jig.	The Seawitch was built in a guys backyard in summerfield, nc. Very nice looking 40ish express boat. __________________ . 30% OFF END OF SEASON SALE <----CLICK.................................Jigging Videos

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07-14-2009, 09:10 PM	#4
clt_capt If Ignorance is bliss, Why aren't more people happy? Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Raleigh, MHC Posts: 5,946 Credits: 8,636.6 Boat: Luhrs 36 Home Port: MHC Occupation: Supporting my Tackle habit	Absolutely you can.- Everybody had to start somewhere... If you have the carpentry skills and the glass skills, it will be a shorter road, but you will do enough of both to get really good. As a first time builder, you will miss some tricks that could save you some time and effort, but the boat should be just fine. If you are looking at a cold molded boat, there are a bunch of companies that will CNC cut the jigs for you - a lot of the hard work (brain work) is in the jigs - Stringer locations, ribs, etc. Heck some of them will even include a detailed materials plan - take a look at Applied Concepts - They made the jigs for a number of the builds that have been posted here... You may even get some feedback from those builders about their boats...

07-15-2009, 03:06 PM	#6
brokensheer Anthony's Ark is a blowboater Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 309 Credits: 2,406.1 Boat: Witch 23' Marolina Yachts Home Port: Ocean City Md / Solomons Is Md Best Catch: Lines are still in the water	well I agree with all the above, and yes everybody built one for the first time. get a good N/A one you can comunicate with, the guy who won't give you time of day arn't worth the phone call! I have met a few!, one guy even went to the effort to cover up all the bottoms of the boats in his office when I went to meet him,, he was one you will want to steer clear of!,, as I found some builders will welcome you in there shops and offer advice, I have had a the pleasure of meeting a few of these folks One guy even said when you get 20 miles up the road and forget something you wanted to ask me call me back! be sure to look into many methods of construction , I would say don't use seaflex, its old tech and is a pain to work with . This is from my expierance, The cnc roputer guys are the way to go but you should also understand the principles of lofting as well , this way you can be sure what you get from the computor guy is what you are looking for lastly , and will minimize the time you have to invest in fairing the hull, build a pretty boat it takes the same amout of labor as building an ugly boat as it does to build a pretty one!

07-17-2009, 08:40 AM	#7
bigfish4me I think Admin is going to let me have this space Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Conshohocken pa Posts: 1,161 Credits: 8,427.3 Boat: 17' mckee craft Home Port: Townsends inlet nj Best Catch: 320# bluefin in jersey waters Occupation: machinist	Anything is possible if you have 2 key ingredients.......Time and money

08-13-2009, 07:13 AM	#8
porkhunt Pit Monkey First Class Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: sydney australia Posts: 22 Credits: 126.5 Boat: markham dominator Home Port: sydney harbour Best Catch: 25 kg blue eye cod Occupation: sheetmetal worker	in australia you can buy an aluminium boat kit already lazer cut and all the parts ready to go.all youy have to do is weld it togethter.maybe if you want to build your own boat you should take that aproach.