Anxious but newbie. Need advice on all sorts of things.

So I'm thinking more and more about building my first boat. I have no idea where to start. I found this website for inspiration:

http://www.svensons.com/boat/

I really like the idea of one of those small hydroplanes that so many old magazines had plans for. I am particularly interested in the Spitfire, Banshee and Skeeter. The skeeter seems to be easiest to build, but I would much rather try the Banshee, because I love wooden runabouts (so by now you're thinking I'm an idiot and I should stop this non sense). I don't know what kind of motor I would use on the Banshee though.

I have my dad's Johnson 25 outboard BUT my uncle wants to give me his '79 Mercruiser that has a Chev 250 I6. Is this motor too serious for a beginner's project?

Anyhow, I would like to know what the best books are out there for small runabouts or hydroplanes, maybe even with complete plans so I can make a decision on whether or not I really want or can do something like this.

Any advice or answers to these questions is much appreciated.

-Al

 

Anybody???

 

Anxious but newby needs advice....

Patience. Those with knowledge and advice are just waking up...

But from me - welcome.

 

I'd avoid the old "class" three pointers. They're extremely lightly built, which equals speed, but this also means it can come apart, sometimes in violent and deadly fashion. They're also not intended to take a lot of abuse, maybe a couple of seasons, before being replaced with a newer version, which incorporates all the latest tricks and innovations. If you over build them, in an effort to make it more sturdy and longer lived, their performance will suffer badly.

Since this is your first build, you'd be best advised to select a reasonably simple runabout. For most folks this means a single chine, plywood hull, with outboard power and reasonably Spartan furnishings. Many more ambitious projects are started each year, of which only a small percentage (surprisingly small) ever getting completed. A common thread among these builders is the notion of building a cool boat, just to realize they've bitten off way more then they can chew, afford, have skills to complete, tools to exercise, etc. Divorce is another common thread, so get the other half involved, even if it's just to hold one end of a board as you hack away on the other. I've seen houses sold, with the uncompleted boat project still in the backyard. One building project I saw many years ago was advertised as "Free House" and in smaller print below "with the removal of the boat in the back yard". The boat was a 60' ferro cement hull, upside down and covered in 20 years of growth. The fee to break up the ferro monolith and drag its remains to the land fill, would have been about what the house was worth.

Most of the builders that do finish their projects, find a Zen with the efforts required, many using it as a form of relaxation (or just to get away from the other half for a few hours each day). Personally, I have jobs I do, dependant on my mood. If I'm in a sour way, I'll pull out the big power plane and make some wood fly (literally) or possibly the adze and see if I can miss my shin on each and every stroke.

The choice of a design is difficult, especially the first build. You can easily spend as much time debating the merits of each design, as you would building one of them. This is normal. Try to focus on a design that is on the simple side as your first project. Maybe it will not be exactly what you want, but the skills and techniques you'll acquire will make building your "dream ship" much more possible and likely to get finished, without the wife tossing you out into the street.

The simple fact is, you've got the "bug" and you'll try to build something. If you over shoot the first one (trying to do more then you can) then you'll never build the second (and a third, fourth, fifth, etc.) and your dream ship will remain a frustration, an itch that never gets scratched. If you shoot for low orbit, rather then the moon on your first attempt, then you'll be much more likely to get a chance at building (and completing) your dream ship.

 

Hi Old750,

For my first boat, i built a dinghy from this website www.bateau.com

You'll find plenty of good advice and plans specifically for amatuers here.

I've moved on to a much bigger and uglier project now, but found bateau an excellent resource when starting out from a zero base.

Good luck, and keep us posted if you get started on something. Par's advice about the "bug" is on the money!

 

thanks!

Hey thanks for the great reply folks. I will follow everyone's advice.

 

Hi,
I liked your photos and as I am new to epoxy use, I just wanted to ask about one of the photos - its 33/88 with the caption "covering with plastic".

What is this plastic sheeting ? Is it always used with epoxy ?
It didn't appear in your materials photos ( I don't think).

Thanks for any help.
Dave