My basic question to you is in regard to my sanity along with that of my wife…We are dreaming of sailing, selling the house, sticking a chunk of money in an untouchable fund (for our eventual return in 10-15 years) and launching. But, we don’t just want to buy some fiberglass yogurt container for our trip. That would not fit our style. We want to build our yacht ourselves. I do have an engineering degree (although I have not used it) and an MBA (definitely a negative). My wife is a graphic artist with experience in interior design. Well, here is my plan. Is this do-able??????
1) Create detailed specifications and drawings of what I want. I am 50% there now after many drawings. (FYI: 55′-65′ modern aluminum hull, deck to include a classic pilot house and a sloping sheer line, modern schooner rig with marconni aft and gaff fore sail. Fore and aft cabins, bulkheads fore and aft with a water-tight, center, engine room. It should have a fin keel and a skeg hung rudder. Goal: Long-range, comfortable, easy-to-sail, high-safety factor, classic looking schooner built with modern components.)
2) Hand my plans/specs to a qualified naval architect/engineer to create the actual designs. IMPORTANT: Architect should have proven ability to produce complete “CUT” files for all Ribs, Stringers and Hull Plates. Complete hull.
3) Have these “CUT” files delivered to an Aluminum fabricator in the Austin/Houston area for CNC cutting.
4) Deliver these “puzzle” pieces to my enclosed shop for build.
5) Use certified welders (myself included), friends, family and an experienced boat-building consultant (can be remote) to assemble the hull.
6) Select components and build-out the remainder of the yacht using friends and family. Did I mention budget…Can I get the DESIGNS with CUT files under $20K??? My hopes for the entire project cost would be in the $150K range. (tools and facilities not included) I see that you have used experienced boat yards for all of your builds. Even with your experience you choose to leave the assembly to others. So, am I attempting something that I shouldn’t? I don’t think so, but then again, I have never build a boat before…other things, but not a blue-water home for my family. Any advise, suggestions or a sanity check would be greatly appreciated. Sincere Thanks, Andy
Hi Andy: There is no way to do the project for close to what you are hoping. The materials “buy” alone, will run from $200,000 to $400,000 depending on what you chose and how you do it. If you were a professional, no learning curve involved, the hours to do a custom boat of this size would run anywhere from 16,000 to 24,000–depending on fit and finish. A quicky job, with a basic hull and let’s-camp-out interior might save you half of this in time. But then you could never sell the boat.
Note–the metal work in the boat represents about 22% to 25% of the total project. And of the metal part of the build, the basic framing and plating, and welding thereof is about half of the metal part–the other half is in the details like tanks, mast steps, rudder, chainplates, deck hardware, and a thousand other details.
Boat building is a disease. If you really have it, then the best thing to do (aside from shooting yourself) is to buy a used boat, fix it up, go cruising for a year or two, and then come back and build your dream boat. Otherwise, 70% of the decisions you make now–and there will be thousands–will be wrong. There is no way around this–you have to get experience. Designers won’t be able to help because 95% of them have never lived with their boats (and racing/passages only partially count in the decision-making process).
Sorry I could not be more encouraging–but I want you to have it straight. Boat building is a very tough business. Final thought–after you’ve got experience, find a location in the world where there is good productivity, and low wages vs the $, and build there. Good Luck–Steve
Posted by Steve Dashew (November 30, 1999)
