Anyone built there own little Ply boat before ? Good or bad idea ?

[DownWest]

Don't waste your time and money - there are loads of unloved small GRP boats out there just waiting for your investment, which will repay your efforts much better, and offer some hope of a financial return for your endeavour. If you build a ply boat, unless it is spectacularly good, (which means hardwood rails, stringers, knees and thwarts, pukka marine ply and West epoxy, not forgetting metal keel strips, so would cost 3 - 4 times your budget and would also need the kind of expert craftsmanship rarely found in a first-time builder), you will never be able to sell it when the 'love affair' evaporates. Which, sorry to say, sooner or later, it will.

Well, yes.. But if one enjoys a project over the winter and has basic skills and tools, it is very satisfying.
It was over 4 yrs ago, so prices may be different, but I built a 15ft sailing glued clinker double ender for less than £1000 including the spars, sails and trailer. Similar boats are advertised at £4K and up. That values my time at a pretty low rate, enjoyment rating was very high though. (basic hull estimate was 200hrs) Real time was a year of evenings and week-ends. S-Fs stich and glue can be put together much quicker, esp if only for motoring.
I got the impression that the OP liked the idea of DIY, rather than tiding up a manky old grp hull with no soul.
The current project is using ply from marineplyonline , much cheaper than the prices above for 'marine'. Also worth looking at Finnish birch ply. Very strong and much cheaper than marine, on a par with exterior but far better. (hint: wooden aircraft builders use birch ply)
A

 

[lenten]

go to site-- saving old seagulls--look on forum for posts by horsley anorak---he builds them really quickly----regards lenten