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Don't Know If I Should


Offduty5

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Hi, I am new to this forum and am considering building the Ocracoke 20 - B for my first build. However, I am a bit nervous to advance with my decision. I have re worked my small aluminum boat last year that came out decent. I put in new floors ,casting deck, and rear storage. I laid new marine carpet down, made the side console into a center console , painted the entire boat. I just need some advise. It will take me awhile to build, but that is okay. I have good wood working abilities , and will be ordering the kit. I need somebody to push me to make the decision. If anyone can give me advise, or is a first time builder please help me out. Thanks.

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Do it. Tons of good threads here to look through, and lots of good people to help you out.

Do it.

Do it. :)

You really won't ever regret building your own boat.

If you do, there really is a lot of help available here, including the amazing BandB guys themselves, and quite a few excellent builders.

Good luck.

Peace,

Robert

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  You have to want to build a boat while knowing it is a commitment of many hours. You must think that the whole thing is fun to do. The rest you can figure out/learn as you go.  Between Graham and Alan at B&B,  a host of expertise here and a kit with plans you can find the answer to any question you have along the way.

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I am currently building an Ocracoke 20 and have never built a vessel before.

Im not finding it too challenging so far, mostly because of the good plans and the helpful people on here.

I am enjoying the build.

I get a little frustrated trying to find a decent block of time to work on it (i have a young family).

The other is dealing with epoxy. Its messy. Work clean and safe from the outset.

You should be able to minimise the need to 'sand' it if you work smart.

Other than that go for it if you enjoy 'projects' such as your recent tinnie fittout.

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Welcome Offduty5.

 

JUST DO IT !!.

 

I am building the Ocracoke 20 as well and with lots of customization. This is my second build after Marissa 18.

 

Graham and Alan are very friendly and technical people and they will help for sure !  

 

Just keep in mind that if you build the first boat it won't be the last one   ;)  ;)  ;)

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I say don't build it.

 

If you're not sure, you're not ready. For most of us, the idea of building starts as a single wispy cloud on the horizon. With time, this cloud grows and grows, until it fully envelops the sky with itself, so much so that it's all you can think of. It'll eventually occupy every waking moment and you'll "HAVE" to build one.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi, I am new to this forum and am considering building the Ocracoke 20 - B for my first build. However, I am a bit nervous to advance with my decision. I have re worked my small aluminum boat last year that came out decent. I put in new floors ,casting deck, and rear storage. I laid new marine carpet down, made the side console into a center console , painted the entire boat. I just need some advise. It will take me awhile to build, but that is okay. I have good wood working abilities , and will be ordering the kit. I need somebody to push me to make the decision. If anyone can give me advise, or is a first time builder please help me out. Thanks.

How many young kids do you have?

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Guest Chris Beebe

Hell all the hours you been thinking of it you could be building it. Anyway its made out of wood, you can fix it if you mess up. Cut wood put it to gether and hope it fioat,s. Get busy. :rolleyes:

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This is a funny thread-- for everyone except Offduty5.  It reminds me of when I was a kid, and my friends and I went swimming.  The water was ice cold, I'm standing on the dock, and they are all saying "c'mon in-- the water's fine!"  LOL  Yes, a boat build is a big commitment.  It can be a real time eater.  The process and results are infinitely satisfying, but it comes with a price.  The question about kids is a good question.  It can be a tough decision.

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Guest Chris Beebe

Don you are right. We all have a wife and kids. Offduty if you consider holidays and family.I think you get it done in two years and that,s night and weekends .If  you had a hull built and glassed it would save about a year.I have  the fist CNC cut kit in my shop. We are getting to start two 20 B in JANUARY.

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Hi, I am new to this forum and am considering building the Ocracoke 20 - B for my first build. However, I am a bit nervous to advance with my decision. I have re worked my small aluminum boat last year that came out decent. I put in new floors ,casting deck, and rear storage. I laid new marine carpet down, made the side console into a center console , painted the entire boat. I just need some advise. It will take me awhile to build, but that is okay. I have good wood working abilities , and will be ordering the kit. I need somebody to push me to make the decision. If anyone can give me advise, or is a first time builder please help me out. Thanks.

How many young kids do you have?

 

 

Walt makes a good point-  obligations outside of the boat make a difference-  that being said, I have two kids under 4, a more than full time job, etc. and I wrapped up a CS 17 this summer.  All told, took me about 16 months, and that was with a kit-  I found that the minute I stopped setting deadlines for myself, the project became much more enjoyable.  By far, the majority of my available boat time was after 9pm, and I got very proficient at breaking stuff up into 2 hour chunks-  Would I do it again?  Well, yes, I am starting on an OB 20 kit right now....but I definitely have the "addiction".  In all seriousness-  I will say that my "free time" tends to be spend on things like this, rather than watching the game, going out with the boys, etc... and that is by choice.  Building, creating, restoring, using boats is the top of my list for how I want to spend my recreational time.  It is a big commitment, and not one to be taken lightly, but it is immensely satisfying, and I would venture to guess that if you are asking the question, you are well along the way to making your decision.  Good luck!

 

JP

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I like what JP said. Family HAS to come first. Breaking things into manageable "chunks" is a key. Look at the next small step as a goal, not worrying about finishing the whole boat. I call each of these small steps "projects". Take satisfaction in doing and completing each one. The "big" job will take care of itself.

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There is also this.

When I was training for Ironmans, which is about 30 hours a week, I would include my kids. When I ran, they rode bikes along side. When I swan, they paddled boats with me. Not always, but often. It was "forced" time to be together and engaged.

Same same with boats. They help make stuff, and paint. I have a very obscene picture of Oldest Son, when he was Only Son, posing with one of the 20 foot canoes I built. Yes, a young man's pose. :) Now as a man, though, that kid can handle a boat. We always talk about the time he poised on the rail of our little skiff and reached up to reship the sprit, which had fallen out when the lashing broke...

The time can be time you are together engaged, rather than together in the same room but miles apart.

And, any child will benefit from watching a parent persevere to accomplish a dream and complete an impossible task.:)

Peace,

Robert

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Also, not everything goes according to plan. I think the important thing is to love what you are doing so when things don't go well you can get back after it. I had quite a dry spell (cobwebs on my boat!) and I am back after it pretty hard. But I can't ignore my job, wife, kids. Luckily they all have the sleep gene while I apparently don't so I get the quiet jobs done early in the morning. I save all the cutting and sanding for when I'm alone or when the family is busy. I have a basement shop (walk-out) so I can work down there and still feel "present".

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