Wooden Boat Plans: Amateurs Should Consider Stitch And Glue Boat Building
Written by Thomas L. Young on March 3, 2010 – 12:31 pm -A beginning boat builder has a lot to learn before starting to work on their first home boat building project. Before they consider going online to get some easy to use wooden boat plans, they need to evaluate the work space they will have available. A boat will take up a whole lot more space than other home projects. In addition, it is important to study different kinds of techniques that work well for amateurs and then pick a the construction style that matches your skills and comfort zone.
There is one method that stands out as the best choice for the amateur boat builder, and that is the stitch and glue method. The reasons to select the stitch and glue boat building method instead of some different options are pretty basic. You do not need any special tools, what you already have is enough. The only advanced skill needed to succeed is to be able to read directions of some simple wooden boat plans. A trip to the near-by home improvement center will give you all the boat building supplies needed. If you are not trying to build a boat that is too large, by using this method, it should only take a day or two to complete.
Most of the other boat building techniques first involve building a frame, and then use a variety of different methods for attaching wooden planks to the frame. The stitch and glue method works well for beginners because it does not require building a frame first, nor does it require any special tools. The only materials that will be needed are a set of wooden boat plans, plywood, epoxy, copper wire a fiberglass sheath and paint. In addition to being a very easy procedure, it has the reputation of creating boats that are lighter, stronger and faster than many others.
The procedure to follow when building a stitch and glue boat goes like this. First you get the plywood cut to the dimensions laid out in your wooden boat plans. Then you will “stitch” the planks together using the copper wire. As you progress, the shape of the boat begins to form. The epoxy glue is used to “glue” the seams. Eventually the wire comes out, and you seal it all up. To finish it all, the fiberglass sheathing soaked in epoxy resin glue is then applied to give a nice layer of protection. The final touch is to use paint or varnish to give it that smooth finished look.
If you are going to take the time to build a boat yourself, you might as well totally immerse yourself in the experience and do the whole thing yourself, and forget using a costly prefab kit. Start by buying a decent set of wooden boat plans and take it from there. You will then be able to take ownership of all the pieces from buying the wood to the final touches. When you are ready to launch your boat for the first time, you will be able to walk around and rub your hand along the wood and know that you were responsible for creating all those pieces. It will certainly be a well deserved proud feeling. Not everyone will be able to brag to their friends that they built a boat with a little stitch and glue.
Learn more about wooden boat plans. Check out this site where you can find out all about stitch and glue boat building and why they are perfect for the amateur boat builder.
Tags: Boat Building, boat building plans, Boating, General Sports, hobbies, outdoors, Recreation, stitch and glue boat building, Wooden Boat Building, wooden boat building methods
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