How I became a Back Yard Boat Builder.
By Jeff Dray

     Wanting a boat and being able to afford one are two different things. We moved from the Thames Valley, 40 miles west of London, to Poole in Dorset because we needed to liquidise our most valuable asset, the house. Homes in the Thames Valley are amongst some of the most expensive out side of London itself and our modest terraced house sold two years ago for the equivalent of $160,000. In fact it sold so quickly (48 hours from going on the market) that I couldn't but wonder if we had undervalued it.The house in Poole was just over half that price and is near to the sea. I have always wanted to live near to the sea.
     Having got to the sea I wanted to get even nearer so I set about building a boat. I scoured the magazines for something suitable and found a kit for an 8ft clinker built pram with a spritsail rig and sent for details. It was a reasonable price, came with all pre-cut sections, oars, fittings, epoxy resin, sails, rigging, all that was needed was the paint. The thing that really sold it to me was the clearly stated policy of ease of building. "This boat has been built by school children and most builders have no previous woodworking experience. Should you ever encounter a problem call us and we will assist, we will even send one of our builders if it proves necessary". The company told me that they would always be prepared to stand by this claim, and would not charge any extra. They also told me that the offer had never been taken up. I placed my order and soon a large cardboard box was delivered to my house.
     I resisted the temptation to scatter the contents all over the yard and start building straightaway. Showing the wisdom of my advancing years I took out the instruction manual and, after a brief look at the more recognisable components, I went indoors to read and re read the processes. This is worth doing. The next free day I opened up the box and took out the former, the frames and the transoms and fixed them all together. At the end of the first day I had a boat-shaped wooden spider and a blister on my left palm, caused by using a cheap wooden handled screwdriver.
     The next day was wet so the whole assembly stayed under a tarp. The day after that was a Monday so work used up the waking hours and it wasn’t until the next weekend that I was able to start planking the hull. These went on easily and I soon had a boat with a wooden spider underneath it. The next weekend saw me getting to grips with epoxy for the first time and a right old mess I made but the progress was marked by the wooden spider coming out from under the boat and being cut up for the seats, dagger board, rudder and other such vital bits.
     Over the next couple of weekends all the planks got glued into place and it gradually grew to look more like a boat. Winter set in and daylight hours became scarce. Come the spring the tap was removed again and the seat went in, the keel liner and the dagger board box, glued in with sturdy fillets of epoxy. The came great day of the bottom painting.
     I mixed up a large pot of resin and painted the outside of the hull. It looked gorgeous. The resin only took 25 minutes to set but in that time the sky blackened, the wind sprang up and it rained heavily for about 20 seconds. When it was dry the resin was white, lumpy and covered in dust. This was heartbreaking. The power sander removed the worst of it but the finish could not be recovered so I decided to paint the hull a salty blue. Good sanding is important before applying paint to epoxy so mine is very well applied. The inside is finished in yacht varnish. The mast and spar got the same treatment and then came the great day of launching.
     The ceremonious occasion was marked by dragging it down to the local slip and throwing it into the sea. It floated, the right way up and didn’t leak so I stepped gingerly into it, set the oars and rowed away. It was a fine sight, sails set, ropes trailing in the water and NO WIND. The pictures were taken, a few people got to row around in her and then we went home again to wait for a day when free time, dry weather and a modicum of wind arrived at the same time so that I could sail properly.
     This was a good first project that gave a lot of insight as well as a lot satisfaction. The next boat will be more ambitious. The thing I’ve noticed about home boat builders is that they always have a boat, either in progress or just finished and another in the planning stage. Whilst I dream about my Weekender, my 12 foot gaff sloop which is a hybrid of Ira Einsteen’s Herring Skiff and some mods of my own, the slinky hydroplane and a good old fashioned rowing skiff, I can still potter about on the sheltered but still quite lively waters of Poole Harbour enjoying the best but of all, simply being afloat and at peace with the world.
     There is only one thing missing. My mother has been nagging my to tell her what the boat’s name is. I simply haven’t a clue. Many suggestions have come and gone. The latest idea is "Jester" because the company that supplied the kit is called Merryman and I am known as a bit of a joker. This seems the favourite at the moment but I am open to suggestions. I always thought that very small boats didn’t need a name but my single opinion is as nothing against the combined wills of the family.

If anyone has a good simple idea for a name please write to me at:

Jeffd@poole-harbour.co.uk I’ll be out sailing but will reply when I get back.