Fiberglass boat estimates

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by mauant5, Nov 2, 2015.

  1. mauant5
    Joined: Nov 2015
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    mauant5 Junior Member

    Hi all,

    I am starting into boat building and am interested in making a fiberglass boat (center consoles type like Contender, etc etc).

    I need some help in getting the estimates correct. I don't know if this is by weight, displacement. I'm looking for a price per unit to make the estimate easier to work on.

    Any suggestions or any boat estimating template where I could pinpoint my start would be very helpful

    Thanks!
     
  2. Ike
    Joined: Apr 2006
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    Ike Senior Member

    I suggest you start by looking at existing designs and determine what it is you want first. Then you can look at plans for building such a boat and get ideas about the questions you are asking. Otherwise your question is too vague to answer because boats in in the same length and breadth can vary dramatically in weight and price.
     
  3. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    It depends largely on how complicated the molds will be. A simple design may have a mold for the hull and one for the deck. A complicated one, could have a dozen. The expected quality of finish will also affect the cost hugely.
     
  4. mauant5
    Joined: Nov 2015
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    mauant5 Junior Member

    Thanks guys. This is a complete new design but with very similar characteristics of a midnight express's navigation/displacement. There has to be some sort of template or established price per unit estimation sheet that can give you a ball park idea. for example: i want to design 30' long Beam: 9.5' deep v hull made of composite material with a 200 gal capacity.

    There should be something that says, ok for a boat with these specs, the price per foot should start at X amount of dollars. a cost per unit basis
     
  5. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    The tables that some builders keep are based on the quality of the boat, the complexity of the parts, the amount of parts, the skills of the crew, etc. Price per foot is meaningless.
     
  6. mauant5
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    mauant5 Junior Member

    Also, any waterline design equations?
     
  7. mauant5
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    mauant5 Junior Member

    I understand but there has to be a rock bottom range where they should derive from no?
     
  8. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    Not really. For example, how well trained is your crew? Are your facilities easy to work or crowded? Do you have a gantry to move boats and parts or do you haul them by hand? It is not a simple calculation. Is rock bottom a crappy boat with voids in the gelcoat and poor fit?
     
  9. Poida
    Joined: Apr 2006
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    Poida Senior Member

    I did that once. Went into a business that I knew little about. It doesn't work!
    Poida
     
  10. rasorinc
    Joined: Nov 2007
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    rasorinc Senior Member

    reconsider your 9' 6" beam. 8' 6" is the widest you can trailer unless you buy oversize
    permits from each state you travel in.$$$$$ with all states fighting limited income they are really looking for the easy dollar.
     
  11. Stumble
    Joined: Oct 2008
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    Stumble Senior Member

    Mauant,

    How about instead of starting this business you just send me a check for a couple million. You will get to the same place but save a few years of your life trying to get it to work,and a lot of aggravation and I get a couple million dollars.

    The reality is that it would be far cheaper to hire out the construction once you get the design finalized than trying to build it in house. Only once you have a proven product line does trying to build your own boats start to make sense.
     
  12. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    Seems a few people here see a train wreck coming and are waving red flags furiously. Hopefully the momentum isn't that great that it can't be brought to a halt ! The only way a start-up in boat-building makes sense is if you have a product with a significant point of difference, especially a significant performance edge, and that is really only likely to come from somewhere with a lot of experience, and who isn't necessarily constrained by conventional thinking.
     

  13. ondarvr
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    ondarvr Senior Member

    Unfortunatly it doesn't work that way, how much does a car cost per foot?
     
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