Hey everyone, I have been toying around with the idea of building a small sailboat for a number of years now and I think that I am finally ready to begin the undertaking. I figure that the best place to begin is by choosing a design and obtaining the building plans for it, so I am looking to get some advice/suggestions from people more knowledgable than myself (all of you!) in choosing a design that best fits what I am looking for. I am very much a novice in all things boat related, so please excuse my lack of proper terminology and such. Below I will list the main criteria of what I am looking for:
-A sailboat with optional rowing capabilities.
-Capacity to fit 4+ people.
-No more than 15' long, but the smaller the better. (For storage reasons.)
-Total building cost around $2000, the lower the better. (I am a college student and can only dedicate a small portion of my paychecks to this project.)
-Can be built by somebody with a relatively basic knowledge of woodworking.
-Has a traditional sailboat look, ideally made of wood, but open to other alternatives.
-Not built from a kit.
That is basically what I am looking for, but I am also open to any other suggestions/advice that anyone could offer me as I have little knowledge with regards to the art of boatbuilding. I would appreciate any and all help that you can offer! Thank you in advance for your input.
-David Lewis Lloyd.