That old question, new guy wants to build boat, what's it cost, really?

Cor in Alaska wants to know costs.

 

Cor in Alaska wants to know costs.

I can give you the scoop because I am building a 47' cold molded wood and epoxy and have the basic boat built in 2.5 years. My total built time will be 6000 man hours. First of all estimating boat costs by the # is an extremely rough estimate and is really not the proper way to determine cost of a project. Building a larger boat should cost only a little more than building an average size boat. I will not post the reasons why on this site, but if you need to know contact me personally at ecflyer@netnet.net I can however give you a hint. A person working on a small project will order epoxy in 1 gallon containers and pay retail price. I used 137 gallons of epoxy on my 47 footer and ordered epoxy in 55 gallon drums and did not pay retail price. One can easily see that one's purchasing skills plays a large part in the cost of a project. Additionally the internet reduces costs by bring the world's market to your finger tips. So $5/# is a good estimate for a person building everything themselves and using many non-marine materials. Examples would be, building your own steering wheel and pedestal, tanks, mast & boom, cleats, anchors, drive shafts & strut, etc. In such a case you need to add to your estimated build time man hours. The cost of my 47 footer will come in at about $6/#. I built the basic boat and then I am purchasing all the other materials (top quality) at far below retail prices. If I had to pay retail prices I would guess the cost to be more like $8-9/#. I am striving for a top quality end product superior to most mfg'd boats. Ultimately you are the determining factor as to the exact cost of your project. So that is the scoop and no BS.

Have a Spiffy G'Day
Earl