What compels you to build your own boat? Student looking for help

Discussion in 'Wooden Boat Building and Restoration' started by LMcDermot, Oct 17, 2011.

  1. LMcDermot
    Joined: Oct 2011
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    Location: Menomonie

    LMcDermot New Member

    My name is Logan McDermot. I am a industrial design student at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. I looking for anyone to who is willing to respond to this thread names will not be used.

    What compelled you to build your own boat?

    What is the hardest part of boat building?

    If one could purchase pre-manufactured parts to assist in the building process what would that be? (specific parts, or pieces that are a problem to build)

    Is the build your passion or is it sailing?


    If you could please answer this thread it would be much appreciated. It would also help me in the completion of my senior thesis.

    Thank you,

    Logan
     
    1 person likes this.
  2. Frog4
    Joined: Oct 2011
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    Location: Arizona desert

    Frog4 Proletariat

    Needed to fill my time with anything but daytime drama television designed to rot your brain.

    Opening my wallet to all the greedy retailers who prey on boat builders. Just because you put a label stating "marine" on your product, doesn't mean we should pay you 200x the price.

    a lot of the parts are pre-manufactured. engine, chrome, plumbing, wiring etc

    The building is the passion. Sailing/boating is the product.
     
  3. CatBuilder

    CatBuilder Previous Member

    A fun survey. You should end up with a lot of different answers. Here are mine, in red.

     
  4. cthippo
    Joined: Sep 2010
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    Location: Bellingham WA

    cthippo Senior Member

    Interesting. vBulletin doesn't recognize anything within the quotes as being a new message.
     
  5. Frog4
    Joined: Oct 2011
    Posts: 150
    Likes: 2, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 12
    Location: Arizona desert

    Frog4 Proletariat

    you have to split the quotes up using the wrap/quote button: Shaped like a balloon in the message window ...
     
  6. Dirteater
    Joined: Oct 2010
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    Location: Canada

    Dirteater Senior Member

    price and the getting the boat I really wanted. ;)
     
  7. Wavewacker
    Joined: Aug 2010
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    Location: Springfield, Mo.

    Wavewacker Senior Member

    I don't mind answering your marketing survey...;)

    What compelled you to build your own boat?

    1. The fact that I can't find the boat that I preceive as meeting my needs. (IT may exist, I just haven't found it, some are close)

    2. That I can have someting that was specifically built for my needs, a custom.

    3. That I should have (lol) more pride in ownership as having built it myself.

    4. I will know what is in there, in each nook and cranny, how it's built, how strong it is, how to get at everything that might be hidden as opposed to a production boat that I would have no idea what's behind that wall.

    What is the hardest part of boat building?

    1. Finding the right one for my skill level (it's a first)

    2. The bow and compound curves or angles.

    3. Flipping the hull. I'm wanting about a 24 to 32 footer and having a strong back and flipping the hull will be a major problem for me.

    If one could purchase pre-manufactured parts to assist in the building process what would that be?

    Really I don't want a parts puzzel, I hate putting furniture together.
    If the package really opened up and the first piece on top was the first piece that should be placed and the instructions were...now take #2 piece and connect to #1 at "A", and it was marked.."this side forward"...maybe so.

    I realize that having machine punched pieces might be a good idea, but doing it economically, in my mind, can't be done.....I know what some of that equipment costs, so you'd really have to crank out kits at my price to make it profitable.

    What I have seen from the kit projects is that the kit costs way too much for what I feel I'm getting. Sure, it may save time, but to a retired guy that has nothing better to do, what's that worth? Not much. And, I have no option of making small modifications without buying more materials.

    Is the build your passion or is it sailing?

    The build will be done, hopefully quickly, so the real pleasure will be in using it.


    Good luck!
     
  8. Petros
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: Arlington, WA-USA

    Petros Senior Member

    I like the creative process, it makes me feel like I am doing something worthwhile. Though since there is no rational reason to own a boat at all, nor to build one since it is far less costly to just buy one, so I think it is just a form of mental illness. Do not attempt to rationalize it, you will not like what you find.

    finding time to actually work on the boat, time that wife and family will not resent or make demands from.

    Parts that actually save time and money from making it yourself. If I scratch build most componets it can save a lot of building cost. But many items are cheaper to buy than make.

    Yes. They fill different needs, I think I actually like the creative process of building more, watching raw materials take shape. Building can be done in short blocks of spare time in the evenings, early morning, etc. almost year round. Sailing is also nice, but a lot effort even for a short sail so it really needs large blocks of free time to enjoy, so not very often.
     
  9. tunnels

    tunnels Previous Member

    Had always had a fasination with boats and the water .
    I used to draw and sketch power boats .I remember the first boat book i ever got was 1959 ChrisCraft Catalog next came the Mercury catalog of the same year 1959 and after that lots more even after all this time those books are still packed away in a box carefully . as origanals they are probabaly worth somethin to a collector .
    I made model boats and fitted small electric motors with the old phone batteries but they were heavy . I left school and started work and collected all the beautiful box wood and stored in in the garage at home then bought sheets of plywood and packets of screws an d small boxes of copper nails . My first xmas holidays from work i had drawn up plans from a model i had made and decided it was what i was going to make so i just made it .
    I put all my own ideas into it
    The motor was in the back and i manufactured a Vee drive i used a old car drive shaft with universal joints and had i shortened to the right length . i worked in a ford garage so bought all the gears and bearings and seals and took then to a engineer and he made the actual vee drive gear box with tangs for mounting . I was into cars so fabricated my own set of matched pipe exstractors exhaust system with matched pair of morris cooper S, SU Carburators and used the same motor as i had in my little old car .
    Come launching day i told no one!, just myself and my girl friend went to a local river and put it in water Turned the key and away it went . Was one of the proudest moments of my whole life . I have been hooked on boats ever since and the passion and excitement has never died one little bit . I travel to parts of the world and work making boats i have worked for many companies and each one i learn something new .
    Yachts became a big part of my life and i owned a 22 foot trailer sailer for a while but it was never my thing !!,taking hours to get from one place to another and then even longer to get home some times .
    I ended up fitting a 25 long shaft mercury outboard and became the fastest trailersailer in my part of the harbour , Mast down and lashed to the cabin top and sails stowed away drop keel up and rudder stored away I could plane it up the channel and pass most launchs because of the shallow daft went straight across the shallows in 18inchs of water .
    Now i own a old 14 foot semicabin boat with a vee 4 115 hp yamaha motor almost twice the hp it should have but has been modified to take it and goes like stink
    Its fast !! and i love early morning runs on the harbour when its like glass and shiney smooth .
    Boats and boating is my life as long as it floats dont care what its like . :D
     
  10. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
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    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    I am shipwright and as the saying goes "If you want it done right, do it yourself"
     
  11. pdwiley
    Joined: Jun 2008
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    Location: Hobart

    pdwiley Senior Member

    Stupidity & arrogance.

    PDW
     
  12. Wayne Grabow
    Joined: Aug 2003
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    Location: Colorado

    Wayne Grabow Senior Member

    1. What compelled you to build your own boat? Although an amateur, I design every boat that I build (seven so far) because I enjoy the mental challenge and the creativity involved. I also enjoy the exercise.
    2.What is the hardest part of boat building? Finding the time. Life has many demands/interests. Of the specific tasks involved, I would say that sanding with a long board to get a perfectly smooth finish is hardest.
    3. Premanufactured parts to assist in the building process: I don't care to build my own engine or boat trailer. Also deck fittings, lights and controls.
    4. Is the build your passion or is it sailing? Actually the design is my passion. The build proves that you are more than just a dreamer, and the use of the boat proves that it is practical. Now that I have a better shop, the build is becoming more of a pleasure.
     
  13. rberrey
    Joined: Oct 2010
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    Location: AL gulf coast

    rberrey Senior Member

    1: Cost ,knowing it,s done right , higher quility standards, knowing your boat in and out. Finding a design that better fits my needs and wants, than a production boat.
    2: Time to build.
    3: Dagger board , rudder.
    4:Dont know yet.
     
  14. Charly
    Joined: Dec 2009
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    Location: st simons island ga

    Charly Senior Member

    good luck
     

  15. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
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    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    Most hardware, fasteners, plywood, paint, electrical equipment and wiring, sails are some of the ready made items I buy
     
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