The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction - WEST SYSTEM Epoxy

46 Getting Started
Finally, should you ever sell a boat you have built, you
will be able to convert some of your investment into
cash. If you did your job quickly and well, you may
even recoup a minimal wage for your labor. Surveyors
judge boats on their merits. <strong>The</strong> prices they set are
determined, within certain limits, as much by the
condition and quality of workmanship as by who did
the building. A home-built boat will probably never be
worth as much as one built at a famous yard, but if
your standards of craftsmanship are high and materials
are good, you should be able to sell your boat for a
reasonable amount.
After imagining all that you will save by building yourself,
you must come back to earth. It is very easy to
bank imaginary money and draw from it, especially if
you have not set straightforward financial limits. Know
what you can spend. Do not make the mistake of
figuring that small changes in your original plans will
only cost a little and that because you are saving so
much by building, you can well afford them. A number
of tiny modifications can add up to financial overextension,
which may put your boat in jeopardy.
If you build your own, you may get more boat for your
money. You will certainly have more freedom to choose
the design, however radical or traditional, you want.
Because manufacturers must rely on large sales volumes,
their designs are usually tailored to appeal to as many
buyers as possible. If you cannot afford to have a oneoff
hull built and your ideas of the perfect hull shape
are out of the ordinary, you may have no alternative
except building for yourself.
<strong>The</strong> economics of mass production also affect boat
detail. Interior construction requires time and skill.
Manufacturers interested in maintaining competitive
prices tend to offer minimal accommodations with few
personalized conveniences. A home-built boat has a
better chance of having exactly the drawers, lockers,
and color scheme you want.
Although reputable manufacturers do not compromise
the safety of their boats, the boat you build may be
safer than one you buy. Your intimacy with your boat’s
design will give you a head start in knowing its safe
performance limits. Further, a wood and WEST SYSTEM ®
Brand epoxy hull will probably be stronger for its
weight than an equivalent glass-reinforced plastic hull.
Figure 6-1 Rogue Wave, a 60' (18.2m) ocean-racing trimaran
designed by Dick Newick for Phil Weld. Boats this large are
beyond the limits of most home builders’ resources.
You will enjoy these advantages only if you have the
basic skills needed to build a boat. Wood/epoxy
composite construction techniques may be somewhat
easier than traditional boatbuilding methods, but
woodworking experience is necessary. Lofting is tricky
and will call on geometry you probably haven’t used
since high school. Read through the Lofting chapter
in this book to be sure that you are up to the task.
You can take a shortcut and buy plans that do not
require lofting, but your boat’s curves may not end
up as smooth as you want them.
To build a boat, you must be willing to give up a great
deal of time, including the hours you usually spend
sailing. Your weekends and evenings will be taken up
by the jobs of planning, purchasing, and building, so
your family must support your goal. If your spouse
and children join you in your project, you will share
the learning, frustration, pride, and satisfaction that