Archive: Posts Tagged ‘small boat’

Boat Building Made Easy

Comments Off September 14th, 2011

boat buildingIf riding the waves is your passion or sailing down the river to enjoy a beautiful evening is what you dream of, don’t let the exorbitant costs of buying a boat stop you. After all, Boat Building is one of the oldest branches of engineering and man has mastered it over time. Building your boat from the scratch might feel challenging at first, but imagine the satisfaction you will feel when you bring the boat built with your own hands to the shore for the first time. Sailing in it to enjoy a stunning Sunset will be the just reward for your hard work.

It’s important to understand different parts of a boat before you begin building one. They are:

  • Hull is the watertight part of the boat. It’s the part of the boat that is in direct contact with water at all given times and hence crucial to the mechanism of your boat.
  • Bow is the front end of the hull and has to be tall enough to prevent water from washing over the hull.
  • Bulkheads are the internal walls of the hull.
  • Chines are the long strips on the hull. When a boat is traveling at a speed, it forms a spray of water that has to be deflected downwards, which is done by chines.
  • Deck is where you’d be standing on your boat, and it keeps water out of the hull.
  • Keel is the central part that runs along the bottom of the boat, which is crucial when you need to turn your boat.
  • Rudder is the rotating blade that you see at the rear end of a boat.
  • Some of the other important parts of the boat are Garboard, Gunwale, Strake, Sheer, Stem, Stern and Transom.

The size and building material for these parts depends on the type of your boat and its shape. Wood has traditionally been the material to build boats. But different types of materials like steel, aluminum, and fiberglass can be used for boats that have specific needs and functions. Continue reading…

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Building Small Boats – A Rewarding Hobby

Comments Off September 13th, 2011

boat buildingWhether you are retired or just enjoy the great outdoors, and the water in particular, building small boats can be a very rewarding hobby. First of all, if you have thought about buying a boat, even a small one, you may already know that it is ridiculously expensive.

If you want to build your own boat and save money, building small boats is a great way to get started. Once you have completed the initial project, you may find that you want to continue building small boats, or even larger ones, and before you know it, you are an experienced boat builder.

So you have decided that building small boats is something that you are definitely interested in. What now? Start by doing an internet search and looking for a good set of basic plans for building small boats. Yes, there are plenty of free plan sets available, but ask yourself what kind of value you are going to get from those plans.

· How many sets of plans are available?
· Is there support available on the site?
· Does the person who prepared the plans have boat building experience themselves?
· Are the plans easy to follow and simple enough for a beginner to try? Continue reading…

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Beginners Guide to Wooden Boat Building

Comments Off September 8th, 2011

boat buildingIf you have never constructed a wooden boat before and are not an experienced woodworker, you may find this a daunting task. As a beginner, you can take the help of DIY plans for boat building and follow the process in a step by step manner. These plans will enable you to transform pieces of plywood into the most attractive and inviting wooden boat. All you need to know is to hammer nails, cut timber and of course to read the instructions and you are as capable as an expert in building your own boat.

A medium sized garage should be sufficient space for building your boat. As you choose the wooden boat plans, you must carefully consider a few aspects -

  • Ensure drawings are detailed. The plan you choose must show you every single aspect of what you must do in-depth.
  • Find out if the plans are based on actually built boats. It is recommended not to choose plans that have not been tried before.
  • Certain plans contain a list of materials you need to construct the wooden boat. Choose plans that contain the list to make the job easier.
  • Last but not least, a well drawn out plan costs between $50 and $100.

With these tips in mind, after you select a good plan, it is now time to start constructing your wooden boat. You can find boat building plans at book shops, your local library or online. You can ask for a sample or preview of the plan before purchasing to ensure that it has all necessary details. Continue reading…

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