More home-built boats begin construction in any given year then shop-built boats. And while many home-built boats are beautiful examples of marine craftsmanship the majority are never finished. The marinas are littered with grim reminders of broken dreams. Looking on these unfinished hulks one can only imagine the hardships that were endured by the families to sustain the cost of an all consuming dream. And dreams are what boat building is really all about. Boats can not be justified like the need for a car or a home. The urge to create, or have created on your behalf; to plan and have conceived an idea born of your own experience is truly the next best thing to child berth. As one home-builder said, "The two best days in your life are the day you launch your boat and the day you sell it." To create such grace and form in a structure which is also capable of transporting mankind safely across miles of cruel sea is certainly a skill which few can claim to have mastered successfully.

     Therefore it is essential prior to constructing your dream vessel to be totally realistic (or as realistic as one can be in a dream) to the costs and hours involved. Certainly money can be saved by building the vessel by oneself and by buying second hand equipment but the cost savings are not as high as you would hope to achieve. First of all as an individual you can not hope to attain the same discounts as large production builders do. Second, unless you are a full time boatbuilder you will not be as familiar with the methods nor as fast in constructing. Third, it does not seem to matter how experienced or knowledgable you are there is no way of avoiding the seduction of the dream. From the start be aware that all boats cost more than you expect and take longer than anticipated. Once you have come to grips with that realisation you have a chance of finishing your vessel. So if you are new to boat building and feel that I am being a little hard; if you really have the bug, there are no words that will discourage you from launching into your project. And in fact discourage you is the last thing on my mind, for boats are and one of life's wonderful pursuits. My only goal is to have you go forth with open eyes and an understanding that this thing your are about to create will have a soul of its own which may quickly take control.

     Having put this folly into prospective, let us discuss the various methods of building as well as materials. There is the traditional method; that is to have someone build it for you, custom ordered. You would be surprised how much work is involved, as any custom owner will tell you. Trips to the yard to check the progress, almost daily talks on the phone with the builder, regular meetings with the architect and interior decorator, discussions with suppliers on products. Logistics and problems which are standard fare for any construction that require compromises to be made. Constantly checking that the work is being done to a reasonable standard while remaining within the budget. Then there are kit boats and boats started or built with the ongoing co-operation of a builder. In many ways these are the easiest and surprisingly enough the most uncommon. With someone to hold your hand, take your problems to, and consult in moments of need this is by far the most painless overall. As a very active participant time is a big commitment for the owner. Cost are higher than doing it all yourself as the builder has to be paid, and a professional does not come cheap. Lastly there is the family or lone home-builder. He has to endure the long hours and the gruelling tasks as well as formulate the critical path to success.

     Choose a building material and method which will require the least number of hours to achieve the end result. Your time may be "free" but that does not mean it has no value. The longer a project drags on the lower the chances are of a successful completion, and the sooner the boat is finished the sooner you will be out on the water enjoying your creation. On the other hand if the building part is what you really enjoy and you have no real interest in the use of the finished product, well then, knock yourself out! Many home-builders build boat after boat for this reason or continue building for 8 - 10 years just to turn around and sell the boat when it is done.

     Many plans are sold specifically for the home-builder and in reality are completely inadequate for even an experienced builder, as they lack detailed instruction and even material specifications. Some come in any and every building material conceivable, without regard to the effect on the overall design. Beware of cheap plans! Good plans are a small percentage of the total cost of the boat and are the foundation that all work is built from. So often really cheap, poor quality plans are purchased and then no expense is spared to produce a boat which will never be more than mediocre at best. In a nut shell, know the designer of the plans you are purchasing. Ask around at various yards or talk to the architect directly. Architects are highly trained, experienced, practical professionals who spend hundreds of hours designing each boat. Stock plans are less expensive than custom plans and can always be altered. Many of the famous and now classic designs can be purchased for what was once considered an outrageous fee but is today very reasonable.

     There are a variety of materials available. Some are more appropriate to one-off construction and some are tailored specifically to production building. The methods we are most familiar with are the ones we see most often used in the production shops (i.e. fiberglass). Because of time and in some cases expense these methods are not as suitable. Many people feel that time is not a consideration, I disagree. Boats take long enough to build without dragging it out even longer; cost is always a consideration no matter who you are.

     Sheet construction (plywood, aluminium, steel) are the easiest and most cost effective, the drawback being that many people feel that a chined hull is not aesthetically pleasing. I have seen some very fine examples of chined hulls which were extremely beautiful. Again, check around. Not all work is the same. Although there is some good work in North America, try Australia and New Zealand for some exceptional examples. Do not attempt a round bilge metal boat unless you have experience in building this way. It is very difficult and requires a great degree of skill. Because of the complexity in welding the thin material required, aluminium is not practical under 30 feet. Steel is not practical because of weight until you are over 35 feet. I am not a strong believer in heavy displacement boats, therefore some people may feel that these materials are suitable for shorter lengths, I disagree. Once you get over 60 feet steel can be built as light as aluminium for all practical purposes. By the same token hull and deck material costs are a small part of the total project cost. I would not pick one over the other based on price but rather let ease of ability to work be your guide. Again, do not make more work for yourself than is absolutely necessary. With the new epoxy and polyurethane paints any metal boat can have a beautiful and durable finish. Although wood and plywood (laminated wood) boats have been given some very bad publicity, the use of modern glues and preservatives have really solved any previous drawbacks that these materials have had.

     On this continent quality woods are readily available, easily worked with common tools, light weight, sound deadening, heat insulating, and pleasing to the eye. Once a wooden vessel has been properly built and looked after, there is no reason why it will not last a lifetime. Cold molded or WEST system boats are making a name for themselves for light weight and performance. These methods produce beautiful vessels but do require a major investment in manual labor to build. The laminating and sanding of the multiple layers is an enormous undertaking, and it requires a certain amount of skill to spline and fit each plank. Plywood, I feel is an excellent medium for home-builders when built with epoxy saturation techniques and a thin layer of fiberglass over the exterior. Some of the building methods involve the use of fiberglass joints to produce a soft chine/almost rounded bilge form which gives all the visual advantages without as much work as the cold molded methods. This system has been pioneered with sailing dinghies and later used very successfully on ocean cruising multihulls for over 30 years. Today it is used on a variety of large vessels both power and sail. The upper size limit for plywood boats for practical purposes is around 60 feet unless the boat is exceptionally light.

     If you insist on fiberglass look into the Airex one-off method. Of all the fiberglass one-off methods it is the most cost effective in time and materials. The Airex method is too extensive to go into fully, but it is well known and whole books have been written on it. Even if you do not plan on using Airex foam, this method is just as suitable for some of the lesser expensive foam cores. Be aware that fiberglass is a material that is created in the shop, so quality control and conditions of the working premises have a major effect on the physical and structural properties of the final product. Metals are created in large foundries under strict quality control and shop welded on the edges only, while fiberglass is created almost entirely on site during construction.

     No one material is stronger than the other per say, they are only stronger per pound. How the material is used has a large effect on the strength properties. For example I have an excellent article written about an Italian firm that makes 100+ foot motoryachts and military vessels and their choice of materials is laminated wood. In fact they have included a technical discussion on how their wood method is stronger and lighter than aluminium.

     Weight is a big factor in choosing which material and method for construction. Boats essentially cost by the pound so the heavier a boat is the more it will cost. If the vessel is light and the materials are not high-tech then the overall cost of the finished vessel will be less. Weight will effect the size of the engine and/or rigging, fuel capacity, anchoring gear, and handling equipment (winches, cleats, etc.). Weight in a small boat will give it the feel of a large boat but a lighter larger boat would cost the same. The impulse to add weight for the sake of weight is a strong one that needs to be controlled. Strength is required but added unnecessary weight puts a burden on the structure which may over stress it. The Polynesians were at peace with the sea and believed it to be their friend. Consequently when they built their boats they were light weight multihulls, very fast, and easy to construct. When the Europeans went out to fight the cruel seas they built immensely heavy cumbersome ships that took years to build and were very slow. Their mythology consisted of sea devils, serpents, and sirens which were ready to lure them to their death. Both had a healthy respect for the sea and it took a brave man to head out in a small boat, but the attitudes of each culture were 180 degrees apart.