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The sea holds an attraction for millions of Australians, and to be afloat in their own boat, if only for a few hours a week, is sufficient reward for boat enthusiasts.  To build their own boat, whether a canoe or 50' ocean cruiser, provides pleasure and a sense of achievement few can appreciate.

Practical Considerations - A boatbuilding project should not be undertaken lightly.  It will require commitment of time, as well as money, and the support of family and friends.

Be sure of your goals - Focus on what you really want, recognising that the longer your project takes, the greater the chance your needs will change before it's completed. 

Choose the right design - This is without a doubt, the single most important decision to be made on a new project.  The implications will be with you until the day the boat passes from your possession.

A comprehensive set of plans will represent hundreds of hours of a highly qualified designers time.  Their experience will benefit you through the details and specifications they make.  In all fields, the advice of a highly qualified professional should save, rather than cost you money.  A good design is essential - look for other areas to economise.

Keep size manageable - The smaller the overall project, the easier it is to stay within your time and money budget.  The project can be reduced to the number of times you pick up your tool box, march up to the project and work on it.

The number of times you have to do this is related to much more than the boat's length alone.  It also involves the boat's width, height, weight and the overall complexity of the design.  Therefore "a large 5m" or "a small 10m" are not really contradictory statements.

Select good materials - This is as important as the choice of design.  As design, the choice of materials, once made, must be accepted.  Whatever material you select, use the best available.  The cost of the structural materials represents a fraction of the overall project, and cheap materials can reduce the life span and resale value.

Your materials supplier should have first hand, practical knowledge of materials and how to use them.  The right combination of materials, method and qualified advice, should make you building project a shorter and more pleasurable experience.

Keep it simple - Some boat designers will provide sound recommendations for construction methods, and certain designs dictate a specific construction method.  You don't have to use the simplest building method possible, but you should keep the degree of building difficulty in mind. 

Keep at it - You should do something on your project everyday.  It doesn't have to be significant, sand a rough spot smooth, give some thought how a future detail will be accomplished.  The longer you do nothing, the harder it will be to get the project moving again.

Enjoy the project - Many people blast through their projects with one objective - to get it done!  They often miss something essential along the way.  Don't forget that the building process is supposed to be FUN.  It's supposed to be a release of creative energy, a distraction from the pressures of the day and a source of satisfaction.  You have to take time to sit back and imagine her slicing through the water, taking you to the places you've always wanted to go.  That's part of the CREATING process.