Boat building is a niche industry, and one that does not necessarily command a large portion of the trade economy. However, it is a well-subscribed niche with unique business opportunities wrapped up in it, thanks to a rich seam of paying customers and the intrinsic value of quality workmanship.
If you are a contractor, tradesman or even a hobbyist looking to take your skills to a real vocation, traditional wooden boat building has a lot to offer you as a business strategy. From a construction point of view, though, there are a number of principles to understand – and some key decisions to make. First, though: why wood?
Why Wood?
Traditional boat building will see you learning to craft a number of wooden vessels, ranging in size and complexity. To explain the use of wood in constructions of any kind would be needlessly reductive, especially in the grander context of crafts and making; in terms of boat building, though, it is important to understand the qualities that make wood a viable material.
For one, wood is buoyant. For another, wood is naturally easy to manipulate, in conventional and unconventional ways. For example, softwoods and even plywood can be steamed and bent into bespoke shapes, such as hull batons. Woods can be bought pre-treated and resistant to water, rot and fire, rendering them all the more hard-wearing for your build.
Lastly, wood is relatively abundant, and relatively inexpensive – at least, if bought locally. The price of timber has fluctuated recently, in response to a shifting trade climate regarding international supply. With timber harder to import than ever, prices have risen significantly for certain woods and suppliers.
Traditional Construction
Broadly speaking, wooden boat builds and designs can be split into two camps: traditional and modern. Here we are ignoring a great many techniques and options available to the master builder, such as the aforementioned steam manipulation that can be used to ‘mould’ hulls from wood. The seasoned builder can seek these out in their own time.
There are two key traditional construction methods for boat hulls: carvel built and clinker built. Carvel construction is the flush mating of planks to make a smooth and rigid hull. Clinker construction is the lapping of panels over one another, to create a lighter, more flexible design.
Modern Construction
Modern construction techniques take advantage of new materials and capabilities afforded by certain advancements – particularly with regard to solvent-based glues and epoxies. Strip planking, for example, involves the rough assembly of panels and planks with wood glue before veneering inside and out for waterproofing.
Stitch and tape designs are the perfect starting point for the beginner, though, being a simple method that involves the ‘stitching’ of pre-cut plywood sheets to one another before gluing down with epoxy.
