Reading material on boatbuilding sought

[Rossynant]

Rossynant, it isn't fair or reasonable to point me at boats like that GH. If the wife catches me looking at things like that, she'll go crackers

Wife of the guy who bought the one mentioned earlier (damaged, from ebay, bought not seeing) was not especially happy scraping corroded keel bent down, drenched in rain blowing horizontally - while noble owner took pride in smooth glassing over the ply and chatting with me but she commented she prefer this boat to new french plastic they have, currently in marina on the other side of Channel. She found GH much nicer, seakindly, comfortable. I understand they had one long time before.

Well, my boat was standing not far away, old and battered, heavy longkeel kind not so roomy as those new charter junk, and in need of work. I could get nice modern one in Poland, not on another corner of the world...
My girl was happy with the boat (I was more inclined to resign from deal) and she also liked this GM, actually
Women are quite sensible, really; can spot a good stuff. Or cheap buy

 

[Reptile Smile]

Women are quite sensible, really; can spot a cheap buy

I imagine that's why mine chose me...

 

[William_H]

Building a wooden boat is quite straight forward. You build it upside down on a wooden strong back. ie 2 rails of wood spaced about 2/3 beam and longer than the boat. You make frames for the various stations along the hull hopefully to full size drawings from designer. Frames are mounted on the strong back. In some cases the frames are mounted above the strong back to give the correct sheer line. A keel son is mounted across the top of the frames which becomes the bow inner "keelson" there must be name for it. Chines and gunwhales are also added in the same way. Skins of plywood are then attached. Fit a top side skin then plane down the edges to the level of the chine timber then add the bottom skins. (for a single chine hull). Then plane the edges fair.
You may have to spring the timbers and skins to get the curves. I found it a simple process for a definitely non carpenter building a 24ft x12ft catamaran. Indeed I had more trouble building cupboards and fitting floors. I have built a couple of sabot dinghies similar construction only harder to get the tighter bends. You could build a dinghy for far less money and lots of satisfaction at wood work. I know very little of steel boats.
What I do know for sure is that fibreglass is the only way to go in boat building. The hull lasts for ever. Only a dedicated boat builder would build a boat these days. The costs just don't add up compared to buying an old f/g boat. Restore as necessary but don't build new.
Having said that a friend has just launched a home built 45ft fin keel yacht. It has taken many years and a lot of money and still far from finished. He built it simply because he wanted to, regardless of cost. good luck olewill