A boat is a watercraft , which has a hull and is powered by muscle power, a sail or a motor. The hull of a boat can be made of materials such as wood, steel, plastic, GRP or combinations of these materials. Boats are distinguished on the one hand according to their construction, for example as wooden or inflatable boats, and on the other hand according to their propulsion, for example as rowing boats, paddle boats, sailing boats or motor boats. Further classification possibilities result from the different purposes, the hydrodynamic properties and the number of boat hulls. By the way, in Germany 500 gross registered tons has become the limit for boats used for civil purposes.
Watercrafts under 500 gross registered tons are considered boats, watercraft over 500 gross tons are ships. A small excerpt from the diverse range of boats can be seen regularly in harbors and at boat shows, such as here:
Now of course not everyone has the opportunity, to buy your own boat, because besides the space and the right waters, you also need an appropriate budget for it. But since boats are very popular not only in large format, but also as a model and toy, the following construction manual presents a boat that anyone can build himself. At the same time, the building instructions have two positive side effects. On the one hand, the required woods do not necessarily have to be bought in the hardware store, but can also be collected on a walk in the woods. On the other hand, the do-it-yourselfer can practice procedures that he will need again and again in later carpentry work.
Material list for the boat
This boat has 3 hulls and is therefore a kind of trimaran. Needed for the construction of the boat are:
- 1 thick, 40 to 50 cm long piece of round wood; possible are, for example, a wooden stake or a thick branch
- 2 30cm long pieces of round wood, which are a little thinner than the thick round wood
- 2 50cm long, thin round woods that can be bent
- 2 40cm long roundwood sticks with 1cm diameter
- 1 40 x 40cm piece of fabric as a sail
- Bast or parcel string
As tools come a gouge or chisel, a mallet, a handsaw, a wood rasp, a file, sandpaper and a 10mm drill to use. In addition, glue and needle and thread are needed.
Building instructions for the boat
1. Making the main hull
Boat building instructions to build yourself
2. Assemble the boat
When the main hull is ready, the boat can be assembled. To do this, carefully bend the two thinnest timbers and then tie them to the hull so that they protrude evenly on both sides. Then the two 30cm long timbers are knotted to the bent timbers as floats and stabilizers.
3. Step: make the sail
Now only the sail is missing. This is built from the two 40cm roundwood sticks and the fabric. The fabric is folded over at one edge and sewn up. The tunnel that is created must be so wide that a round wooden stick can just be pushed into it. The other round wood stick is glued into the prefabricated hole as a pole. The sail is now tied to the mast. In addition, a piece of string is knotted to each of the lower corners of the sail. These cords serve as tethers and are attached either to the lower end of the mast or to the bent timbers, depending on the wind force when the sail is set.