Beginner Boat Plans?

I'm a noobie to boat building and would like to build an easy boat off the public domain that's low budget. Any suggestions?

 

What size and for what use?

 

12-16' dinghy fishing or sail

 

Maybe this?

http://www.dngoodchild.com/7806.htm

done in 1/4" ply from regular lumber yard. Basically a 3 board canoe.

http://www.epoxy-resins.co.uk/freeplans.htm

http://www.unclejohns.com/boat/images/boat_lg.jpg

 

A flat bottom skiff is the easiest and cheapest to build. What tools do you have access to?

 

Maybe something might be suitable from these guys. Depends how fast and exciting you want to get! but there is a reasonable range here, from pretty sedate and traditional to fairly lively.

http://www.fyneboatkits.co.uk/kits/sailing/

 

I like these at the links below. Many are dated designs, but some are still classics and actually decent boats, some are more modern designs. You might consider up dating the older designs and materials (epoxy, Dacron sail cloth, etc) since these were designed to be built with "hardware store" components. Modern polyurethane construction adhesive you can get a a big box store is also an excellent up grade.

pick something simple and no larger than your immediate needs, it will come together faster and you will be on the water sooner. Also, if this is your first boat, do not expect perfection, just make it "good enough" to be safe (even using hardware store quality lumber, paint and hardware, etc. carefully selected of course), have fun and get some building experience, and time on the water. THAN if you like it, plan on building your "ideal" boat next, you will have better wood working skills, and a better idea of what you like in a boat.

Have fun, and do not obsess over minor mistakes, just get it built and on the water. You will enjoy the process more that way.

good luck.

http://svensons.com/boat/

http://boatplans-online.com/catalog.php?category=smallsail

http://koti.kapsi.fi/hvartial/skiff12p/skif12p.htm

http://www.dinghy.pl/

 

A "goose" is 12' x 4' and stable as a rock. My daughter has an EiderDuck (my own stretch of a PD- stretched to 10 ft) and she uses it to fish with more than sail. She stands in it and walks around with no problems, stands and paddles it too. It has a 75 sf sail and sails as fast as any other displacement 12 ft monohull, maybe faster as it stays flatter. Plans for the Goose aren't free but reasonably priced and you get support with them.

http://www.exp-av8r.com/index.php/Oz_PD_Goose_Sailboat