Boat Builder Central - Builder Forums

Hello!

I have been lurking on this forum for a while now and it has had the negative side effect of convincing me that I can build a boat....

I currently have a 21' Bayliner, but am sick of how much money I have been putting into gas and maintenance, and it is just more boat than I need right now. I just got word that it needs some major repairs, so I am taking that as a sign that I should just build my own. I mostly fish around Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands, but would like to start going further afield up to Vancouver Island and down to the Columbia. I will usually be fishing with a total of two or three people, and I rarely fish the open ocean: so I don't need anything huge. Really just looking for an easy to trailer and versatile boat that will help me fill the freezer. My biggest priorities are: 1.) ease of building; 2) cost of building; 3) fuel efficiency; 4) seaworthiness.

I've got it tentatively narrowed down to OD 18, FS17, and OB17. As far as I can tell, the performance will be relatively similar on all three. I understand that all three of these boats (especially the OD18) will pound in the chop that is ubiquitous in Puget Sound, but I don't really mind that. I have no problem slowing down when necessary.

I was hoping to get some advice on which one of these would be easiest for a first time boat builder. I am relatively handy, but have very limited wood working experience. I pretty much want to just go with the most simple build possible for my first boat and get something in the water. I am thinking that I will probably just start with a bare bones tiller version, and eventually trick it out with a console and remote steering in future years. It may make sense for me to go with the pre-cut plywood because it seems like it would save me from buying some tools and would also help avoid mistakes. After factoring that in, the price might not be much more than going from scratch.

I love the lines of the OD18 and have a soft spot for dories. Looks like a very efficient boat that would plane slowly and perform well in really bad conditions. Also looks like it may have some potential with a jet drive (not a big priority, but fun to think about) in shallow water. However, I am leaning towards the FS17 because that appears to be the most simple build and the least expensive. It also looks like it would perform just fine for my intended uses.

Does anyone have any opinions about which one of these would be the easiest build?

I have also considered the FS14, but I think it would be a little small for the saltwater around here. That being said, I wouldn't mind it if it was drastically easier to build. Could always just be more careful about when to go out.

The FS14 is much smaller.
The OD18 is the easiest one to build but the FS17 is not that difficult. The OD18 is a muhc bigger boat than the FS17.
The OB17 is an excellent boat but more work to build.

Really just looking for an easy to trailer and versatile boat that will help me fill the freezer. My biggest priorities are: 1.) ease of building; 2) cost of building; 3) fuel efficiency; 4) seaworthiness.

An OD18 will meet all those requirements, and look good too

Cracker Larry wrote:

Really just looking for an easy to trailer and versatile boat that will help me fill the freezer. My biggest priorities are: 1.) ease of building; 2) cost of building; 3) fuel efficiency; 4) seaworthiness.

An OD18 will meet all those requirements, and look good too

Yes just read through CL's build and after build of his OD18 and see what he has been through on it!

I'm a little surprised that the OD 18 is easier to build than the FS 17. It has one more chine to align, fill and tape before putting the glass.

Yes but it has a flat bottom, stringers are almost straight and the hull shape is very simple.

I wouldn't call it any easier or harder to build, but it is a substantially larger boat than the FS17 and has more materials. I've had mine all over the Keys, ran across to the Bahamas a couple of times, took her from Savannah, Ga to Cape Fear, NC and back. By water, not trailer. Been in a tropical storm, run nasty inlet mouths, this little dory will handle about anything that a sane man would do with an 18' boat, and then some. I don't claim sanity

Thank you for the quick reply.

The OD18 is a larger boat and has more volume than the FS17. You'll be more comfortable with 4 men in it than with 4 men in the FS17.

Might also consider the soon to be ready FS19. Will build the same as the 17 but will have 30% more area for occupants. Materials cost should be very close to the OD18. This gives you a simple V hull alternative. Either of these two would be great with 70-75hp.

Bill