Boat Builder Central - Builder Forums

New guy here, I live in North Texas and fish the lakes up here when I have a boat. I have went from a pontoon to kayak to high-end kayak to aluminum center console to nothing at all. I enjoyed my kayaks the most but hated all the work involved so I have decided to build the fs14_ls. It should handle the lakes around here and my occasional trips to the coast. I have experience with some paint/body work, mechanical work, welding and drunken tinkering. I've never built a boat but I have read a ton on here and I think I can pull it off. I have a 30x40' shop and all the equipment needed to do it. What say you forum? Is the fs14_ls too much for a first time boat builder?

JD_TX wrote: ↑Sat Jun 27, 2020 10:04 pm New guy here, I live in North Texas and fish the lakes up here when I have a boat. I have went from a pontoon to kayak to high-end kayak to aluminum center console to nothing at all. I enjoyed my kayaks the most but hated all the work involved so I have decided to build the fs14_ls. It should handle the lakes around here and my occasional trips to the coast. I have experience with some paint/body work, mechanical work, welding and drunken tinkering. I've never built a boat but I have read a ton on here and I think I can pull it off. I have a 30x40' shop and all the equipment needed to do it. What say you forum? Is the fs14_ls too much for a first time boat builder?

Nope. Good luck. Get stuck. Ask here. Lotsa builders of that boat.

You can do it! Welcome to the forum. Post lots of pictures!

Like they said you can do it Different first builds have ranged fro 5-25 feet so 14 footer is a great place to start.
This style of building is very forgiving. About the only mistake you can make that is not fixable is to use cheap plywood.
Start a build thread and post lots of pictures as you go.

Your greatest skill listed is drunken tinkering

Go for it!

cape man wrote: ↑Sun Jun 28, 2020 5:45 am Your greatest skill listed is drunken tinkering

Go for it!

That's my favorite skill too!

Thank you for the positive support guys. Can't wait to get started.

One thing I've learned about building boats: it's fairly easy to build a boat that floats and performs well - the Talent and Time is what makes them beautiful. If you're more concerned with function over form (as I am), go for it! The prettying up will come with time...

druid

I know you can. All you gotta do is start and not quit.

Dougster

Everyone was new here at one point! Welcome and GOOD SKILL! And remember, you will make mistakes, there is no such thing as a perfect boat. I promise you, whatever mistake you may make, someone else has made it too. have a "moaning chair" in your shop so you can flop down and go "oh my, how am I going to fix that??" A small fridge next to said chair is also useful .

Welcome!

The fs14ls is my second boat, first was a 12' driftboat. The glassing of the seams and bottom is the first real challenge you'll run into, everything up till that point is fun and low-stress. Not difficult, but intimidating due to the cost of the materials and the fact that it's a single, continuous process, where up till then it's go-as-you-like. So plan that part very thoroughly, have additional hands available if possible. But I can assure you that if I got through it without the need to grind/repeat, anyone can.

Most definitely can be done as a first boat though and it sounds like you have a nice space to work in.

Are you upsizing? I got a PM from someone a while back looking to upsize and lost track of them.

Good luck,

jeff

And pondering... you will need to master pondering.

cape man wrote: ↑Thu Jul 02, 2020 3:43 pm And pondering... you will need to master pondering.

Most Definitely! And Don't forget second guessing and mind-changing.

Where does creative cursing fall on the skills list?

VT_Jeff wrote: ↑Thu Jul 02, 2020 3:21 pm Welcome!

Are you upsizing? I got a PM from someone a while back looking to upsize and lost track of them.

Good luck,

jeff

No I think I will stick to the plans for my first build. I will probably order the CNC cut kit too so that I have the best shot at success.

cape man wrote: ↑Thu Jul 02, 2020 3:43 pm And pondering... you will need to master pondering.

Hmmm. How am I gonna wrap this thing with carbon fiber?

Must ponder. Spock, is Jim in an alien mind trance? No, he is just pondering the vastness of the universe.