You would love to have a small boat of your own, but even a small boat can be expensive. Have you considered making your own? If you are willing to do the work yourself, you can not only save money, but rest assure knowing exactly how the boat was made. Many people are concerned that building a boat is much too hard to master or that it will take up too much time. If you start small, however, you may find those fears allayed.
If you want to achieve your most desired results, you must realize that one of the most important decisions you will make will be the consideration of materials. If you want to end up with a high-quality boat, you have to start with the same fine materials you would use in the construction of a full-sized boat.
For best results, find a guide that will walk you through each necessary step to build a small boat when you are ready to plan. A great place to find boat guides iswhere else?the Internet. From free plans to downloadable libraries, youre almost sure to find the right boat plan for you. You must also realize that a project such as this will take up a large amount of time. Dont think that youll be able to finish it in one week unless it is a model boat! Determining if you will have enough free time to work on your boat before you begin is essential.
Choosing which construction method to use is also crucial. If you are a novice, plywood boat-building methods such as stitch-and-glue may be best to start with. If you are looking for more of a challenge, a conventional wooden plank model may be just the thing. From there, you will need to choose which type of craft to apply the construction method to and the waters the boat will be used on.
For example, a Jon boat makes a good fishing vessel. If you would like a boat less than 10 feet in size that you will use in calm waters near the shoreline, a dinghy may be just the right boat for you. As a bonus, once you have mastered building small boats, you will be able to use your knowledge to larger boats. In time, your small boat may grow into a large hobby to enjoy for years to come.