Boats Take Too Long to Build

Article by Stephen Ladd

That’s not a blanket statement. Obviously it doesn’t apply to professional boat builders. And do-it-yourselfers may not care to analyze themselves as thoroughly as this essay suggests. But if you do so wish, let’s first consider how long it will take to build a boat.

A kit or set of plans may come with a time-to-build estimate. These assume a certain level of experience with that general type of boat, or with those construction methods and materials. And their predictive ability will depend heavily on the quality of your tools and shop space (heating, lighting, etc.).