Frequently asked Questions

I came across this FAQ on Steve Thompson's site, and I liked it so much that I asked him to let me publish it here. The questions asked are the ones that crop up on our forum and in e-mails etc. It comes from his "build your own boat" page which has many more useful insights into amateur building.

Check out Steve's site and his designs for amateur builders, you will find the link at the bottom of the page. I have included a few photos of some of his boats under construction to illustrate this page.
Tony

How much space do I need? - Our whole concept of building one boat is based on the utilisation of minimum space. The hull and decks are built from the same mould and the temporary mould is dismantled around the boat when finished. So the dimensions of the boat plus a bit of working space is all that required.

What special tools do I need? – For one-off boats, basic hand tools and fiberglass handling tools is all that is required. If you are setting up to build more than one boat a vacum pump and maybe a wet-out machine will come in handy.

Where do I get building material? – Talk to your local boatbuilder first and fine out where he gets his supplies. There are a number of very good suppliers throughout the world. We can recommend several that will supply a complete boat package at good rates if required.

How strong is the boat? – The design philosophy for amateur constructed boats has a built in strength factor that allows for additional strength in the critical parts of the boat that may not be constructed to the higher standards achieved by a commercial boatbuilder.

Will my wife approve? – Building boats is a family sport, get every one involved. A family that plays together stays together.

How do I know if I am doing a good job? – Work on the big brother concept, get a friend or even pay a boatbuilder that is knowledgeable to check your work as the boat progresses. This way you never progress to the next step before you are ready.

How do I paint the boat? – Most of the undercoating can be done by roller, however the finishing undercoats and top coats need to be applied by a professional painter. We often hire a boat painter or even an auto painter for the time it takes to spray the boat with the sanding labour supplied by willing friends.

How do I convert from metrics? – Don’t, use the metric system if the boat is designed in metrics, the system is much easier to use you will be less prone to make mistakes. Get a metric tape and go for it.

Steve Thompson
Tboats Design
Auckland New Zealand
June 2006