How long does it take to build your own boat

[Rhapsody-NS27]

This guy took about 30 yrs for his: S/V Restless

This guy took 20:

"Bob, it's finished." (Texas Country Reporter) - YouTube

[Boatguy30]

I think it took Noah 100 years but he launched right on time.
Seriously, don't even consider it unless you can devote at least 20 hours a week in full day blocks. there are some small jobs, but many that take a full day to get it right.

[Boracay]

As a quick calculation on the above example two motivated good workers could put in 3,000 hours a year each, over 18 months that comes to 9,000 hours.

One person, building the same boat part time could be looking at 10 or so years.

In my less lucid moments when the idea of building another boat crosses my mind I consider the Easy Cat.

As people actually finish, launch and sail them I reckon they must come in at around 5,000 hours.

Or if speed was of the essence this Van de Stadt Caribbean 40 could theoretically be sailing in less than 3,000 hours - particularly with the hard chine version. With two experienced welders putting together the hull and deck maybe one year from keel laying to launch with basic interior?

I'd go for the shoal draft or even the centreboard.

I liked the Van de Stadt plans for my ZeeMin. Complete. No head scratching, no questions to designer. Just mindlessly follow and enjoy boat.

[44'cruisingcat]

From what I've "learned" on forums, apparently it takes all your life, all your money, destroys your marriage and leaves you homeless, boatless and penniless.

Or in my case it took about 6000 hours, was far cheaper than buying something similar and my wife and I have been cruising on it for 3 years now.

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[Pelagic]

To keep thing in perspective:

Noah was 500 years old when he had his three sons. It was around that time that God gave him the directions to build the ark.

He was 600 when he entered the ark, so it took him less than 100 years.

Some believe that his sons helped him, but if he started to work right after God told him to build it, his sons would have been babies. He might have started some time later, and they could have helped him as they were growing up, but it would have been at least 15-18 years that he worked alone for the most part, before they could have helped him much.

Taking it all in, I think it is safe to say that he worked anywhere from 80-100 years on the ark.

[LakeSuperior]

Here's a picture during construction from 1966. Every year the project was going to take 5 more years. That event horizon stayed constant for 15 years.

The construction is teak on white oak. The strip planking is glued with resorcinol and nailed with monel ring nails. Each strip was fit line-to-line using carbon paper and hand sanding the high points.

[roverhi]

The S/V website seems to have gone dormant since the boat was launched a 1/2 decade ago. Not sure when the last report on the Alden schooner was posted. When's the last anyone heard about these guys. Did they sail into the sunset or shoot themselves when they no longer had boatbuilding to keep them sane/insane???

Originally Posted by Rhapsody-NS27

This guy took about 30 yrs for his: S/V Restless

This guy took 20: