What to build?

[chuckpierce]

So now that the Texas 200 is over, the new kitchen and bathroom that I promised the wife will occupy the next 3 months of weekends. This means that I have to have a boat project to think about and use as a carrot stick to get me through the remodel . Been studying the Devlin, Atkin, and Michalak books for about a year now, and I am thinking that next year I'd like to build a small sailboat.

The problem is figuring out which one!

Here are the requirements. 12ft-16ft. Rig and in the water in 15 minutes or so. Has to hold me and 2 grandkids or me and another adult. Ability to row is a plus, there will be no motormount. Light weight, reasonably fast, but when we are over on the Louisiana side of Lake Sabine it has to get us back across the lake when the wind kicks up to 15kts and there is 3 feet of chop. Ability to sail onto a beach. Enough space (and weight capacity) for a singlehander's camp stuff and supplies for 5 or 6 days . Cheap, easy build, hopefully could be built in 8 or 9 Saturdays. This will be the first build for me, and I am not interested in building a work of art, but in utility and in what such a boat would allow us to do.

Any advice/opinions you guys can give on which set of plans to order would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

Chuck

[Hirilonde]

Cheap, easy build, hopefully could be built in 8 or 9 Saturdays. This will be

the first build for me...........

Hmm, even with 10 hour work days that is just 80-90 hours.  I would think you are being a bit optimistic about how long a boat that meets your other specifications will take to build, especially as a first time builder.  I don't say this to discourage you, but to help prepare you for the reality of building a boat.  Most of us who build our own boats do it for the fun of the build as much as to end up with a boat.  

I don't know if my experience building a Spindrift 9 means much as a landmark.  I built it to high quality standards, but I was not obsessive.    I am a professional marine carpenter.  It was my second stitch'n'glue build.  I had the exterior of the hull finish paint sprayed by a friend and did not include it as build time.  I spent 167.5 hours of actual work time. This does not include study, daydreaming, head scratching, picking up materials,  etc., just actual shop time.

Time rarely enters into the criteria for most builders, and with good reason  

As to your original question regarding designs:  I am a fan of B & B for home built sailing dinghies.  Graham's Core Sound 15 meets all your criteria except build time.  His Spindrift 12 does as well, but I think 12 feet is a bit small for some of your plans for sailing.  You have to make your own decisions though regarding the compromises faced in choosing a boat design, not the least of which is length.

[ChrisObee]

If you really didn't care what the finish was like You could probably do a boat in that time.  You might try a C12 from www.bateau.com.  Its a simple 12' cat boat.  The Corsair 13 from the same company is a better sailboat a little larger and more complicated.

[Randy Jones]

I understand the intrest in building your own boat, but consider that there are a lot of used boats out there and many are selling for less then the cost of their materials.  There is some junk to be sure, but even boats in good shape are selling cheap.  Once you start looking you find them everywhere, and the good part is you can start looking even before those other projects are complete.