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From: Tom MacNaughton
Date: 02 May 2008
Time: 12:59:18 -0400
Remote Name: 66.252.37.113
Somehow a thread got deleted. Here is the response that we wrote to post on the person's questions: Building is a good thing to do as long as you are building for fun or to get something special. If you are building purely to save money and don’t really care about building, then I would suggest just buying a modest used very small pocket cruising boat as a first vessel. You can usually get a worthwhile boat for less than the cost of the materials to build if you are careful. I mention this specifically because you seem not to have any definite type in mind. Now to comment directly on your posting: “Farthing” is really pretty much a one person boat. If you want to take your family sailing you are going to either have to go up a size to the “Shilling” or go to the “Silver Gull 19” which can be a decent day sailer and even occasional overnighter for two adults and a very small child. I would very strongly suggest not thinking in terms of dollar costs. Rather think in terms of time. The absolute maximum time that someone who has to work a 40 hour week can put in is about 2000 hours a year. Either of the boats that you mention will take about ¾ of a year to build. “Farthing” could cost anywhere from $6,700 to $12,700 depending on how fancy you got with woods finish and equipment. “Silver Gull 19” could cost anywhere from $5,800 to $11,000, again depending upon how fancy you got. Yes, “Farthing” is definitely more seaworthy and can really go about anywhere as long as you don’t get into pack ice. Matti is right: Whatever you build now you are going to learn more and decide to build or buy again within a few years. If you just plain like building, that’s fine. I do think that for either the ICW or the Atlantic if you are taking your family you are really going to have to go up a size. “Shilling” would be about the minimum boat that I’d cross the Atlantic in with a family. “Penny” would be enough of a boat for three people to live aboard quite comfortably as long as they weren’t trying to earn a living working right on the boat. On the other hand if you are just looking for a boat to do either of these things I could probably find you a boat that would be fine for these uses for under $10,000. Heck we’ve got a little 4 berth with enclosed head and nice galley 22’ coastal cruiser that would be ideal for sailing the Intracoastal and has actually crossed the Atlantic, though I wouldn’t do it in her, that my wife picked up a couple of years ago for $2,500.