Old plans new boat

Okay so all of my friends do not sail.
Next I am as right now building a 10ft day sailor.
I have built a canoe already.
The star light is and will be my third boat.
Yes she is a big boat and a big project. LOVE IT.
If I make new friends and they sail past me. I guess they will see me when I get there.
LIFE IS ABOUT THE JOURNEY.
I want to build this boat because the design is free. If someone know a sailboat that is big enough TO SLEEP IN. That has a free design let me know I want something with old line and an old look.

 

Considering the price of sailboat plans in this general size range, your desire to save a fraction of a percent, of the total project cost, seems something other then reasonable economics.

A boat that size will require about 50 sheets of plywood (single skin), assuming some bulkheads, soles, decking, furniture, etc. are also made of this. If you tape the seams (converted build method) you'll need on the order of a 1,000 feet of biax tape, likely 50 yards of cloth and possible another 50 yards, if you do the decks, cockpit soles and seat tops, cabin roof etc. Hell the sails alone will be a grand at least, just for a main and jib, so again this economy seems less then frugal, more like ill advised.

 

The original question of skin thickness is answered in the plans, 2 layers of 3/8 ply, maybe 3. When the plans were published hardwood stores had ply of adequate quality but a better boat would result from marine ply especially these days. Double-skinning will add some cost.

It's a big undertaking; I understand the attraction and cachet of a time-honored classic but this isn't one. Therefore there's no extra value compared with a more modern design, and if you run into trouble there is no designer to help you.

Plans for a newer design will pay for themselves in savings of material and labour IMHO.

But the human heart works in strange ways sometimes. If this is the boat of your dreams then go for it. Unless you are an experienced builder and/or designer I would not recommend making significant changes to the design as reflected in the plans, certainly not something as important as skin material or thickness.

BTW if you only have the lines and do not have the construction details you can download a PDF file free, just google the boat name.