JEM Watercraft

I appreciate the advice and warning. My wife already thinks I am bit crazy for wanting to build my own boat. But I think it will be a fun project, plus as I learn more about the various designs I can customize one to fit my needs.

Dave, while your wife may doubt you now, wait until that boat starts to take shape. She'll feign mild interest - because she will be so darned curious that she doesn't dare break the spell. By the time it's about complete, with that natural wood grain glistening and glowing, she'll start to make compliments about it to her friends, maybe even within your hearing range.

When she first gets in and gets a ride, she will gently hint - maybe while holding a cast iron frying pan over your head - that it might be nice if you BOTH had boats, so you could go paddling together.

Been there.

Dave

As much as it pains me to agree with Jack ... A cold bowl of left over stale grits would be easier to swallow ... I have to agree with him.

As I build boats and plan on using them they are claimed by family members and friends... I tell them they are theirs when I am no longer around here ... I think some of them took that to mean when I go to the store.

As I said when you build one be prepared to build some more because the wife, the kids, the neighbors and some guy down the street will want one.
One person I know started building wood boats and later he was building small skiffs for his kids and later for his friends kids as Christmas presents. Everyone wanted one.

To prove my point ... My latest one .....For Swamps

http://www.neilbank.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2417

See what I am saying? Now I have to tell you something really simple and honestly....... If you are in dough about a boat to build then trust Matt and his suggestions because he will not .. I repeat .. NOT.... Tell you anything wrong just to sell some boat plans, he has one downfall ... He is to honest, which is a good thing for us.

I will go even further about telling you about Matt since he won't.....

He designed a boat for me from the ground up .. The Swamp Girl. Then he modified a design of a different boat for Jack to make and is working with some other folks on new ideas and modifications to his designs....... You find another boat designer that does that and has the plans of those boats for us today and is willing to work with you......
I will save you a lot of looking. There ARE NOT ANY.

Chuck.

I agree completely with Chuck here. Listen to Matt mate. He won't steer you wrong. he has been working on a custom job for me to suit my particular whims and fantasies.

Re the one boat caper - I also agree. One is never enough. The lovely wife, the kids, the neighbours and the neighbours kids will all want one.

There is nothing quite like the pride one feels when pulling in to a petrol station/launch-site or little beach somewhere in your lovely wooden boat you built yourself., and people actually coming over to inspect/admire it.

My swampgirl cost me around AUD$500.oo to complete and fitout with custome seat backs, rod holders etc. I have 3/4 of the stuff left over to complete the next project. My swampgirl, at allmost 16 feet long, is about 1/3 lighter than a 14foot fibreglass canadian in my shed. The 'girl is also faster, tracks better and is more manouverable. I paid AUD $1200.00 for the 14 footer and to me, while it is a fine boat, it is just another canoe.

I will NEVER buy another off-the-shelf boat.

Before Matt gets all swelled up, I'll tell something bad about him. (He likes gritz) See, he ain't all that great!