Anyone built a boat?

[David Grason]

Ok

"Tiny Toy Boats six times real fast."

How'd I do?

[doug hodder]

Hi George and Pat.... I have built a couple of boats and they can be seen on the glen-L site www.glen-l.com I have built the zip and the Malahini. Boats kind of are whole 'nother world as on the hull, nothing is square and there are very few straight lines. They are incredibly rewarding projects however. I try to e-mail Dave Grason regularly and find out what his progress is, whether it is on the boat or the trailer. It's great to talk to others across the country and solve our building issues and see what others are doing. I'm more than willing to help you out with any questions that you may have. Building a boat is going to cost you a lot more than a tear, but it depends on how you want to finish it off and how many bells and whistles, It also takes considerably more time. I started off with boats and am now doing tears, but the natural progression would have been to do a tear and work up to the boat. I learned a lot of things the hard way. Doug Hodder

[Georgeandpat]

Doug, I definitely want to build a boat for my next project. I like the looks of the Zip and the Malahini. When that time comes I will definitely be in touch- thanks for offering to answer questions. First, however, I've got to finish this teardrop. I have a deadline of April 20 to take it out for its first "sea trial". George.

[BILLYL]

Please stop - Yesterday i was talking with some friends - telling them about the TT and said that I always wanted to make a canoe a strip ceadr one.

Now to find the plans

BILL

[David Grason]

I try to e-mail Dave Grason regularly and find out what his progress is, whether it is on the boat or the trailer. It's great to talk to others across the country and solve our building issues and see what others are doing.

One thing we've found out is that boatbuilders certainly seem to be fewer and farther between as well as being scattered all over the world. Some of the most active forum members on the Glen-L site are from Ireland, the UK and the Netherlands. I've been wondering if a group of the Glen-L boat builders would be interested in getting together like the teardroppers do, but there are so few of us that getting together might mean literally travelling all the way across the country. That would take a much higher level of commitment and more planning. So forget about taking my boat to Europe. lol But of course, I wouldn't mind having pics of my boat on Lake Tahoe, huh Doug? You'd meet me there wouldn't ya.



BTW, heres the URL for one of our boat building forum members. This guy's name is Martien and he's in the Netherlands.

www.veltens.nl

[Anon 1]

Being a boat builder myself, I'd like to say, that if you are new to the art of boatbuilding beware. Probably the best way to start is, smaller and simpler, just to test the waters. Everyone is not a natural born boatbuilder and many first time projects end up being abandoned. Usually the bigger and more complicated ones at a higher rate. There are some real nice 8'-12' prams with flat sides and bottoms that can be rowed, sailed or motorized. The same goes for kayaks and most of these can be built using the plywood over frames or the stitch and glue methods.

[AmyH]

I am starting pretty small when it comes time to build some boats, I am going to build a Wee Lassie (Mac McCarthy design based on the classic one by Henry Rushton), then I want to build the Little Auk (design by Nick Schade of Guillemot Kayaks, already have the plans), then....it is on to either a stitch and glue double (have the plans for the Chesapeake Light Craft double/triple) or a double folding/take-apart kayak designed by Tom Yost (he has free plans on his website at http://www.yostwerks.com, he plans to post the double plans latter this year). I love the idea of having a kayak I can take with me when I travel, but the Feathercrafts and Folbots are just too expensive, plus there is something to be said about doing it yourself! The future boat, if all the smaller stuff goes well, and I am still hooked, may either be a runabout from Glen-L plans or this other design by Sam Devlin (25' Surf Runner, http://www.devlinboat.com/dcsurfrunner25.htm). I guess if you have to be addicted to something, boatbuilding and teardrop trailer building are the way to go!!

Amy

[Anon 1]

AmyH - Take a look at this very easy and quick to build kayak. I have built 3 for my grandchildren over the years and they like them. I copied the plans from the internet by simply using the pages at this site.
http://www.svensons.com/boat/?p=RowBoats/Plyak

[AmyH]

That is a pretty little double-paddle canoe/kayak! It seems relatively easy to build, and free plans no less! When you built them, did you fiberglass the wood at all, or did you just do the seam tape method that the plans refer to? If you did the tape method, how well did the boats hold up?

Thanks for the info, Amy

[campadk]

Hey we cheated! Just bought a Doral 170BR at the boat show last week. Kate put are heads in the photo to see how we look. Maybe we can pull our tear with it???

[Guest]

I'm going to somewhat disagree with you guys (David and Anon) just a bit. I believe that anyone with basic skills, desire and ability to obatain the materials can successfully build a boat. There are good plans out there, good books out there and good support forums out there.
I read an article in a newspaper several years ago, it had mention of what people should do in their lifetime. There were two things on the list that I hadn't accomplished yet; build a boat and write a book.
I still need to write that book.

Amy,
Mac's Wee Lassie is a perfect first time stripper build.
I'd be willing to bet that once you get stripping in your blood, you won't be doing any stitch and glue until you get to the bigger boats.

[Guest]

Hey Dave (Campadk),
Since posting my last message just above this one, I'm getting a log on window asking me for my username and password to log onto campadk.com. I even deleted my cookies and history, but I'm still getting a prompt to log onto your website.
Any ideas what the heck is going on?

[mikeschn]

Hey we cheated! Just bought a Doral 170BR at the boat show last week. Kate put are heads in the photo to see how we look. Maybe we can pull our tear with it???

http://campadk.com/private/images/doral170.jpg

Dave,

Your image is in your private directory. We don't have your password!!!

Mike...

[campadk]

Oops! Kate has some of our site in a private directory. I copied the photo over and updated my posting above.

[mikeschn]

Maybe we can pull our tear with it???

I'm thinking maybe you should get a motorhome.... tow your boat with that! The tear? Put it in the cargo bay of the motorhome!

Mike...

P.S. Don't forget the internet satellite dish... that way you can camp at Fish Creek Pond all summer, instead of just weekends!