what to build I seek a 26 foot sailboat thats easy to build

[phil1]

I have looked at the harley 24.......i dont want something that cost $$$$$$$$$ IS this the correct place to ask ........is anyone out there

[JimD]

Hi phil1. Welcome to the forum. Sure, this is a good place to ask. But the answer probably isn't the one you're hoping for. For the most part you will be encouraged to use good quality materials, mainly for purposes of safety and longevity of your project. And they cost money. Lots of it. Usually far more than one was expecting. Even cheaper materials end up costing more than you might think, especially when you get down to realistic estimates of total cost that include a detailed list of such things as sandpaper, electricity, and a million other things. Many of us have a similar tale to tell as yours. We have envisioned building a fairly large but simple plywood boat and have asked ourselves "How expensive can that be?" You can keep costs down by fitting out the boat very simply, scrounging and buying second hand sails and equipment but in the end it always seems to cost more than we had hoped. The best quick and cheap way to get a sailboat in the water is to buy a used fiberglass production boat. Or a plywood boat that someone else has built. Home built plywood boats generally have a notoriously low resale value.

For cost estimates, Karl Staumbaugh estimates the cost of this 24 footer at $12,000, less sails and power, which could total that much again:



That might be a conservative estimate, and I'd imagine the Hartley 24 would be about the same. Yeah, its a little depressing when the boat you had hoped would cost $5,000 ends up costing $20,000. Not to mention the hundreds or even thousands of hours of your free labour. I sympathize as I'm sure others do, too.

[MiddleAgesMan]

Bolger's Blackskimmer would be one of the easier builds in that size (25', not 26). Sitting headroom only but they say she is a right nice sailer and fast to boot.

The Nexus Marine site has the story of one they recently finished for a client, with pics from start to sea trials. Several have been built by amateurs.

Bolger designed her many years ago for Mike Somebody (O'Brien?), now editor of our host's magazine. It's now a stock plan, available from Herb Payson or Bolger and Friends; my plans cost $45 IIRC.

I'll probably never build her but it's nice to take a gander at the dusty drawings every now and then.

[JimConlin]

If you really must have authentic construction or high performance or extremely shallow draft, you'll probably need to build something, but if you're wanting a middle-of-the-road keeled sailboat between 20 and 40 foot length, it is very hard to justify building one when there are so many older glass boats on the market.

For example, this Pearson Triton (28') is now offered for $4,000.


At that price, it probably needs a lot of improvement- engine, sails, cosmetic, etc., but it's still a much more cost-effective way to get sailing.

[phil1]

yes it seems this fitting out is a $$$$$$$$$ thing..........
i wonder if it is easy to build and only takes 20 sheets of ply
and be used offshore

[John Turpin]

You might also look at the B & B Princess Sharpie:

http://bandbyachtdesigns.com/princess26.htm

But, the terms "easy", "inexpensive" and "off-shore" rarely should go together.

[James McMullen]

Easy to build and inexpensive rarely = great boat. All boats are compromises, and cheap materials and simple shapes are unlikely to give you much contentment down the road. If you just want to get on the water cheap and quick, a used fiberglass boat is a good bargain. If you want the pride and experience of building your very own boat, then don't cheat yourself by building something flimsy, ugly and slapdash.

I myself bought a 23' fiberglass cruising sloop in great condition for $4000. You couldn't even buy the materials for a boat that size for that little money. I am now saving up for the money to build my own Oughtred Grey Seal, a boat that is stout, seaworthy and breathtakingly beautiful. I expect to spend at least $20,000 on her and take several years to do it right, but when I am done, I will have a boat that people will come sprinting down the dock just to look at it because it is so cool. And in the meantime I have my inexpensive, used fiberglass boat to go sailing in while I'm building. And I'll sell her to someone else for what I paid for her.

Trying to save money is a futile reason to be building your own boat, what with used boats being sooooo cheap. The best reason to build boats is because you like the actual process of building them.

[Thermo]

It seems like with boats under about 15' that it's cheaper to build than to buy a used one. But over that (or whatever magic number it is) it's cheaper to go buy a used glass boat if you want to go sailing.

Even on ebay, small sailboats go for a lot of money, but 20+ foot boats are very cheap and plentiful.

But of course, at least where where I live - a one litre bottle of Coke costs much more than a two litre bottle of Coke