NEW BOY, welcome me please

[jesse sutton]

Hello all.

I just signed up for this site, and i am pretty impressed so far.
Heres the info:

I dont own a boat, i have no boat experience, but i want to build a boat, and then sail. Sounds simple eh? Not really.

I came to this site, so that i could learn as much as i could about boats, and how to build boats.

What i am looking to build is a small wooden sailboat. I dont know any terms, but i learn quickly so please bare with me until i can understand whats going on.

I want to build it completely from scratch, all by hand; even to the point of cutting down my own trees, and such.

I need to know if there is a link or something that can teach me what i need to know about starting something like this, right from the beginning, so i can learn all ther terminology and how the basic functions work, so i have a fair understanding. I need to know the right trees to use, what all the parts are, etc...

Sorry to bore you with this novel, but if anyone can help me, then i would be greatly appreciate it.

Thanks

Jesse Sutton.

[Tohbi]

jesse, i applaud your intention but let me pass on advice given to me by a director for the national endowment for the arts. i've been an artist most of my life and we were discussing the difficulties of the endeavor. he told me, "you have to guard against burn-out."

no one knows but outselves where the magical moment of burn-out occurs but, once it happens, it is difficult to go near the project again, at least for a very long time. the point is: don't undertake a project, especially your first, that is too long or too difficult. keep it fun and you might finish it.

plywood skiffs are the fastest to build. strip plank is purty and not too difficult. stictch & glue plywood designs are everywhere. clark craft offers a nice little strip plank dinghy plan, canoes, etc. good luck

[Wayne Grabow]

Jesse, Don't you think that you should get some boating experience first? How will you know what you like? How will you learn the terms? know what is really important? know what type of craft is appropriate for your area?

Hands-on learning is an enjoyable part of the experience. It will keeep you going when you are fitting planks in a cold garage on a winter night. What Tohbi says is very true; you need to understand what you are taking on. Do you plan to stitch your own sails also?

Good luck, whatever you decide, but learn more about what really interests you first.

[gonzo]

I think Bruce Roberts has some wonderful advice. He includes the plans of a dinghy with those of the larger boats. It says to build it first, go out for a sail now and then, and remember what it's all about.