Building a Wooden Deep V Skiff

This video covers the steps involved, issues encountered, successes and failures, tips and tricks in building a Wooden 14'6" Deep V Skiff.
Based on a Charles Wittholz design, "Little Moby". Many custom additions and changes were made to the original plans including reducing the swoop of the sheer line, modifying the rear seating and engine well, the addition of an anchor well, side console, seats, marine carpeted floors and a raised forward floor and stowage locker.
I chose this boat for the hull's seaworthy characteristics. Based in Auckland, New Zealand we're subject to changeable and sometimes unpredictable weather, and a mean southwesterly chop out on the Hauraki Gulf.
The build took a little over 12 months and involved around 1200 hrs from plans to water.
She's powered by a Mercury 40 HP 4 stroke outboard and has been praised by skippers with more experience than I as a stable and solid little boat.
Plans were obtained from Woodenboat.com
Here is a link to the plans: www.woodenboat.com/boat-plans-...
Here is the link to the scarfing jig shown in the video: www.oneoceankayaks.com/stitchg...
Go build a boat!

[@Dickie2702]

I built and maintained wooden boats for 50 years (40 of those sanding) so take this from one who knows. Great video, well narrated, bloody beautiful boat! Be proud sir, very proud!

[@carmelpule6954]

I come from a traditional boat building family and I built a few wooden boats myself. Seeing this video made me appreciate the fact that my long experience permits me to skimp and skip on a few processes which make my life easier but not necessarily what I call the best procedure, but it is good enough. The gentleman who built this boat was even so precise in building the strongback. Boats are not so fussy about being warped or twisted a little through their length and they will still float you know! He was even fussy about the flatness part of the sheeting and arranged for it to be corrected. As for the finishing, well I must admit I was never so fussy about the manner I finish boats as I like to think mine were working boats and that finish normally does not last long in the manner I use boats. There are so many issues about which this narrator should be congratulated. The fact that he found a slight error in the framing, the manner in which he corrected all he could to make pleasant curves and that finish is much better than I seek myself. I like the manner in which his ingenuity saw how to correct and improve the seating attachment arrangement. Well, all I can say is that for the first boat, this is brilliant and shows that where there is a will one can do even better than those who have been in the trade for a long time. Sir, my congratulations. Well done.

[@robinhodgkinson]

As an amateur boat builder I had the luxury of time to do as good a job as I could and not worry about trying to make a buck doing it. Many would say I’m too fussy but I just like to do as good a job as I can when I make something. I like the challenge, and the reward, that approach offers. That’s why I built a boat instead of just buying one. And I hate standing back and thinking well that looks rough - I could of done it better than that! What I like is standing back and thinking, man that looks good! You’re quite right in saying that if it was a work boat all that time consuming finish would soon be undone. Mind you, at the other end of the spectrum a dug out canoe will float. Horses for courses I guess. Cheers

[@carmelpule8493]

@@robinhodgkinson After three years I came back to admire your beautiful boat, Now my grandson is with me and he loves it. Again, Sir, my congratulations for building such a dignified ,majestic, elegant boat,

[@robinhodgkinson]

@@carmelpule8493 Thanks for your kind words Carmel. Although it was a great little boat, and we had lots of fun in it, my true passion is sail, and having this boat reminded me of that fact. So after two years I sold it to a very happy new owner and after nearly another two years of work I’m about to launch a Scarab 650. A 21’ trailerable folding trimaran built in epoxy/pvc/fibreglass sandwich. Light but very stiff. A modern design built with modern materials. It’s been quite a journey and an interesting build with lots of new challenges. A lot of work (2000 hrs) and I have to say not my favourite materials to work with but the results look great. And I’m sure she’ll sail beautifully. I’ve shot a lot of video and stills of the whole job, from designing and building an arch shed ( “the project before the project”, as my son called it) to launch day, coming soon, and I’ll be making a few videos of the process. Should be an interesting watch. Cheers

[@sidneypsi]

I'm Brazilian, and I thought your video was incredible. I have been studying many projects here on KZbin because I intend to make a small boat. Congratulations, you documented your work very well.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Sidney. It was a fun build and since I studied at the School of KZbin myself before starting, I thought I could maybe give a little back. : )

[@MrClickbang357]

When you rake the time to painstakingly build a boat like you have, it resembles art! Well done - you now have a boat like no other that fits your needs perfectly!!!

[@robinhodgkinson]

I'm not sure i'd call it a work of art. But building a boat is certainly creative and lots of fun if you like building things.

[@johnnyesleo]

Sir... You are an absolute master, what a joy to see that process, craftsmanship and fine work.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Leo glad you enjoyed it. But I won’t be taking you up on the Master title! However she came out pretty well in the end. Cheers.

[@ItsAnSS]

Incredible skill and an amazing amount of patience. That is something to truly be proud of. Great job!

[@1Calusa]

Your photography and narration is suberb. You make it look easy but I know it isn't; it's a lot of hard work and sweat. I'm inspired. Nice boat!

[@robinhodgkinson]

Hey thanks for the kind words. I'm a photographer by trade, so that helps. Building a boat is a pretty long haul, even a small one, but if you're enjoying it, it's not work. I've since built a 21' folding trimaran in PVC epoxy sandwich - now that was a mission. But I need some inspiration to make a video. No, make that a lot! That took about 3000 hours and I have a collection of photos and video to match! 😅 You might want to see the finished version of the skiff build - check out the other video. Cheers kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2O7qIGQfq5qbMksi=FdFcc3aVEORM3Mlf

[@prestonvaughn6633]

I appreciate the candid approach talking about the mistakes. A truly great instructional video. Great project. Turned out beautiful.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Preston. Glad you enjoyed it. Thought I’d show the issues I had as well. It was a lot of fun but not all beer and skittles, as the saying goes. Experience is a great teacher. Cheers

[@derekpeterson8005]

Sir, you are one HELL of a craftsman!! Beautiful build, I love it!! Thanks for sharing your time, talent and sense of humor!!

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Derek. Glad you enjoyed the video. It was fun to make. Cheers

[@exiguous1]

excellent workmanship,and appreciate that you never used annoying loud music during your talk.

[@michaelpickett1460]

Unbelievable workmanship! Believe me, I know! I admire your laser focus, determination and true grit needed to pull this off! And, you're organized!!🤣🤣✌👍

[@aussiebaz5363]

Bloody Kiwis, clever buggers. She's a beauty Robin, well done and an excellent video. It must be a wonderful feeling to cruise about in your masterpiece.

[@robinhodgkinson]

@@aussiebaz5363 Mate I’m an Aussie pretending to be a kiwi. Don’t tell anyone.

[@aussiebaz5363]

@@robinhodgkinson And here's me thinking he speaks with a very cultured Kiwi accent, almost like a fluent Australian. Great work mate, did you build a bigger one, or just kick back and enjoy the beauty you created?

[@robinhodgkinson]

@@aussiebaz5363 That must be the 30 years I've lived here - married a kiwi. I had it for a couple of seasons - she was a great little boat, but I missed sailing and sold it a couple of years ago and built something completely different - a Scarab 650 - a trailerable folding trimaran sailboat in PVC epoxy/glass sandwich construction. Light, rigid and fast. Took about 3000 hours - 1000 of which was sanding I'm sure! Was quite the all-consuming project and a challenge at times, but she came out a real head turner. I also built a gothic arch shed of my own design in the front yard to build it in, which my son called the project before the project ( smart bugger. : ). I've been thinking about a video on that. I shot so much video and photos of the build I bailed on the YT video afterwards as it felt like taking on another marathon after just finishing one. Anyway, I may get around to making it having done not much in the last year. We'll see... Btw have a look at the other short video of this boat if you're interested, there's some more detailed footage of the finished product. Have a good one. Cheers.

[@aussiebaz5363]

@@robinhodgkinson Good on you, I will have a look if I can find it. I'd love to see the new video of the Scarab. I grew up by Botany Bay in Sans Souci, so spent most of my young life in and around the water. Mates of mine built a 40' steel Roberts from liten steel, and we sailed her up the Whitsundays in May, 1976. I was on board for a few months but bailed because the skipper was a tyrant and a heavyweight boxer, so difficult to argue with. I'm looking at buying a 22 footer for the inland lakes and Port Stephens/ NSW Coastal jaunts, though it will be a motor job, sailing will be a bit much at 70 with crook lungs from breathing in too much dust. Good to talk, Baz.

[@randyscorner9434]

Excellent work and a phenomenal explanation especially of the problems you encountered! Very well done.

[@yankeethai9060]

Awesome! Looking forward to see your bigger boat video.

[@davisdonnell55]

Loved it! She's a beaut! Great looking little skiff. During the length of the video I was imagining how I would change or modify the boat to fit my needs and tastes. I'm thinking I'll go with the stitch and glue method, and a bit bigger of a boat, but beautiful craftsmanship and the small oops along the way melt away with the first minute on the water! Great job and thank you for the video. I can tell it took you quite a lot of time to document everything and make it all presentable and watchable.

[@TheTacktishion]

One of the finest jobs of home boat building I have ever seen...! Thanks for sharing!!!

[@leehodge7907]

absolutely amazing! great ingenuity and craftsmanship. Also a very inspiring video. normally I can't watch slide show type vids but this one was more informative and interesting than most boat building videos i have seen! well done good sir!

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Lee. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@davescommonplacebook9374]

Looks like I need a laser level. This is a documentary, sir. Very, very well done. Thank you.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Dave. Glad you enjoyed it. Not essential by any means, but a very handy tool that makes accuracy over a distance easy to achieve. Btw, new build coming up in a month or two. Subscribe if you want to see a 21’ trailerable trimaran take shape. I’ll be blogging this one. Cheers

[@davescommonplacebook9374]

@@robinhodgkinson I want to see that. Subscribed!

[@randynovick7972]

I had a lovely time watching the story of her building. Thanks for putting this together. It was great! Best of luck with her.

[@randomly-genrated]

This has to be one of the best start to finish boat building vids on youtube. I was debating skarfing my plywood and after watching this and getting that jig tip, will definitely go that route.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Greg. I'd recommend scarfing. The jig is easy to make and once made makes cutting the scarfs easy. I used West System epoxy and their 403 Microfibre Adhesive filler which makes it super strong. Once bonded and set you'll break the ply before the join lets go. The link to the jig is in the description above.

[@joshuadunn882]

Absolutely stunning build. Great attention to detail. Great stuff

[@sidekickbob7227]

Wow! Beautiful result. I liked your narrating very much. It made this video very pleasant and interesting to watch.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Bob. Glad you enjoyed it. Cheers.

[@kirill_gusev]

Awesome project and final product. I love how you turned it upside down (and showed it!) - the same way as giant sailboats turned during construction.

[@tyrsafray4640]

I’ll be posting a video of my 22’ center console build soon. Hull complete, cap rails going on this week flip paint hull flip again rig, flooring and then hardware. You did a very clean sturdy build my friend very impressive and a nice design. Love the way you describe how you overcame the obstacles

[@martinadejaquiz2482]

i think it's quite a personal accomplishment and look a real well built good looking finished product. thumbed up.

[@chrisp2876]

I honestly can't decide what is more impressive; the boat build, or the voice work. You should seriously consider recording children's audio books, or film narration. Very well done on both counts!

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Chris. With still pictures I thought I needed to tell a good story to accompany them otherwise it could easily get boring, and I realised after I started listening to my nasally mumble, that pace and enunciation were key to avoiding a "monologue with pictures". One person has since commented that I sounded like I was going to cry, and in the first 5 minutes particularly, he's right! Lol. I was getting over a cold and a bit husky, so I left it for a few days, and after a little practice got the hang of it and the remainder of the video is better... Anyway, glad you enjoyed it. Cheers.

[@billh1471]

Wow, what an effort! Congratulations on completing should a large, complex project. Hope it brings you and yours many hours of fun on the water.

[@mattevans-koch9353]

That was an excellent video and narrative for building a lovely boat. Very professional finish. Congratulations on an exceptional build sir and thank you for sharing this.

[@projects744]

Well done! I was planning on building a boat, I searched the internet for weeks and almost gave up on the whole idea, But after watching you project build I think I am going to proceed with it, I am planning a larger boat with a inboard V8 motor, I found some designs and have also drawn up some of my own. Thanks again :)

[@robinhodgkinson]

Best of luck. Remember it’s a marathon not a sprint and you’ll enjoy the journey and the boat. Cheers

[@robertjeglum4657]

If you haven't already, check out a boat design called the Bartender.

[@robinhodgkinson]

One of my favourites is the B&B designed, Outer Banks 20. There’s a great blog of the construction of one of these. Sweet boat.

[@projects744]

@@robinhodgkinson I am thinking i am going to go with my own design but thank you for the input. I have put together a 20 foot, Deep V hull design, I am now sourcing building materials that are available in Calgary. Not a lot of luck so far

[@garybrooks2753]

You did a awesome job on your boat 👍👍👍✌️

[@jmpersonal2402]

Pretty boat, and created with love (and a touch of madness)... I say that because I hate when the wind blows and I hit the pier!

[@chriswills9530]

Mate, I've got to say; the quality of your work is something you must be really, really proud of. Even down to your jigs and patterns. Truly wonderful to watch (and I was a boatbuilder). Congrats.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Chris. I had a lot of fun building it, but when I listen to the video (rarely) I sound like it was all just hard work! lol I put the video together shortly after finishing the boat and while it was great to have a finished boat you can't help feeling a bit of, "glad that's finished", as well. Anyway sold this boat recently and I'm just a couple of weeks into building another build - a Scarab 650 trimaran, so keep an eye out for the first video. I'm going to blog this one... Very different build to this boat - epoxy over foam mostly. Light but strong - modern design, modern materials. Not looking forward to the fairing I gotta say but should be an interesting build with the floats, fibreglass moulded arms, folding arm mechanisms, interior fit out, rig, custom trailer, etc.... I betta get busy! Cheers

[@chriswills9530]

@@robinhodgkinson Good luck and hope your fingers survive the fairing!

[@scottmichael3745]

My goodness what a well done video/boat!! I loved it! Well done! And thank you for sharing! New sub.

[@garrisonstanleigh6146]

FANTASTIC JOB well done ..

[@bigrich6750]

Brilliant! Looking at the finished boats, one would never know all the work that went into building it.

[@sdcofer52]

Brilliant. No matter how much you know, a project like this teaches you something. Very good looking craft, and very solid craftsmanship.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Steven. Glad you enjoyed it. I’d done quite a lot of d i y, but building a boat was a bit of a steep learning curve for sure. Care, common sense and attention to detail go a long way to achieving a good result, but there’s nothing like experience... Cheers.

[@Dean-hs3vq]

Good on ya Mate! Nothing is quite so satisfying as messing about in boats. Nice vid, Cheers!

[@Arethereanyhandlesleft]

Excellent work. Boat and video are thoughtful and organized, and the results really sine through.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Nick!

[@alexanderovtcharenko7401]

Thank you Robin! I'm building my first boat and your video is the best among tens I've viewed and answering all the problems I have. My best wishes to you

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks. Good luck with your build. 👍

[@ChrisBeardsley]

Love the build! The honestly and perseverance was definitely engaging. Thanks for posting.

[@toms4123]

Respect - great skill, great outcome.

[@lramirez0317]

Outstanding craftsmanship!

[@bigpapapump8418]

HANDS DOWN best video of this type on KZbin! Congratulations on a job well done! Top work!

[@MrXcc4u]

i saw this build a couple of years ago and i am happy that i ran across it again tonight. great job and awesome build. it stands proud and so should you. jim in central florida

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Jim. She turned out pretty good. But I gave it a lot of fussy attention. You might like to check out the short follow up video with final fit out etc. I’ve just sold her recently and onto a new build. Something different this time. A Scarab 650. A trailerable trimaran in foam and epoxy. Just about to turn the hull once my favourite part (not), the fairing is done. : ) Cheers.

[@bearcatracing007]

Fantastic work and quality, loved this video.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks! Then I better make a new one. : ) Arch shed video coming soon, and new build following…when I finish. You might like to check the other video of this boat - on the water and finishing touches. Cheers

[@padraigfarrell6549]

Fantastic result. Well done.

[@blucheer8743]

Very very nice thx for sharing! Restored old racing sloop working with wood is addictive… dreamed of building a boat from scratch but other projects keep popping up… awesome work!

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it. Three years later I’ve sold this to a happy new owner and I’m onto a new build. A Scarab 650. But I’ve gone over to the dark side on this one with composite sandwich construction - epoxy, pvc, fibreglass. But you’re right. My preferred material is definitely still wood.

[@sup3rbird]

Awesome job. You clearly have a talent for this type of work and the patience of a saint.

[@kentdixon5716]

Very much enjoyed your video, I noticed your how to, was actually done with a slide show format, which seems to work very well, I am starting to do hot rod how to stuff, and was just assuming live video footage was the way to go, but the slide show with commentary works very well. Besides the car stuff I am doing, I also want to build a boat some day, I have lots of practice, as my hot rod I call The Backyard Coupe is also made of wood! Very nice boat, and thanks for posting!

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Kent. I’m a photographer so I shot stills during the build then decided to make a video. If you have a good commentary going it ties it all together and stills are good for technical stuff since you have time to study what you’re looking at. Either way it’s about telling a story. Glad you enjoyed it. Cheers

[@anvilstudio5279]

Absolutely remarkable!!

[@robinhodgkinson]

Glad you enjoyed it! It was a lot of fun. Right now I’m contemplating a new build. Watch this space... : )

[@jonwetherell5214]

My late father used to build racing dinghies in the garage or ( in one case) the dinning room. So having spent hours watching someone who can see how wood needs to be worked with rather than fought and forced, I can say that you are a craftsman and your boat is a work of art..Respect..enjoy and stay safe

[@robinhodgkinson]

Hey Jon. In lockdown here in New Zealand - which officially starts in 1 hour : ) Already I'm watching way too much YT. Thanks for the compliment - I had a lot of fun building it. You might like to see my other video which shows the finished product. At the moment the boat is decorating the driveway and it'll be that way for at least another 4 weeks! Oh well, you gotta do what you gotta do. Cheers

[@dinos8557]

Fantastic build with great results. I built a stitch and glue when my kids were small. We would layout and mark panels together and when they were in school I would cut them out. Final fit together and when they went to bed, epoxy. It was a great bonding project.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Yeah epoxy’s great for sticking kids together! : )

[@gunnarmoeller8606]

A solid piece of art.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Gunnar!

[@LA_Viking]

Excellent effort!

[@timgiraud7591]

Outstanding video! I have watched dozens of them in preparation for my build and none of the others come close... they say “brevity is the soul of wit” and you nailed it brother I will be watching for that next boat of yours Thanks

[@robinhodgkinson]

Cheers Tim, unfortunately there’s a lot I left out as well like electrical, steering etc. Happy to answer any questions you have along the way... happy building.

[@markgoode4109]

The finished boat looks great; excellent workmanship. Thanks for sharing your journey with us. Enjoy your sailing. Best wishes

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Mark. Glad you enjoyed it. Cheers

[@tomnolan9930]

I just sanded my 5th coat of epoxy, Robin. I officially hate (1) epoxy and (2) sanding. I still have primer and paint to go on the hull. Your video has been helpful and gives me hope though!

[@robinhodgkinson]

Tom I lost count of the epoxy fairing coats, but I reckon it must have been at least five or six for me as well. As the fit of the batten got closer I just had to fix what I could still see wasn't quite right... Make sure you use a good epoxy based two pot undercoat/primer designed for "high build" application and sanding. That will give you an easy sanding final fairing layer. And I highly recommend a two pot finish coat. It's much harder and gives the boat a great "glassy" tough finish that resists minor knocks and scratches. Keep on sanding. You won't regret the effort when you're admiring those sweeeet reflections! : )

[@uberDoward]

Great job, she looks wonderful! Any video of her on the water?

[@robinhodgkinson]

I'll be posting a little follow up video come summer. Cheers

[@patrickprovost8947]

That is an absolutely beautiful boat. Great video and you can never go wrong with tips from a shipwright. Building a boat is quite the project. I also built a 16’ from Spira, and at times thought it was more than I could chew. But with perseverance the completion is very satisfying. Great job and happy boating.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Patrick. It was a rewarding project and a lot of fun, as I’m sure your build was. You may be interested in the second video which covers final fit out - windscreen, accessories etc, and adding some colour. No boating allowed right now with covid lockdown in place. And with winter setting in that’s probably it for this season. Oh well... Stay safe. Cheers.

[@JoelHouck]

What an amazing job you did and a very concise video as well. I hope you have many years of pleasure from your lovely boat.

[@jamesclark9721]

Love it GOOD JOB!!!!

[@robinhodgkinson]

Sound like you better build one James. : )

[@jamesclark9721]

@@robinhodgkinson I think i will. I'll need 2 learn some fiberglass skills first

[@robinhodgkinson]

Perhaps you’re thinking of building in fibreglass..? On this boat applying a fibreglass skin is not hard. Squeegee our the bubbles and excess resin. Add another coat when the first tacks off... just a few basic rules. Then lots of sanding. : )

[@skeets6060]

Ya done good mate !!

[@kiwi-eddie]

What a beautiful boat. Amazing craftsmanship.

[@darrylmcleman6456]

I have plywood in the livingroom behind me and the smell enhances your great vid!!! I am repairing the rotten wood in an old fiberglass boat and having it in the livingroon of my small mobile home helps to ensure it will be dry.Enjoying your vid from western Canada.CHEERS

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Darryl. Yeah the smell of wood is hard to beat - but I could be a little bias... Sounds like a good project. Cheers

[@dougmeyer5715]

Beautiful job mate and I thought I was too fussy. I have built and modified 8 boats you say a bigger one I am also thinking about more self harm and building the Atkins Ninigret.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Self harm...:) Yes I can tell you've built a boat or two. Nice boat you're looking at! I'm eyeing up an Arch Davis design, the Bay Pilot. mobile.archdavisdesigns.com/davis_bay_pilot_18.html

[@dougmeyer5715]

Very nice I would go for the Jiffy 22 same work but will need a longer garage. I like low power planing hulls hence the Ninigret only needs a 30hp. The motor is the big money today. I did get a fright when looking at the Jiffy when they mentioned 42 sheets of plywood.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Yeah the Jiffy 22 is a sweet looking boat but as you say it's a bigger boat that needs a bigger garage to build it in then bigger trailer, bigger motor, bigger dollars (yeah I read the materials list - how you use 42 sheets has me scratching my brow as well) You've got me thinking about lower power planing hulls though. I already have the 40 horse and maybe I could find a bigger boat which the 40 could still push along nicely. Hmmm.... : /

[@peacekeepermoe]

Wonderful job mate, congratulations on your beautiful boat. How much does a project like that cost for materials?

[@robinhodgkinson]

Hi Moe. I think costs will vary wildly depending on where you live and how you fit it out. This was a plan from the US and I chose to use the specified timber ( lumber) like yellow cedar and oak and BS1088 marine ply. These were expensive but being a small boat I didn’t need much. Then of course it’s how you build it. I used all bronze screws I probably spent quite a few hundred on them alone! And then there’s a motor, fish finder, anchor, rod holders, steering, wiring, hatch, chain, battery, bimini etc, etc. It’s quite a list if you want to fit it out well. All up I spent about NZ$6500 on the boat including everything on it. A new 40hp 4 stroke cost NZ$10,000 fitted and the trailer was NZ$2200. My recollection is just the boat itself was about NZ$3000 - $4000. So all up you see her on the trailer she cost roughy NZ$18,800. But that was the “best of everything” approach without the gold fittings - though sometimes I was wondering if there was gold there somewhere! Going to a boat shop is a scary experience. If you had a tight budget you could probably fit a second hand 25hp 2 stroke for a quarter of what the new engine cost, and if it’s tiller steering, and the original thwart seating, secondhand trailer, etc etc I reckon you could build this boat and have it on the water for well under NZ$10,000. Maybe closer to $5000 if you took the cheapest option in just about every case. But of course by then you wouldn’t have the same boat as this one... Hope that gives you some idea. Cheers

[@peacekeepermoe]

@@robinhodgkinson Very nice! Thank you for the detailed response. very inspiring and jaw dropping project indeed. I hope you have been enjoying it lots on the water mate!

[@Shooter308]

WOW ...... What a great job you did . Its really Beautiful .... I'm 60 and disabled with a really bad back and was thinking of building a boat like yours , but after watching this video it was a wake up call telling me I'm past the point of building one . I live in extreme Pain so maybe I'll try a small boat for use as a lawn ornament . Thank you very much for sharing .

[@robinhodgkinson]

Sharpshooter no doubt about it, building a boat is a serious undertaking - even a small one like this. And you do need to be reasonably nimble. There’s quite a bit of crouching, bending, twisting, lifting, involved along the way. This framed design adds quite a bit of extra work over stitch and glue as well, particularly for a first timer. If you do decide to give it a go, make sure it’s small, and I’d suggest stitch and glue. It’s much better to end up with a finished small boat, than an unfinished collection of shapely wood which cost you a lot of time and money, now worth nothing, and a pain in the arse to deal with. : ) Cheers.

[@scottmichael3745]

Look up "the single sheet skiff" on the Duck Works web site. It's made from a single sheet of 1/4" ply and some 1 by 2" stringers. I built 2 in an afternoon with the help of a friend. $70 + time = an 8 foot sailing dingy! I was easier than I though! :-) It can Totally be done at home with a simple circular saw! Cheers!

[@Redfiregtag]

I loved this video, it was perfect length, but packed with perfect information and entertaining commentary. Oh and the boat is beautiful.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Branden. You might like to check out the next video of the finished product - fittings and fixtures, etc. Cheers.

[@pauls466]

The work of a Monk !

[@robinhodgkinson]

Lol. No, there was definitely too much swearing on a few occasions.

[@Rick_Sanchez_C137_]

Robin Hodgkinson With monks being cloistered away from everyone, you can’t prove that they weren’t/aren’t swearing like sailors during their developments....

[@bizim_eller]

Yes sir, I think we all know that you can build a much bigger boat👍🙂 But this one is a wonderful boat👍👋

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Bizim. Still thinking about another... Just have to convince my wife it’s a good idea. : )

[@bizim_eller]

@@robinhodgkinson good luck to you then, hopefully you'll find a good reason to convince her😀😀👍

[@Rick_Sanchez_C137_]

Robin Hodgkinson Let her choose the design. provide her with enough designs that she feels she had all the power of choice, but all designs you were willing to have as the last big boat you’d ever want/need to own..... show the completed photos as well as basic design schematics for each design being chosen from, make sure to include all plans that have actual bathrooms in them, women like bathrooms, to them a boat is a building they are locked in for hours at a time, and women don’t like being in buildings that don’t have real bathrooms, especially for hours/days at a time. DISCLAIMER: I have experience with women, but no man is an expert on women... your results may vary.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Sorry mate but a boat with walk in bathrooms is not on the cards - too big! However funny you should mention another boat build as I’m prepping for one right now. In the spirit of “and now for something completely different...” , it’s a 21’ folding trailerable trimaran. (Try saying that after a couple too many! ). A Scarab 650, built in foam and fibreglass this time - modern boat, modern materials. Check it out online. Should prove to be an interesting build with the new materials, folding mechanics, rig, etc. I’m currently building a Gothic arch shelter to build it in. This time I’m videoing the whole project and will post regular YT updates. Subscribe if you want to get a notification. Should only be a month or two away. Roll on Spring. Oh and thanks for the tips on wrangling the wife, but after I put my best sales pitch together, I got the got the green light from head office. She’s a sweetheart.😁 Cheers. PS say hello to Morty for me!

[@egancraneriggingservicesin9142]

i admire people that can see a project thru to the end, great job, great craftsmanship

[@buildingsailboats4549]

Robin thank you for sharing your beautiful boat project. The pictures are very nice and you give a lot of detailed commentary with lots of tips and advice. Thank you 🙂

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Marcel. A small project compared to your Wharram but a good introduction to boat building and lots of fun on the water. Cheers

[@stevenkellner]

You will get orange peel even from the best paint guns that's why car painters buff once complete that will get it out.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Good to know Steve, as while I did get a much better finish on the deck and upper hull, it wasn't a mirror finish by any means. But still pretty good. Cheers

[@roderickbowes2482]

Well done ! ! She's a real work of ART -- good looking and built to last a lifetime and more.

[@PMoney365]

EXCELLENT! you did a fantastic job and I love how you critique your own mistakes and find creative solutions. Really great job! Cheers!

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Phillip, glad you enjoyed it. It would be easy to edit out the fails that every first time builder has but that kinda felt like cheating, and besides, I wanted to show the traps and pitfalls I encountered. You learn from experience, whether it's you own or other's, and I picked up lots of tips from youtube before I started building mine. Cheers.

[@stoddernic]

Beautiful boat mate! Thanks for sharing your experience 👍

[@gordonagent7037]

Sir, I really enjoyed your build, commentary and pics and really take my hat off to you for making everything as good as you could ie the condensate in the paint sanded back, shows the mark of a quality build and builder. Well done, hope you are getting out and about and catching plenty. All the best for the New Year.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Gordon. It was a lot of fun to build. Right now I’m sizing up what my next build might be. Cheers

[@yukarimanyeeyuen762]

You're just the sort of self-taught guy who deserves admiration for your attention to details. Great craftsmanship lasts forever, less than perfect is not an option. Never rush, just stay the course as long as is needed and enjoy the journey. There were a few comments about the pure joy of building a boat versus getting out on the water. That's a bit hard to answer. But because you know your boat inside out, there is a sense of confidence when you take out your family and mates. That's the extra reward - and for the boats I have built, we seem to catch more fish :0

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Yukari. Yes it’s fun to go out fishing in a boat, but it’s way more fun, and rewarding, if you built it!

[@ryefry]

I was planning on something much more rudimentary, but your build is giving me confidence. I really want to build this boat!

[@robinhodgkinson]

I’m sure you could build it if you have at least basic woodworking skills and tools. The plans however have no instructions. I also added to and modified a lot of the design - console, shearline, seating, engine well, flooring, coaming etc. The original plans are much more basic design wise. You might also consider a “stitch and glue” type construction. There are some great designs around which result in a strong good looking boat, but are simpler, quicker and cheaper to build.

[@TREMENDODEUS]

my friend you are a very creative and very intelligent guy. congratulations for the excellent work. I'm impressed.

[@21mozzie]

This would have to be one of the best boat construction videos I have seen. Awesome work. i hope you're enjoying her!

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Mostyn. Making the video was a lot of fun and I hope it's some help and information to others building a similar boat. There are quite a few things I didn't cover like steering and electrics where there was a gap in my photo taking... However there's lots on KZbin about those issues. Cheers

[@davidpearson8954]

Awesome job!. Very impressive. Thanks for putting your video together. Hope it's fun on the water this summer.

[@jasoncahill9083]

Beautiful job on the boat !the photos showing the use of the lasers was phenomenal.definitely one of the best videos I've seen on building a boat.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Jason. Glad you enjoyed it. Yeah the laser level takes any guesswork out of it. Cheers

[@curtisheller7242]

Dude. I have zero inclination to build a boat, nor zero inclination to even own or use a boat. But I couldn’t stop watching, and admiring your tenacity in taking your complex project to completion. With beautiful result as well. Fantastic job !!

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Curtis. Building a boat is not a task to take on lightly, even a small one like this. My hats’s off to those who take on a big one - this boat x 20! 🤪 Same process though - just keep knocking jobs off one after the other until you run out of jobs. But I’m not sure I believe you have zero interest in boats. This is a very boat video... 🤔😁 Have a good one... Cheers

[@webbtrekker534]

Just discovered this video. What a magnificent job you did. I would have left some of the wood bright but that is just me. Bet you are one proud boat owner!!

[@robinhodgkinson]

I discovered early on that ply over frames will not give you a perfectly smooth hull - ply wants to stay flat and will try to wherever it can i.e. in between frames. Same goes for the deck. So if you want those perfect sweeping curves you have to fare it. So bright is not an option. Perhaps I could have in some details but I decided to forgo that. That issue aside I wasn’t after that wooden boat look particularly anyway. In the second video on finishing and accessories I painted the hull sides which was always my intention - the all white look is a it boring and stark I agree. It came up looking pretty smart. Check it out... Cheers

[@Darthbelal]

You did great, both in the quality of the boat you made and in your video presentation. Great job on both. Even though the video was a relatively long one, you kept me interested until the very end. Well done!

[@robinhodgkinson]

Cheers Darth. Glad you enjoyed it. My aim was to inform anyone contemplating a build, and hopefully entertain those who just have an interest. Experience is a great teacher.

[@NotThatBob]

Big thanks for the video! And a really great job!!! What a really lovely boat! Hope it serves you well, have fun.

[@bjohnson072142]

I enjoyed every moment of the video. Great craftsmanship and great videography. Thanks for sharing. The boat looks amazing.

[@fishmut]

What a fantastic build, iv done stitch and glue but this is much more involved, my fathers boat was built just like this one and being a wooden ply boat many think they don’t last. Dads boats is over 40 years old and no fibreglass just painted and still in operation today, it’s a beautiful little 12 runabout just like this one , great job well done.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Cheers Fishmut. Having built ply over frames I can tell you with some authority there's a lot to be said for stitch and glue - much faster I'm sure! I nearly went with a stick and glue design but something about the shape of this boat got me hooked. If you keep the water out they'll last for many years. I made sure to epoxy seal all surfaces before painting as double insurance, so hopefully this little fish is still around in 40 years!

[@mattedwards4533]

Excellent job my friend! I especially liked your your tone and explaination of your procedure!

[@robinhodgkinson]

Cheers Matt. There was one paragraph of instructions with these plans with about as much info as - “Construct strongback, assemble frames....” So after learning lots off KZbin I thought I’d add to the collection, and create a record of the job for myself at the same time. I’m sorry now I didn’t shoot video and do a weekly vlog - I now follow a number of boat builds on YT, with envy. 😁 There’s heaps of detail and steps left out, like electrical, steering, fittings, trailer, to name just a few. As much as I love the finished boat, I’m seriously thinking of selling her so I could fund another build. Perhaps a larger sailboat this time... 🤔

[@Bestcabinetmaker]

Well done Sir! Your skill and attention to detail are what really shows up! Thanks for showing us.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Larry. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@LifeOnTheHulls]

I am so making a scarfing jig Robin for my bulkheads Robin. Thanks for all of these insights buddy. Ross

[@mossmonaco9061]

Outstanding effort. Aside from your skills with plans and wood your determination to succeed is awesome. Thank you for posting.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Billy. Funny I watched the video myself last week and I sound like it was a chore to do! I made the video shortly after I’d just finished and at that point it was like, phew, mission accomplished. But in fact it was a fun, rewarding, and challenging first boat build and I’d start another bigger boat tomorrow if I could talk the “financial controller” into it. : ). Cheers

[@richardlorych9868]

fine piece of craftsmanship, long may you sail her. excellent video to boot.

[@zidanethalib]

I am working on my first boat and now completed frames,batterns, keel and stem. now in the process of putting it all together. Your video helped me a lot in deciding how to go about fitting chine, scarfing plywood, planning for uprighting the boat interior construction and so on.. I admire your dedication to do a detailed video which is highly educational, so selflessly. Thank you very.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Thanks Naseef, I'm glad you found it helpful. I had no idea how to build a boat when I started and spent lots of time looking at videos and reading forum posts. So much of what I talk about in the video is me passing it on, and maybe adding a few extra bits of my own experience. My day job is a photographer so I took lots of snaps along the way. The bonus fun was putting the video together and chatting to fellow boat building enthusiasts like you. Plus the video lets me relive the experience so it wasn't done entirely selflessly! :) If you have any questions or issues you can message me privately. Happy to help. Cheers

[@zidanethalib]

Hi Robin Hodgkinson Thank you for acknowledging my comment. I would like to be in touch with you to clarify many of my doubts. Can I email you some photos of my project.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Sure, no problems. Private message me your email address and I'll reply - click on my photo under the video above. This will take you to my channel page, then under the "about" tab, click on the message tab. Cheers

[@zidanethalib]

Robin I could not find message tab under "about" tab. Cheers

[@robinhodgkinson]

Hi Naseef. I can't see the message icon on my phone or iPad, but I can see it on my computer. There's a slightly different layout for different devices. Perhaps that's the problem...

[@brendanmorgan8125]

What a great Job !! Enjoyed watching your journey from start to Finnish, thanks so much for posting. Top Man... Regards From Dublin Ireland .

[@robinhodgkinson]

Cheers Brendan. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@krispsynch]

You do beautifully clean work. She looks rock-solid. Cheers!

[@ResoluteGryphon]

What a beautifully constructed boat! I would love to build one at some point in my life.

[@robinhodgkinson]

Resolute Gryphon don’t leave it too long! 🙂

[@gt40driver1]

Fantastic job and a beautiful boat. Really really well done.

[@quest4adventure495]

Good job man! Love the boat and the video, you’ve got a great sense of humor.