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I am considering building a cruising sailboat.

I've never built a boat but I've built all sorts of other stuff.

Am i crazy to want to start with a large sailboat?

CrAzY Of Coarse You would not be here

Welcome. We're all NUTs!

Bill

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Mini -Tug, KH Tahoe 19 & Bartender 24 - There can be no miracle recoveries without first screwing up.
Tahoe 19 Build

LOL Bill. I think some consideration is in order depending on your experience in sailing. Building the boat is only one part. The rigging is another matter and its always nice to have some knowledge of all those 'strings' and roller things thats scattered about the decks.
Starting small is a good approach if this is your first boat.

I've been working on the sailing bit. I've sailed since high school (25 years ago) but mostly start and stop. Owned several small sailboats.

Nowadays, I've committed to SailTime for a year to get some experience on larger boats. I sail at least 10 days a month.

The navigation and weather comes easy as it is a big part of my real job and most of it applies directly.

By the time I finish a boat I'll have enough experience to actually use it.

I'm the kinda of person that would rather fix it myself than pay someone else so I've done a lot of different things, some more than others.

Carpentry is something I've done a fair amount of since high school where I started on a framing crew. Mechanically inclined enough to tear modern engines down and put them back together and have it actually run again.

But building a boat looks intimidating I suppose. But I guess it really is nothing more than thousands of small projects.

Sail Time seems to be a good step towards refreshing and improving your skill level in sailing. The price can't be beat for what you get. Good luck with your choice.

Mainly what SailTime has done to me is infect me with an overwhelming desire to get my own boat.

But ownership doesn't make any sense financially unless I'm retired and gonna go cruising.

SailTime is a great deal if you don't want to cruise and don't mind sailing a boat you can't personalize. That is my biggest struggle with SailTime. I want to fix things that aren't perfect and change things i don't like.

But for now I'm sailing and always regret having to go back to the marina.

Then SailTime has served it purpose, helping you to decide to take the leap and will define what you may like before buying or building what you may find that you do not want or use in a boat. Always remember no boat has everything and no boat has everything that works all the time if you use it. You wll find that the launch is just a diversion from fixing or even improving your boat. Most of what you will do will be more of a mental excersize than work, at least this is what I have found anyway.

Welcome.

I usually advise building a small dinghy first that you can learn building procedures and if you actually like building, and how to sail.

Sounds like you already have skills to build,rig, and know how to sail.

My advice would be to figure out why you want to build.

If it's for economy,you can do a lot better by buying an older used sailboat and personalizing it.

If you just want to build and be proud of it,then by all means build it!!

Good luck on your choice,and keep us posted.

Warren

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Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream