kit boats - boat plans

[aS__iS]

hey guys i am new to your forums and new to boat building.. i was wondering about kit boats and boat plans. i really dont know what to look for. i want a boat that well sit 4 to 6 people that would be good for ski and fishing.. i have a full wood working shop and have worked with fiberglass to make small projects. what companies that provide kits and plans would you recommend for 1st time builder?

[goodwrch]

Hello,

I have a couple kits that I offer, both fiberglass, a 16 ft bay boat or a 26 ft deep vee center console or sport deck. both can be completed to any stage, hull and deck only or partially rigged, the 16 ft has a complete inner-liner, both are comoposite built, no wood. additional pictures can be seen at www.greatwhiteboatco.com
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[Raggi_Thor]

If you want to build in plywood or wod/epoxy, you can look at theese sites, maybe you find something you like...

Clark Kraft, http://www.clarkcraft.com/
Glen L Marine, http://www.glen-l.com/
BoatplansOnline, http://www.boatplans-online.com/

[Danielsan]

Might be a bit far but never U know

http://www.dolphinsboats.com

greetz,

[marshmat]

Since you have wood and fibreglass experience, I'd suggest a glass-over-plywood construction like the sites Raggi mentions; Glen-L especially has a huge variety of designs. Plans from a good designer will fit together nicely and are a pleasure to build from. It's best to define your needs and get a good idea of what you're looking for before you go plan-hunting, else you'll be overwhelmed by the sheer variety available. Also figure out your budget, and remember that the final cost will be about twice your intial estimates. With some criteria in hand you'll be in a good position to find a design you like and get to work.

Happy building!

[aS__iS]

tkanks for the info guys.. i had went out to the marina at our local lake and talked to some of the old timers. thay had told me i should try to find a used boat hall and do any repairs it needs and then redeck it the way i want it. also that i could end spending more on rebuilding a used boat or building a new boat from plans then what it cost for a lake ready boat. one of them had a good point too. do i want to be out on the lake playn around or do i want to be at home working on a boat dreaming i was on the lake playn around. i think i am going to find a like ready boat or 1 that dose not need alot of repair. maybe leave the kit boat idea to something smaller like a canoe..

[Danielsan]

there is one point in it, you could be sooner on the lake when buying one?

But don't forget the commercial issue of the persons you were talking to. What they really would like to do is to sell you a boat so they earn some money on it, and you bringing the boat in for maintenance every x time so they earn twice.

By doing the job yourself, it will take longer, maybe first thing won't work out, but if it does, and there is no reason it wouldn't (if you are a handy Harry) you will be proud of what you accomplished.

You will know every detail of your boat and mechanics and can so do most of maintenance yourself.

Price should be lower than a comparable boat, if you manage to find and workout good commercial deals, on engine, drive, wood for construction, resin and glass.

Dont forget when something is being built by a big boatbuilder, there is a 30-40% margin on the used material, there is al the labour and other expenses to be covered, there is another 30 - 35% margin on the next salesperson,... I don't want to criticise the big ones, this is how the world turns around. I only want to say that homebuilt should have price advantage and satisfaction.

Reconsider becomming a homebuilder :-))

greetz,

[marshmat]

I built my current boat from plans when I was in grade 8.... it was a ton of fun; hard work but I love the result. And I know every detail of her structure, and how she'll behave. She's a modified version of the Bolger-Payson "Diablo" hull. Seats 4-6, good for fishing but to ski you'd need something more powerful. Check out http://instantboats.com/ and look for the Diablo Grande. I can testify to the great performance of this hull in all kinds of conditions, and it's fairly easy to build (no lofting, no jig-building). A great first-time-builder boat in all respects, and ideal for what you want to do. You build the hull from plans, then deck it out however you need for your use. It's glass-over-plywood construction, and can be done in any shop or garage with more than 2' on each side of the boat (or in my case, 8" clearance in one direction!) For what you're planning I'd reinforce the bottom and add a motor well to the Diablo Grande design. Could also go with a Glen-L if you prefer their hullforms; theirs is a very similar build process.

You may save some money and time doing a restoration, instead of going home-build. Then again you could end up with a rotting blistered lemon that you will wish you had set on fire and sunk. Either way, if you start now and put a reasonable amount of effort into it (based on my experience, figure 6-8 hours a week on average), you can be on the water in summer of 2006.

Good luck, and enjoy!