Building a Dinghy

Dinghy is one of the oldest type of boat design that is still around presently, and with good reasons too. It has utilized many different ways so to anyone looking to building a boat, I strongly suggest learning how to build a dinghy.

Dinghy are mostly used as an open sailing boats.It is most suitable for beginner training in sailing as it quickly responds to maneuvers. It can come with an outboard motor but most are rowboats.

To build a dinghy several consideration have to be kept in mind. A few of these are:

BUDGET

The amount you set as your budget will directly affect the type, size as well as the materials you will be using for the dinghy. Therefore, it is best to come up with a specific and reasonable amount that you are willing to spend for the project. Building a dinghy should be cheaper by far than buying one, so looking around and checking the price of ready made dinghy would help you set an earmark for your budget.

TYPES AND SIZE

Dinghies sizes can range in length from 2-7 meters. And they come in varying types depending on the purpose that its made for. Dinghies are designed to sail, motor, tow and row. It is also used as a lifeboat because of this multi-functionality.

Also, to build a dinghy, you can also use materials like marine plywood, aluminum, fiberglass and wood. However, most generally prefer to build a plywood boat.

PROPULSION

Depending on its function, dinghy may be powered by a motor, sail or a simple oar can be used for propulsion.

If you wish to use a motor for your dinghy, a good option is an outboard motor. Two horsepower per meter is very good motor for a dinghy.Oars are used for rowing dinghies while sail are usually used in racing dinghies.

DESIGN

The best way to start building a dinghy is to work with a very good dinghy plan. It enables you to go through the process of building your own dinghy without the unnecessary hitches that usually come with not having a complete plan for the project.

I've benefited from a step-by-step instruction from boat building plans so I strongly suggest you do the same. Personally, I've used a very helpful plan with a very detailed instruction that and with the pictures that leaves nothing to the imagination.


You may check out that plans here:

www.BoatBlueprints.info

Building a Dory

To those people who wants to build their own boat but are just starting out with no or less experience in building one, I strongly suggest you start by learning how to build a dory. And it is for the simple reason that dories are one of the easiest boats to build for a DIY person because of its simple lines.

It is also one of the most versatile boat type which you can easily outfit to something that is suitable for the purpose that you built it for.

But before building a dory, you have to go over some of the important things to keep in mind. Some of those things are:

BUDGET

I always stress this to anyone who wants to ask my opinion where a newbie at boat building should start. And always answer the same thing. I strongly suggest you start with a definite amount you will feel comfortable spending for the project.

Why? Well, I know for a fact that most people, aside from the sheer love of building things, wants to build a boat themselves is because it's way cheaper.

And it is. However, the best way to ensure it is to have a budget beforehand.


TYPE OF DORY

As mentioned earlier, dories can be designed to be pretty much what you need it to be. So, earlier on, you would want to have a clear idea on the type of dory you want to build.

Just to give an example, some of the traditional types of dories are, sailing, beach, river, bank, and motor dories.

Each has different purposes and each has different designs that would perfectly suit its use. Like, beach dories are mostly used for fishing operation in the beach. As a result, it has an almost round shape of its sides with a narrow flat bottom which makes it perfect to launch through a surf and even weather tough ocean conditions.

MATERIALS

The materials you will be using to build a dory will be hugely dependent on your allocated budget as well as your preference. As far as materials go, wood, aluminum and fiberglass are the more popular choice.

DESIGN

a good approach to building a dory is to have a very good and workable boat plan beforehand. I strongly suggest this as a good plan will help you determine your budget, anticipate the level of skills needed to build a type of boat and guides you to the step-by-step process of building a dory.

This will help you avoid the common mistakes and unnecessary frustration that mostly associated with building things on your own.

I personally worked with a very good set of boat plans with a very detailed instruction and pictures that leaves nothing to the imagination, making it easier to follow the steps to build a dory.

You may check it out here, and see if it's what you need as well.

www.BoatBlueprints.info

This boat plans has helped me immensely in learning how to build a dory so I'm pretty sure it can do the same thing for you too!

Build Your Own Small Wooden Boat

Whether you you have a passion for fishing, rowing, duck hunting or just simply loves building things, learning how to build a small wooden boat would just be dandy and very rewarding.

To build a small wooden boat would require planning and some woodworking skills and tools to get the project started. However, to get everything done right, you have to keep in mind some of the things to consider in building a small wooden boat.

Some of these are:

BUDGET

Most get started building a boat for the simple fact that it is cheaper by far than buying one. To keep an eye on the cost and not expend more than the allotted budget for the project. This will also help you determine the factors which will directly affect the budget like materials and the size of the boat.

MATERIALS

Since you will be using wood for building a small boat, it'll require some other materials that work best with wood.

The materials which you are most likely to use are: marine plywood (this is generally used), boat building sawdust,copper wire, paint or varnish, marine epoxy and fiberglass cloth. Though these materials will vary depending on the design you are using.

Woodworking tools which you'll also be using are : drill, wire cutters, pliers, eye protection, jigsaw. There may be some more else but these are the few essentials.

SKILLS

The skill set required to build a small wooden boat largely depend on the type of boat you are going to build. Will you be building a dory? or perhaps a dinghy, or a jon boat? All of which requires different designs outfitted for different purposes so skill set will also affect the choice of which type and design of boat you are building.

DESIGN

Plans plays a very important role in whatever woodworking project as it will save you from unnecessary frustration of having to figure things out on your own. More so with boat building as safety is great deal to do with building a boat. That's why I strongly suggest that you use a very good and workable boat plan.

A good building plan should take you through the whole process of it step-by-step. It should have a complete list of materials needed so you can have it prepared beforehand and see if it fits with your budget.

Building a Row Boat - Things to Consider

Building a rowboat, like any project would require planning and thank goodness, basic skills in woodworking. Though, there are certain things which you have to keep in mind to build a boat that is safe to use and very easy to maneuver through the water.

Some factors that plays a great deal are:

Ratio of Width to length

Wider boats offer more stability in its structure while allowing more space on board however, longer boats are easier to row and can hold a course well. Therefore, you have to determine the most efficient ratio for the boat to maintain a good balance of these factors. Generally, a 1:4 width-length ratio works most effectively.

Hull Shape

The hull shape would also play a great part for overall stability and design of the rowboat. To build a row boat, you need to determine the shape of the hull the suits you best.

A flat bottom hull proved to be very good in terms of stability especially initially when boarding the boat. It is also comparatively easier building a rowing boat with flat hull. The downside perhaps to this hull shape is it can get very noisy as the bow slaps into the water.

Another hull shape is the round bottom which is also quite stable especially when leaned to its side. Streamlined and more curved shape moves quietly through the waters.

Oars

Longer oars allows more efficient rowing adding more leverage and power to each stroke while short oars fit nicely. A good ratio would be approximately twice the boat's beam.

Design

Rowing, although can be pleasurable, has the tendency to become an ordeal. That is why the overall boat design plays a huge part in easy maneuvering of the row boat.

As discussed above, there are certain things which you have to consider that should go into the design of the boat.

Personally, I opted to work with a good and workable boat plan to build a rowing boat.And I strongly suggest you do the same. It has the definite dimension and measurement in place so I don't need to worry about such things.

Building a Jon Boat - Things to Consider

Building a boat can be quite addictive. Whether you use a jon boat to go fishing or otherwise, learning how to build a jon boat is the best way to go.

First, you can customize the jon boat in terms of its size and another thing is that it's definitely cheaper and way more fun to build a jon boat.

Jon boats are generally used for fishing and duck hunting. What I liked most about this type of boat is its stability. And if you have experienced using it to go fishing you may agree with me when I say that it is very comfortable using the pedestal seats which also allows greater visibility for fishing.

A jon boat is also easier to launch and manipulate. And if I may say so, one of the easiest boat that you can build yourself.

Build a Jon Boat - Getting Started

Like with any project, building a jon boat require planning. And you have to keep in mind certain consideration. Among which are:

BUDGET

Before anything else, you need to set a certain amount that you are willing to spend to build the boat. This would determine many factors that goes into building the boat. It will determine the size, design and the materials you'll be using to build a jon boat.

Building your own boat is generally cheaper than buying one but you still need to allocate a definite amount and stick to it with the rest of the planning.

MATERIALS

There are generally four types of jon boat in terms of the materials used. These are aluminum, polyethylene, fiberglass and wood.

You have to decide which material you will use to build a jon boat keeping in mind the budget as well as what's suitable for your needs.

Aluminum are generally the sturdiest ofall mtype and is used especially when you use the boat in rocky areas. So this is good for river fishing.

Polyethelyne is also a very good alternative if sturdiness and durability is high on your list of priorities. However, I personally have an issue with using polyethylene as constant dragging of the boat on dry grounds can damage polyethylene boats.

Fiberglass is good for fishing near sandbars. But it is not the cheapest of materials to buy.

Wood is the cheapest of all materials and to build a wooden jon boat would require some woodworking skills. The thing with wooden jon boats is you need to coat the wood well using special paints to add integrity to the structure and to prevent rot.

DESIGN

Most jon boats generally have a flat or near flat hull thus limiting its use to still or calm waters. However, for your purposes, you may customize some of its features including the motors you use, if you plan of adding any. You also need to determine the size of the boat and the number of decks and the capacity of the boat.

The definite dimension and measurement of the boat should be in place before starting the building process itself. And for this you'll be needing a jon boat building plan.

A good building plan should take you through the whole process of it step-by-step. It should have a complete list of materials needed so you can have it prepared beforehand and see if it fits with your budget.

Personally, I found a very nifty catalog of jon boat design plans which I find very helpful in this aspect. You may check it out here:

www.BoatBlueprints.info

How to Build a Small Fishing Boat

Wouldn't it be just dandy to have your own fishing boat that you can just load up whenever fishing strikes your fancy? Well, you can! The fact is if you have the interest and you can put in in the effort, you can build a fishing boat yourself.

Fishing boats comes in different sizes, to build a fishing boat is dependent on varying factors but the best place to start would be deciding which type of fishing boat you have in mind.

Most do it yourself fishing boats are those usually small enough that you can just load up in your car when you go fishing. However, this kind of boat can range in different sizes. It can be the dingy type to charter cruiser and there are even some boats mostly the commercial ones that are often not just dedicated to fishing.

But let's just talk about the type of fishing boat that you can easily build with some woodworking tools,plywood and basic woodworking skills.

Build a Fishing Boat - Getting Started

First off, the tools you're most likely to use would include jig saw, drill, paintbrushes, hardware and cleats and some paintbrushes.

You'll also be needing, though these largely depends on the design, plywood, epoxy glue, paint or varnish whichever strikes your fancy and a bag of sawdust.

And there are some things to keep in mind when building a fishing boat. Some of these are:

SIZE

As discussed previously, you must have a clear idea on the size of the fishing boat that you wish to build. Will it be good for one person only? Or perhaps you want to have a boat that can accommodate a number of people. To accomplish this, you must have a definite dimension and measurementof the bow and the stern of the boat. I personally built a boat small enough to load unto an SUV. But then, that's a personal choice that has a lot to do with my preference and convenience. Things which I'm also sure you'll have to keep in mind to build your own fishing boat.


BUDGET

How much are you willing to spend? The amount you've earmarked as the budget for the project will also determine the materials that you'll be using.

MATERIALS

Will you be using fibreglass? This material is more costly than other materials but it far more superior in terms of integrity as hulls are continuous and doesn't have joints or gaps to allow water into the hull.

However,plywoods are still the most commonly used material in boat building as it is definitely cheaper and more available and easy to procure.
SKILLS

The simplest fishing boats would require a basic carpentry skills. However, there are some fishing boat designs that would require more advanced skill set. This is one of the major consideration in choosing the type of fishing boat you will build.

DESIGN

A good fishing boat design would give you an overall idea of the materials and tools you'll be needing and you will have more or less an idea of the work it will require.

Furthermore, a design is needed so you have a definite dimension and measure for the parts of the boat. You get this wrong, boat building will prove to be such a frustration and not to mention, very costly.

Personally, I've been using a nifty guide which includes a step-by-step instruction which I found very easy to follow. Of course, having some pictures vastly helped too.

You may check out the resource here and see if it gives you the same benefit.

www.BoatBlueprints.info

Tips on How to Build a Houseboat

A houseboat can be good alternative to a vacation or cabin house. Learning how to build a houseboat can make it even more extra special as it allow for customization.

The simplest way I can describe a houseboat is that it is a house structure on top of a flat boat. The house structure itself can of course vary. It may have the semblance of a shed or a mansion. And its interior can be as simple as minimalist as a one room flat or as elaborate as a real house with bedrooms, toilets and kitchen. That, of course is all up to you.

One major consideration in building a houseboat is the weight. Sure, you can have everything inside the houseboat and you can decorate and arrange it the way you please but keep in mind to calculate everything. The cabinetry, the furniture - anything that goes into the houseboat with substantial weight should be taken into account so you can build a boat structure that can support that weight.

Another thing you need to set before anything else is the budget. How much you are willing to spend into the project will determine the materials you are going to use as well as the design and size of the houseboat.

Next, you need to decide which type of materials you're going to use to construct the boat. Aluminum is personal favorite as it is very sturdy but you can also use other materials like wood or polyethylene for example. Fiberglass is also avery good choice though it certainly isn't cheap. What's important is that you choose the materials based on your own requirements. With budget and design coming into play.

Furthermore, building a houseboat would require carpentry skills and tools. Using aluminum would require some welding involved. Make sure you're up to the job entailed in building a houseboat yourself.


And lastly, you must have a very workable design in mind beforehand. The design must include elaborate additions to the interior parts of the houseboat to calculate the entire weight of the structure.

To achieve this, you must have a very workable houseboat plan complete with the exact dimension and measurements. A very good houseboat plan would also allow even the newbies armed with just the basic woodworking skills to build a their own houseboat as it is very elaborate with its step-by-step instructions.