Why Build a Boat

Why am I Building a Boat

There are a lot of great reasons to not build a boat:

1. It's much cheaper to buy a used boat and outfit it to your design.  The used sailboat market has never been more of a buyers market.  You can buy a sailboat with a replacement cost of $500,000 for tens of thousands of dollars.  You would have to be crazy to actually build a boat.
2. It will take a long time.  It is estimated that it will take at least 15 years for me to build this boat.  I can buy a used one and refurbish it and be on the water next year.
3. The resale value of a home built boat is very low.  You will never recover your investment.

There are only a few good reasons to build a boat:

1. You can not buy a boat that is as well made as the one I am building.  With the exception of some of the traditional build craft that are being built by boat builders in the New England area and other traditional boat building centers.  Of course you're talking about very large amounts money.
2. You can not buy a boat that is as strong as the one I am building.  See exception in number 1 which might not apply here.  The cold molded technique is a hybrid of traditional and modern boat building that has both a rigid frame and hull.  It is not easily applied to production boat building.
3. You will know your boat when you are finished.  There will not be a repair on your boat that you will not be able to perform yourself.
4. It's the largest and best resume' that you will have.  Often you will be able to earn a little extra cash while you are cruising by working on other peoples boats.  Boaters are always looking for quality people to work on their boat.  What better way to show them your qualifications than to show off that masterpiece you built.
5. The pride and sense of accomplishment you will have will be beyond compare.
6. It will take a long time but the cost will be spread out over a long time as well (to answer number 2 above).
7. I'm not building a boat to sell, I'm building a boat to live on (to answer number 3 above).  Actually there is no reason for a home built boat to be or look less than a production boat.  I assure you that my home built will exceed the look and quality of any production boat out there.
8. The most important reason to build my own boat is: Because I want to.  It's something I've always wanted to do and it's something that I love to do.  I'm never more at peace than when I'm working on the boat.  Hopefully, I'll still retain those feelings when I'm living on her.

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