Wooden Boat Building

[skinnyme]

Has anyone here ever built a wooden boat? I would love to do this and have been trying to find plans that I like. I am looking for something I can fish from, but that also looks good. I prefer an inboard design, but outboard is okay. Eventually, I would like to build an old classic mahogany boat, but that's in the future. For now, I'm trying to keep it simple.

[Hartski]

I don't think there is anything simple about building a wooden boat. :D

It'll require alot of tools and expertise. Have you done alot of woodworking in the past?

[skinnyme]

Yeah actually. I love to make anything with my own two hands. My dad loved to work with wood, so I grew up working with him on various projects. I think that there is just something about taking raw material and putting it together into something useful. It's a pretty good feeling. I will say that I haven't done anything quite as complex as a boat, but I'm a perfectionist and I pay very close attention to detail. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time.

[Hartski]

Yeah actually. I love to make anything with my own two hands. My dad loved to work with wood, so I grew up working with him on various projects. I think that there is just something about taking raw material and putting it together into something useful. It's a pretty good feeling. I will say that I haven't done anything quite as complex as a boat, but I'm a perfectionist and I pay very close attention to detail. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time.

Well, I'm sure you can find plans for all sorts of boats on the internet. You're gonna spend a fortune on the lumber.

I've always been better with metal. I want to build a mini jet boat like James Bond had. As soon as I get a tig welder (so I can weld aluminum) I'l be able to start on it.

[skinnyme]

I've thought about metal too, but I love the way the old classic boats look. I've been working on a small pontoon design of my own, something small that would be good to run around in, but also be pretty good for 2 or 3 people to fish from. I'm trying to design the pontoons for a little more speed and maneuverability. It will actually probably turn into something more like a catamaran type deal. I have a little welding experience, so I will probably need to practice a little before tackling the real deal.
I spent all night last night looking at boat plans, but none of them really caught my attention. I did see some good ones for my future mahogany project, but none for now. Maybe I should try to contact someone and learn a little about boat design and come up with my own. That's my favorite thing to do anyway. Can't be much harder than ultralight aircraft designing.
That James Bond deal sounds pretty cool. Good luck with it.

[Hartski]

Yeah, I'd say designing ultralights would be tougher.:D

You should build an old school Chris Craft type of speed boat. I always liked the way they looked.

[skinnyme]

I Googled for a while and came up with a good site with a lot of info and designs. They feature Glen-L designs, which has been around for a long time and seem very trustworthy. They have a link to a photo gallery of hundreds of boats that their customers have built from their plans. These were built by people as young as 10 to as old as 90 (approximately). If you want to check it out, the site is: http://www.boatdesigns.com/
Definitely a lot of Chris Craft type speedboats there too. Most are just beautiful.

[Hartski]

And whatever you do decide to build, you'll probably be able to sell it for quite a bit more than you have into it.

[skinnyme]

True. You really invest a small amount of money for the quality of boat, but on the other hand, you put in a lot of time. Hey, you never know. Maybe if I'm good enough at it I could make some money with this. Boy that would be a dream...

[NuggzTheNinja]

Well, I'm sure you can find plans for all sorts of boats on the internet. You're gonna spend a fortune on the lumber.

I've always been better with metal. I want to build a mini jet boat like James Bond had. As soon as I get a tig welder (so I can weld aluminum) I'l be able to start on it.

Or you could buy the right equipment, buy 20 AK receivers and parts kits, assemble them and sell them, and just buy yourself a boat. :D

[Chipman]

My dream boat would be to someday own one of those old wooden Cigarette boats that they used to make the illeagal runs from Cuba to Florida.

Just big ole open water beasts..Crap now I gotta go dig out my old Miami Vice tapes just to see one..

[max lift]

True. You really invest a small amount of money for the quality of boat, but on the other hand, you put in a lot of time. Hey, you never know. Maybe if I'm good enough at it I could make some money with this. Boy that would be a dream...


If you do take on the task be sure to post progress photos I find this idea very interesting.

[Hartski]

My dream boat would be to someday own one of those old wooden Cigarette boats that they used to make the illeagal runs from Cuba to Florida.

Just big ole open water beasts..Crap now I gotta go dig out my old Miami Vice tapes just to see one..

My buddy had a Black 40ft. Scarab. That thing was wicked-fast.