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Open Source 13-15m Catamaran Plans

Discussion in ' Projects & Proposals ' started by archie1492 , Jan 3, 2018 .

archie1492 Junior Member

Dear all, I want to create a detailed building information model for a 13 - 15 meter catamaran that is capable of being CNC cut and assembled. I need some help finding plans I can use as a basis of design. Specifically, I need the hull profile information. Section cuts through the hull will give me the ideal contours for a boat of this size. Can someone help? After weeks of searching, I still cannot find these online. For now, this is merely an exercise in my 3d modeling capability. I'd like to share my drawing work with the forum if I can get some assistance to start off. There are future possibilities I am also considering. I'm an experienced Architect & construction designer with a strong background in computer aided design. Once I've modeled the boat in 3d, I would like to flatten the various parts and create plans for the individual boat parts to be CNC cut. I would like to build a small scale model first (1:2o or perhaps 1:10) with the ultimate goal of building the boat full scale.  

TANSL Senior Member

This is a very simple catamaran which, if you are interested, I can give you a lot of information. It is not a spectacular boat but it can help you in your first steps with boats. LOA = 16 m, Lbp = 14.6 m  

Thanks I really appreciate it. The hull lines for the motor cat you've provided are not quite what i'm looking for. I'm specifically looking for the hull lines for a 14m catamaran sail boat. I guess there is some standard for these contours especially the area below the waterline. Check the attached document as well if anyone is interested in this.  

Attached Files:

catdimension.pdf

I'm sorry, you never specified that it was a sailing catamaran. I thought that to carry out your purposes, " For now, this is merely an exercise in my 3d modeling capability ", any model was valid. Apparently, you have different purposes than, in addition to, to practice with 3D models. The better you clarify what you are really looking for, the better someone can help you.  

Hi all, Here's an example of what kind of information I need to get started. Optimising Hull Lines for Performance https://www.graingerdesigns.net/the-lab/optimising-hull-lines-for-performance/ The boat shown here is a 8.5m cat sailboat. I'm looking for something a bit larger in the 14m range. Also, the images only show one of the hull profiles. I'd like profile lines for the entire boat. I will post some other images I've found online showing profile lines for smaller boats. I still cannot find any 14m hull lines. Can anyone help?  

grainger_1488019480.jpg

Grainger_1488019410.jpg, grainger_1488019333.jpg, grainger_1488019265.jpg, grainger_1488019219.jpg.

Here are some other hull lines I've found online. Hope this is useful to anyone else looking for this information. Thanks!  

Evergreen Lines small.jpg

Hull-lines.jpg, shark-20.jpg.

You could take any of those boats and scaleb the lines to get the desired length. Since it is only a 3D modeling exercise, you do not have to worry about anything else. You could even make a mix of 2 or 3 of those models to get the one you are looking for.  

Thanks Tansl, I'd like to make the boat drawings accurate for the 14m size. Perhaps one day I will develop this into something worth building full scale. The more accurate I can draw the boat, the more I will learn about the boat design.  

Maybe it does not look like it but I would like to help you. If you do not find what you want on the Internet I could draw a lines plan, strictly following your instructions, which would help you to make the 3D model. Or, if you find something similar on the internet I can adapt it to your needs and fill in the information that you indicate you need for your work. I insist that starting from the shapes of a 10 m boat you can get the shapes of a boat of 14 m, with total accuracy.  

Dolfiman Senior Member

archie1492 said: ↑ I'd like to make the boat drawings accurate for the 14m size. Perhaps one day I will develop this into something worth building full scale. The more accurate I can draw the boat, the more I will learn about the boat design. Click to expand...

Cata 14m with Gene-Hull UE Catamaran 2.3_2018 01 15.ods

Gene-Hull Catamaran 2.3 User Guide_2018 01 16.pdf

Hull for cata 14m with Gene-Hull UE Catamaran 2.3_2018 01 16.pdf

Dolfiman, thanks so much! This is exactly what I was looking for. It's very interesting and probably a bit over my head at this point. I think this should work for modeling the basic hull shape. For the bridge deck and all of the stuff above the hull I can model this with a bit more creativity. Although, I'd like to learn more about understanding the center of gravity for the boat and the proper location of the mast. Are there any rules of thumb about this? Thanks again!  

archie1492 said: ↑ I think this should work for modeling the basic hull shape. Click to expand...

Cata 14m V2 with Gene-Hull UE Catamaran 2.3_2018 01 15.ods

In complement to illustrate this first approach, my good friend Alain did some 3D views here attached of the hull V2 version with Multisurf (using fit for purpose ouput data in section 5. of the above file). To inspire you , some other examples of cata, more sport/day sailer oriented than the Saona 47 : - R/P 45 (Reichel-Pugh) : multihull http://reichel-pugh.com/tag/multihull/ - Dazcat 1295 : in this video, from 1:45 the launch, you can see the hulls from various angles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BZF4Udda5E - SIG 45 (VPLP design) : from 1:20 you can see the winward hull fully lifted ​  

dean 1962 New Member

archie1492 said: ↑ Dear all, I want to create a detailed building information model for a 13 - 15 meter catamaran that is capable of being CNC cut and assembled. I need some help finding plans I can use as a basis of design. Specifically, I need the hull profile information. Section cuts through the hull will give me the ideal contours for a boat of this size. Can someone help? After weeks of searching, I still cannot find these online. For now, this is merely an exercise in my 3d modeling capability. I'd like to share my drawing work with the forum if I can get some assistance to start off. There are future possibilities I am also considering. I'm an experienced Architect & construction designer with a strong background in computer aided design. Once I've modeled the boat in 3d, I would like to flatten the various parts and create plans for the individual boat parts to be CNC cut. I would like to build a small scale model first (1:2o or perhaps 1:10) with the ultimate goal of building the boat full scale. Click to expand...

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Archie, I have been looking to do the same thing. Where are you at on the project? Very interested in hearing all about it. Thanks.  

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DIY Cruising Catamaran: Complete Building Guide

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A brand-new cruising catamaran can set you back a hefty amount of money. However, a DIY cruising catamaran provides a more affordable way to own your own boat. While building a large boat can be an extremely challenging and time-consuming experience, nothing beats the pleasure of bringing your own boat to life. 

To build a DIY cruising catamaran, buy good design plans, determine your budget and find a working space. Next, choose your hull material, buy supplies and start building the mast beam. Build and sheathe the hull, install bulkheads, the interior, and finally, launch the catamaran boat.

In this article, you will find a complete guide to building your own catamaran. You will also find detailed information on why you may want to consider building your catamaran and approximately how much this project would cost. Finally, we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of building a catamaran from scratch.

Why You Might Want To Build Your Own Catamaran

Most people might think that purchasing a used boat to repair and fix it up would be cheaper than a DIY cruising catamaran. But while building your own catamaran could be an enormous undertaking, it also comes with many advantages over buying something used. 

Other than the unique opportunity to create beautiful memories and experiences while cruising, sailing, and exploring beautiful coastlines, there are a number of benefits that come along with the DIY approach.  

Knowing Your Boat

Building your own catamaran provides you with intimate knowledge of your boat. You will know every corner, including where to find every bolt, wire, bulkhead, rib, hose, and support as you installed them yourself. This knowledge will enhance your confidence while at sea since you will have entrusted your life to a boat whose history you are aware of and deeply connected to.

Pride of Ownership

The satisfaction you get from crafting something with your own hands is immense. As a result, the knowledge that you built your boat from scratch will fill you with absolute pride and an immense sense of achievement. Furthermore, as an owner-builder, you get to keep and enjoy the boat for as many years as you wish.

Substantial Cost Savings

Building your catamaran will work out cheaper than buying a new or even gently used boat. Though you will likely require some additional labor since doing some things will require an extra pair of hands, if you are particularly good at DIY, you will save a significant amount of money on labor costs as a whole. 

Freedom To Create Your Own Designs

If you decide to buy a catamaran boat, it might not be easy to find one that meets your unique needs. However, instead of choosing from production boats that bear traditional and outdated designs, you can come up with an ultra-modern design or style for your catamaran. You also get to pick your layout, size, and equipment based on your taste and budget.

Great Learning Experience

Building your own boat will help you pick up numerous skills that will come in handy later when sailing your boat. As much as you might still require an expert to help you with specialized skills like carpentry or wiring, your new skills will serve you well. This will also be beneficial when it comes to your boat’s maintenance and fixing things for yourself. 

What To Look For in Catamaran Boat Designs

When deciding on the type of catamaran boat to build, you may want to choose a design that’s simple and easy to build. This is because doing so will allow you to spend a shorter time building the boat. 

You also need to have a set of requirements to guide you in choosing your design or what you might call an ideal cruising catamaran wish list. This is essential because, ultimately, you want to build a boat that offers outstanding qualities such as:

• Delivers good speed
• Affordable to own and operate
• Agile, strong, and easy to maintain
• Has a high resistance to capsizing
• Great for sailing and cruising
• Delivers a comfortable and easy motion underway
• Good handling ability and high performance under sail
• User-friendly embarking and disembarking
• Provides ample living and accommodation space 
• Presents a reasonable resale value

It’s worth noting that, in general, catamaran boats tend to offer a fair resale value mainly because of scarcity and the high price accorded to production models. So, if you build a well-constructed catamaran, you are bound to get a return that’s much higher than the cost of materials upon resale.

It’s also good to consider whether the design you settle on is from an established designer. This is significant because documentation of the building process is just as valuable when it comes to selling the boat.

How Much Would It Cost To Build Your Own Catamaran?

The cost of building your cruising catamaran will depend heavily on the size of the boat you plan to build and the skills you bring to the table. To give you an idea of probable costs, a professionally built 40 foot (12.1 m) long cruising catamaran could go for up to $300,000. 

Though building it yourself will undoubtedly be cheaper, most DIY boatbuilders tend to underestimate the expected costs. Your final costs should cover not only the cost of material and equipment but also the labor and time it would take to come up with the final product. 

If you were to build a 40-foot (12.1-meter) catamaran, your cost of materials would range between 20-30% of the total cost. Therefore, for $300,000 total, the boat’s materials would range between $60,000 and $90,000. The hull tends to range between 15-35% of the total build. Again, this depends on the finish and furniture.

But before you even start working on the DIY project, you will need to figure out where to do the work. If your home has ample space, then you can opt for a backyard building. But if you live in a small apartment, then you might want to consider renting a small garage at first and then move on to a boatyard later. This is one of the significant costs involved in building your multi-haul.  

What You Will Need

To get a clearer picture of how much the entire project would cost, let’s have a look at what else you will need to purchase.

• Good design plans
• Working space
• Ground tackle
• Matting and roving
• Equipment such as the engine, windows, rudders, deck fittings, mast, and rigging

In addition to the above, you also need to install plumbing and electricals. You may also want to consider going electric rather than using diesel. Not only will this drastically reduce your maintenance costs, but you get to use the regenerated power for all of your housing needs while sailing. 

Some catamaran boat designs help you save costs by advocating the use of less expensive corpus materials. Most of the material goes directly into making the boat, which means there is hardly any wastage on vacuum bagging . With this method, there are few molds and temporal building forms and fewer fillers to grind off as waste. All these factors reduce the time and cost it takes to build your catamaran boat.

That said, building a boat of any kind is a huge financial undertaking. As such, you still need to have the financial ability to keep building; otherwise, your project will stall or take much longer than anticipated. Instead of enjoying yourself and making memories cruising to faraway lands, you might end up spending all your time building a seemingly never-ending boat.

To reiterate, this project is more of a labor of love, given that it involves a tremendous amount of manual work. Calculating an hourly rate on the time spent building the boat and adding this cost to that of materials may make it seem a very pricey exercise. However, it is vital to understand that your time matters, and every hour you spend working for “free” should be included. 

With that in mind, you need to ensure that you are fully devoted to the boat construction project and are sure you want to do it before you begin. Stopping halfway because it seems like too much work would be incredibly costly.

How To Build a Catamaran

When it comes to building a cruising catamaran, you have 3 main options:

• You can buy an old boat and refurbish it.
• Purchase a bare hull plus deck molding for a home-boat building.
• Start from scratch and build everything, including the hull, on your own. 

As mentioned above, renovating an existing boat may end up being more costly than starting from scratch. To build a catamaran boat from scratch, follow the below step-by-step guide.

Prepare the Essentials

Before you jump into such a large project, there are several important aspects to consider:

• Buy your plans from an established catamaran designer. You can also get inexpensive, easy-to-build catamaran designs online.
• Get access to a large working space or build a shed . Depending on your climate, you may need to opt for climate control to avoid an excess of moisture in humid areas. 
• Decide on your choice of hull material. This could be fiberglass, aluminum, steel, wood, or ferroconcrete. 
• Start working on a bill of materials estimate. Include everything that you think you need to get a better idea of the initial costs.

Build the Mast Beam

Using wood and epoxy, cut and glue together the pieces of wood that will form the mast beam. Most of the work at this stage can occur in a garage since it involves building small parts. Still, the work could take up to 4 months, so be prepared to put in long hours.

Build the Boat Hull

Now, it’s time to build the boat’s hull. A catamaran comprises two hulls which are connected with a deck. Below is a short video showing how to build a hull mold:

This work requires a larger facility, so you might need to move out of the garage and into a boatyard. If you don’t have access to a larger workshop, consider building a shed where you can work as you do the construction. Make sure there’s enough room to fit the boat and also allow you to work comfortably. To cover the shed, you can use opaque white tarps. 

Sheathe the Hull

Get all the materials you require for this stage in the construction, such as lots of resin, fiberglass, and foam for use in the hull cores. You’ll also require matting and glass roving to sheath the hull . 

Sheathing helps to make the hull impervious to water and other marine borers. But first, you need to prepare the hull using a rotary sander. To make it as smooth as possible, use light, sweeping strokes. This is a very dusty task so be prepared to wear a facemask and safety goggles. 

Install the Bulkheads

Next is installing the plywood bulkheads . You might need to call in friends to help turn the hulls or use a crane. In this step, you will need to laminate the hull sides on the molded hull panels and bond them above the bulkheads. Ensure the bulkheads are snug and sealed in place.

Construct the Interior Structure

Over the next couple of months, the boat work will involve joining the hulls together with the beams that you had made back in the garage. Then, install the cuddy cabin, decks , and the cockpit . Soon the boat will start to take the shape of a catamaran.

Next, proceed to construct the major structural components such as stairs, hatches, mini-keels, and the interior. Then comes the work of fairing the boat, which is quite labor-intensive. 

Finally, it’s time to apply primer on the catamaran boat and start the paintwork. Before painting the boat, you will need to do additional sanding to finish off the two layers of primer as well as fill all the pinholes. Since it’s a large boat, the catamaran has lots of surface area; thus, the sanding could get extremely exhausting—mentally and physically—at this point.

The painting can take a while, too. The hulls are the easiest to paint, but the topsides, non-skid, as well as masking and prepping could seem never-ending. 

The final stretch involves working on the center bridge deck cabin and other final touches like installing the engines, electricals, and plumbing. This is also the time to fix the rudders, rigging, mast, windows, and deck fittings.

Launch Your Cruising Catamaran

After many months or years of hard work, your cruising catamaran is finally ready to test the waters. After lowering the boat into the water, check carefully in case there are leaks. If none, you can set up the sails and take your catamaran out for your first cruise. 

Below is a short video that takes you through the entire boat-building process:

If you don’t have deep pockets, don’t despair. It’s also possible to build an inexpensive catamaran boat, as shown in this post from the coastal passage .

The Pros of Building a Catamaran

Though it will be a costly endeavor, there are so many things to look forward to should you decide to build your own catamaran:

• It can be lots of fun.
• You get to have a new boat.
• It’s an excellent hobby for DIY enthusiasts.
• The effort is rewarding.
• It offers a great learning experience.
• You get the exact kind of boat you want.
• You can alter building plans and tailor the boat to suit your specific needs.
• It might be cheaper than buying a new boat.

The Cons of Building a Catamaran

Though there are a number of positive aspects to a DIY build, it is just as important to keep in mind that it won’t always be easy:

• Maintenance costs can be quite high.
• It’s both mentally and physically exhausting.
• It might require some technical know-how.
• It can take many months or even years to complete.
• It requires a lot of commitment to finish the DIY project.
• It might be challenging as well as expensive to get insurance.  
• You will spend almost all your free time building the boat. 

DIY Cruising Catamaran Tips and Tricks

If you are new to boat building, it would be a good idea to build a small boat first. This would give you a good indication as to whether you’d enjoy tackling a more extensive project like building a catamaran. Again, if you are the handy type, fixing your own electronics could also save you a significant amount of money. 

Here are more tips and tricks to get the most out of your DIY cruising catamaran:

• Lower your costs. Bring down your costs even further by sourcing for parts and supplies at marine surplus outlets, Craigslist, eBay, or wholesale suppliers. 
• Enhance your resale value. Most home-built boats are not easy to sell since they tend to be too customized. To enhance your resale value, it’s advisable to work with a standard design from a well-established naval architect.
• Follow the design instructions. Make sure to follow the designer’s instructions regarding the type of materials and tools to use during the build to avoid making costly mistakes.
• Maintain your original budget. Avoid any additional customizations once you have started building the boat. Using good plans and sticking to them ensures that your budget doesn’t spiral out of control.

Final Thoughts

Building a catamaran is about more than saving money. It’s fun, exciting, fulfilling, and can be a great learning experience. While it might take many months of back-breaking work, comparative shopping and sourcing for materials will help you save a lot of money. Still, at the end of it all, you’ll have a beautiful catamaran boat, all ready for your first cruising adventure.

However, if you have neither the time nor the energy to build your own catamaran from scratch, refurbishing an existing hull might prove faster and easier. It also works out much cheaper than buying a new boat.

Owner of CatamaranFreedom.com. A minimalist that has lived in a caravan in Sweden, 35ft Monohull in the Bahamas, and right now in his self-built Van. He just started the next adventure, to circumnavigate the world on a Catamaran!

One thought on “ DIY Cruising Catamaran: Complete Building Guide ”

Hello, I am a French Quebecer who is original, imaginative, creative and who finds that all boats and catamarans have a huge flaw and a very big lack of logic. I would have a brand new concept…. I am sending this message to any catamaran creator – designer to make those who have the opportunity and the intelligence to want to know about my innovative idea which will finally upset the market much richer. An idea that will totally change the concept of sailing, navigation and save so much worry!! All I would ask for is a small percentage of each sale of the new product. To be able to make me produce one when I have enough!! It is certain that like that, you just want to tell me: come on Mr. Lessard give us your idea but do not take your word to help me in return! But, if you are the kind of man to have only one word and maybe have a proof of your good faith if the realization of the project would make it… I will be very happy!! Giving it to everyone wouldn’t bother me either…. all I would like is to be able to find flax fiber (too expensive carbon) to be able to try to make my catamaran myself. Because not rich! Have a nice day and looking forward to having a message!!

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Price USD$60

How to Order ; Send a request by email to [email protected] and we will send you a Paypal invoice that you can Pay with your Paypal account or credit card. You don't need a Paypal account to pay by Debit Card or Credit Card.

We will send you a link to download the Study Plans within 48 hours of receiving your payment.

RAKU 40 STUDY PLANS PACKAGE

1. Raku 40 A3 size Study Book. PDF Format 23 pages. 11.7MB

2. Six A1 size PDF drawings including Sail and Rig Plan, Two Layout Drawings,  Inboard Profiles, Sections, Deck Plan.

We will send you a link to download the Study Plans within 48 hours of receiving your payment. 

RAKU 44 STUDY PLANS PACKAGE

1. Raku 44 A3 size Study Book. PDF Format 22 pages. 21.8MB

2. Seven A1 size PDF drawings including Sail and Rig Plan, Two Layout Drawings,  Inboard Profiles, Sections, Deck Plan.

RAKU 48 STUDY PLANS PACKAGE

1. Raku 52 A3 size Study Book. PDF Format 22 pages. 33.9.8MB

2. Seven A1 size PDF drawings including Sail and Rig Plan, Two Layout Drawings,  Two Inboard Profile Drawings, Sections, Deck Plan.

How to Order ; Send a request by email to [email protected] and we will send you a Paypal invoice that you can pay with your Paypal account or credit card. You don't need a Paypal account to pay by Debit Card or Credit Card.

RAKU 52 STUDY PLANS PACKAGE

1. Raku 52 A3 size Study Book. PDF Format 28 pages. 35.4MB

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Quattro 14 Beach Catamaran

PDF plans £80

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Product Description

The Quattro 14 is a single-trapeze racing catamaran based on the Quattro 16 .

Designed by renowned multihull sailor and designer Richard Woods, the Quattro hulls are built from sheet plywood using the stitch-and-glue construction method, making them stiff and lightweight.

The Quattro 14 has a hull shape similar to the Pixie , but with the addition of small skegs which help windward performance. It also has a larger, more sophisticated rig and a trapeze for extra speed and power.

This catamaran is for those who want to race, either singlehanded on the trapeze, or with two light crew.

The Quattro has aluminium tube crossbeams which simply bolt into the hulls to form a very rigid structure. The rig from an older beach cat can be used, to save time and money making a new one. Total build time ready to paint is about 150 hours.

• LOA: 4.3 m (14′)
• LWL: 4.15 m (13′ 6″)
• Beam, overall: 2.1 m (7′)
• Weight: 80 kg (190 lb)
• Sail area: 13.1 m² (145 sq ft)

The Quattro 14 catamaran plans include detailed specifications for building and rigging the boat. The quality and clarity of the plans ease the construction of this boat, though you still need to be confident of your plans-reading ability.

A complete materials list is supplied with the plans. All dimensions are in metric units.

An electronic version of the plans in PDF format that can be viewed using Adobe Reader. After credit card authorisation the file will be sent to the email address put on the order form.

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Boatbuilding DVD

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Teamac Marine Gloss Paint

High quality marine paint with excellent opacity and adhesion for finishing your boat, canoe or kayak.

Wire Rigging

Wire rope for rigging a sailing boat, made to the length you need, with loops or thimbles on the ends.

Boat Builder T-Shirt

Fyne Boat Kits t-shirts for wooden boat builders.

• Fyne Boat Kits — Old Cooperage Yard, Gatebeck, Kendal, Cumbria LA8 0HW
• Telephone: +44 (0)1539 567 148
• Email: info [at] fyneboatkits.co.uk

Copyright © Fyne Boat Kits

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Messing about in boats since 1975.  Online Since 1997.

Home   |  Intro   |  Our Design Process   |  Stock Design Info   |  Motor Yacht Designs   |  Sailing Yacht Designs   |  Prototype Designs Plans List   |  Articles   |  Our CAD Design Stream   |  Maxsurf   |  News..!   |  SITE MAP..!   |  Site Search   | Design Team   |  Contact Us Please see the  AVAILABLE BOAT PLANS web page

Power and Sailing Yacht Plans List Copyright 2023 Michael Kasten Updated April  2023 This page provides a list of our currently available boat plans, a link to the web page for each design, and a price for each design.  What Do Plans Cost..? Below is a list of prices for each plans package that we offer. The first group lists our Sailing Yacht Designs and the second group lists our Power Yacht Designs .  Some designs are COMPLETED and others are INCOMPLETE.      COMPLETED STOCK DESIGNS :  The Estimating Plans and Building Plans prices given below in BOLD BLACK TYPE are for a FULLY COMPLETED STOCK DESIGN , the plans for which can be shipped immediately on receipt of your order.   Please see our Stock Design web page for a description of what is included, and how our prices have been determined.    INCOMPLETE OR 'SEMI-STOCK' DESIGNS :   Prices given below in PLAIN TEXT indicate plans that are INCOMPLETE.  WHY , you may ask, have I even bothered to list INCOMPLETE designs below...? Since people's circumstances often change, it is inevitable that some boat design projects will be abandoned before they are finished, and in some cases after considerable work has been done.  This can occur as is so well described in the first few pages of Rockwell Kent’s excellent non-fiction sea story, “North by East” , or as the result of a change of fortune, failing health, or for a myriad of other reasons. A few of the INCOMPLETE designs listed below (not very many) have been developed on my own, in other words, with myself as the 'client'.  Others have been created at the behest of an individual client to explore an idea or a concept.  Either way, I believe all of the designs listed below have merit.  We offer these INCOMPLETE designs at a substantial discount versus what it would cost to develop an entirely CUSTOM design, the difference being that the 'discovery' phase of the design process has already been accomplished.  Even so, there is still quite a bit of WORK REMAINING in order to complete the Plans Packages for those INCOMPLETE designs.  The prices given below reflect our actual cost to complete the Estimating Plans or the Building Plans Package for each design, assuming there will be no changes to the design as it is presented.  If you take umbrage with the cost of our INCOMPLETE designs, I urge you to read our Learning Yacht Design web page.  If one of the designs below is "close" to what you have in mind but you would like to tweak it some, I will be pleased to provide a detailed estimate for any revisions you have in mind.  If any of these designs is of interest, please inquire .    CUSTOM YACHT DESIGN :  A new CUSTOM design will necessarily include the process of " discovery " which represents Stage I of the design process, during which all options are on the table including size, type, configuration, layout, rig, materials, etc.  By comparison, given that many of the INCOMPLETE designs listed below have already had a considerable amount of design work done, very roughly the cost to create a CUSTOM design can be on the order of some 20% to 50% greater than the prices listed for the INCOMPLETE designs below, in order to accommodate the "discovery" process on the way to achieving a completed set of Building Plans.  Is the added cost worth it...?   Yes , we believe so. Please see our article on Custom Yacht Design for our best answer to that question, where you will also find an overview of the design process itself.  Our Design Stream article additionally describes how we use CAD to best advantage throughout the design process. If a new Custom Yacht Design is of interest, please inquire for more information.    COMPLETED NC CUTTING FILES :  There are several designs below for which NC Cutting files are ALREADY DEVELOPED , in which case the price is in BOLD BLACK TYPE .    DEVELOPING NEW NC CUTTING FILES :  All other NC Cutting File prices are listed in PLAIN TEXT, and reflect our actual cost to develop NC Cutting Files for that design from scratch, in which case they can be developed for metric or imperial dimensioned materials as needed. Please see our CAD Design Stream article for more information about our NC development process.    ORDERING INFORMATION : All prices are given in US Dollars and are subject to change at any time.  To place an order, please see our contact information below. To order by fax or by mail, a PDF Order Form has been provided for your convenience.    What's Included...? Estimating Plans - Building Plans - NC Cut Files... ESTIMATING PLANS :  Since all the basic information about each of our designs is available here at our web site, and for free, we no longer offer basic Study Plans.   Instead, we offer a much more useful and complete Estimating Plans for each of the designs listed below. Our Estimating Plans include the following: Drawings:    Sail Plan / Exterior Profile Drawing Interior Profile & Arrangement Drawing (one to four sheets, depending on vessel size) Structure Drawings (one or two additional sheets, depending on vessel size)    Documents:    Drawings & Documents List Written Vessel Specification Detailed Equipment List Structural Scantling List Laminate Schedule (if needed) Structure Weight & Surface Areas Builder Short List appropriate to the specific design Cover Letters to Builders re: scope of project, etc.    Our Estimating Plans are useful for study, planning, commentary, or mark-ups in the event you want to consider variations on the layout or the rig.  Primarily though, the Estimating Plans are intended for Cost Estimating .   Considering the price lists given below, the Estimating Plans represent an outstanding bargain and include quite a lot of useful information. Our Designer's Cover Letter serves as an introduction to the builder and outlines the scope of our involvement.  Our Owner's Cover Letter is a template which you can modify as needed in order to provide an introduction to the builder; to outline your intended build timing; and to let them know what stage of completion you intend their quotation to cover. NOTE :  Estimating Plans do not contain sufficient detail for actual construction of the vessel.  However the Estimating Plans do provide enough information so that builders can provide a firm quotation for construction, and to allow a preliminary construction contract to be negotiated.    BUILDING PLANS : Prior to your construction contract being finalized, and in order to actually build the boat, the complete Building Plans will be required.  Our Building Plans include all the contents of our Estimating Plans as listed above, plus all the remaining detail drawings required for construction, including the following: Drawings:    Lines Drawing Offsets (if not CNC cut) Structural Sections Joinery Sections Joinery Details Construction Details (Several Sheets Including Hull & Deck Fittings; Ports; Doors; etc.) Spar Plans (Sail: Several Sheets Including Spar Dimensions; Spar Fitting Details; etc.) Machinery Plans (Power:  Several Sheets as Needed) Numerous Detail Drawings as Needed       Vessel Design Data, including:    Hydrostatics & Trim Stability Compliance Report Performance Analysis Hull Data for Propeller Calcs Endurance & Range Under Power    Building Plans also include a thorough review of and revision of the Equipment List and Vessel Specification in order to suit your specific equipment preferences. If the drawings or documents require further revision for your use, for example to make changes to the layout or the rig, we'll be pleased to provide an estimate for making those revisions. Please see our Stock Plans page for more information about what's included, and how we can customize a stock design to suit your requests.    CUSTOM DESIGN : We can modify any of our Stock Designs to suit a newly defined purpose, or we can work with you to create an entirely new design based on your requests. Please feel free to inquire about any modifications you may have in mind, or about creating a new Custom Design to suit your specific requirements.  In way of inspiration we have provided quite a variety of Prototype Designs , any one of which can be modified as needed to create a fully completed yacht design.    NC CUTTING FILES : Several of the Stock Designs listed below for construction in metal have already been developed for automated NC cutting of the metal parts. "NC" simply means 'Numerically Controlled' - a technology for creating pre-cut boat parts directly from the 3D design model. For details regarding the benefits of NC Cutting and to find out what's included with an NC Cutting File Package , check out our article on Our CAD Design Stream and the articles linked from there.    MORE INFO :  Please see our Site Map to quickly find any of our designs, to peruse our portfolio, and to find our articles on a variety of boat related topics.  

What Will the Boat Cost..?

This is the most difficult question of all, and one for which I do not have a ready answer.  However it is a question that ultimately does have an answer...!   For any meaningful cost discovery it is necessary to solicit actual quotations for construction from a short list of qualified builders. 

For that purpose, we offer completed ESTIMATING PLANS for several of the designs listed below, with their prices listed in BOLD BLACK TEXT .  For any designs listed below that are INCOMPLETE, we have also provided the cost to develop ESTIMATING PLANS for that design, the prices for which are given in PLAIN TEXT.

Please see the following articles for information about boat costs, and about the process of soliciting estimates from builders:

The Cost Question | Affordable Boatbuilding | Estimating Boatbuilding Costs | What Will the Design Cost..?   

SAILING YACHT PLANS  

IMPORTANT - Please see the Introduction above which describes the difference between  the prices given in BOLD BLACK TEXT vs the prices given in PLAIN TEXT below.

Please also see the AVAILABLE DISCOUNT information below.  

*  See notes below about Aluminum vessels. ** See notes below about Wooden Vessels. *** See notes below about NC Cutting Files .  

MOTOR YACHT PLANS

* See notes below about Aluminum vessels. ** See notes below about Wooden Vessels. *** See notes below about NC Cutting Files .  

AVAILABLE DISCOUNTS  

• The cost of Building Plans given above includes the cost of the Estimating Plans for that design..   
• If you order STOCK Building Plans within 90 days after purchasing STOCK Estimating Plans (for the same design), we will deduct half of what you paid for the STOCK Estimating Plans (less shipping) from your order.   
• The cost given above to complete the Building Plans for an as-yet INCOMPLETE design includes the cost to develop Estimating Plans for that design.  
• If you first arrange for completion of as-yet INCOMPLETE Estimating Plans, the subsequent cost to develop Building Plans for that design will be reduced by the full cost of having developed the Estimating Plans for that design.  In other words, the INCOMPLETE Building Plans prices given above already include the cost to develop the Estimating Plans.  
• For ALL orders, if an already completed set of STOCK NC Cutting Files are ordered along with an already completed set of STOCK Building Plans for that vessel ( both paid for in full at the same time ) we will provide a discount of 10% off your entire order.  And... this discount may be applied in addition to either of the above discount options..! Note however that this does not apply to any of our designs for which the NC Cutting Files or the Design itself remain INCOMPLETE.  

For additional clarification of the above discounts, please inquire .  

IMPORTANT DESIGN NOTES

GRP or PLYWOOD : Any of our Aluminum or Steel designs can be converted for construction in GRP or cold moulded plywood. The cost of any such revisions will be quoted separately. For more information, please inquire .

STEEL : Any Steel vessel can easily be re-specified with an aluminum structure. To convert a stock steel design to aluminum, please add 20% to the cost of the Estimating Plans or the Building Plans for that design.  Conversion of NC Cutting Files from steel to aluminum will however require a completely new set of NC cutting files, for which please inquire for an estimate.

* ALUMINUM : The Aluminum vessels listed above can only be built in steel if the design is extensively modified for that purpose in order to accommodate the added weight of the structure. For more information, please inquire .  Conversion from aluminum to steel will also require a completely new set of NC cutting files, for which please inquire for an estimate.

** WOOD : Please note that our large Wooden Vessel plans are generally priced higher, since revisions will nearly always be required in order to accommodate the differing wood species that will be available for construction, and the consequent differences in scantlings and overall weight. Those revisions (within reason) are included in the prices indicated above.

*** NC CUTTING FILES : Although a complete Building Plans set is required in order build any of these boat designs, the NC Cutting Files are entirely optional . In other words, the Building Plans are required , even if you purchase the NC Cutting Files for that design. The cost of NC Cutting Files is in addition to the cost of the Building Plans. Please see above for discount options that are available...

The NC Cutting Files shown above with prices given in BOLD BLACK TYPE have already been developed , in which case they will have been created for either metric or imperial dimensioned materials, and for either steel or aluminum (noted in parentheses).

If the vessel will be built in a location that requires changing the measurement system , and / or if there is a change from steel to aluminum or aluminum to stee l structure, then additional work will be required, the cost of which will be quoted separately and in addition to the above prices. Should such changes to any of our designs be of interest, please inquire for an estimate.   

YACHT TENDERS

Our aluminum yacht tenders are the perfect companion to any of the yachts described above.

8' to 14' Prams - Building Plans: $250 . NC Cutting Files: $250 . (The Building Plans are required. The NC Cutting File is optional. The cost of the NC Cutting file includes interacting with the cutter of your choice to assure compliance with their cutting equipment.)  

PROTOTYPE YACHT PLANS

If you don't see a design here that suits your requirements, please see our Prototypes web page for links to other designs that are either under development, or that may offer a few possible ideas in way of inspiration...

Preliminary study sketches may be available for some of our Prototype Designs. If you would like to know more about one of them, please inquire .  

NACA Foil Shaped Low Drag Aluminum Paravanes

Please see our Roll Attenuation article for more information on Paravanes for Motor Yachts.

These low-drag paravanes are balanced and are adjustable for different speeds. They make use of NACA foil shaped surfaces combined with a lead ballasted NACA foil shaped bulb. They are designed to be machined out of marine grade aluminum plate and rod so that they can be shaped, and so they are lighter for a given wing area than steel paravanes would be.

The sizes given above are conservatively rated. In other words each size can be used on a larger vessel than is indicated. It is all a matter of degree. The roll attenuation will simply be more or it will be less, as compared to that of a larger or smaller wing area.

Paravane effectiveness is a function of wing area and pole length vs. your vessel’s righting moment. With a larger the vessel the poles can be made longer, achieving greater leverage, therefore a greater effect for the same size paravane.  If you have an existing vessel on which you would like to install these paravanes, but you don't have a paravane rig, we can provide a design for the rig that will fit your boat.

For more information, please inquire .   

ORDERING PLANS...

Addresses in north america.

PAYMENT OPTIONS : If you would like to make a purchase from the above plans lists, please use our PDF Order Form or please feel free to contact me for additional information. Our payment options are as follows:

• Bank Check : For orders within the US up to USD $500 your personal check will be suitable. For orders from Canada, a money order or a cashier's check drawn on a US bank in US funds will be equally suitable. For all personal check payments we will wait until your check has cleared prior to sending out your order (for domestically issued cashier's checks or money orders, clearance takes a minimum of 7 business days after it has been deposited ).
• Pay Pal:  For orders of up to USD $1,000 payment may be made via Pay Pal.  Please inquire for details.
• Credit Card : For orders of up to USD $1,000 payment may also be made by credit card (Visa, Master Card, Amex) by using our PDF Order Form . The amount billed to your credit card will be the cost in US dollars. The cost in foreign currency will depend on the exchange rate applicable at the time of the transaction. A transaction fee of 5% will be added to all credit or debit card orders.
• Wire Transfer : For ALL amounts above USD $ 1,000, a direct wire transfer is required (most secure, fastest and least costly). Please inquire by FAX or by email for our wire transfer details. See our FAX number below, or please use our PDF Order Form where our FAX number will also be found.

Please note that all prices given on this page are subject to change at any time at my discretion.  

SHIPPING OPTIONS : For standard first class mail sent to any address in the US or Canada, or for airmail sent to Mexico, please add USD $60 to cover mailing costs. For US Priority Mail to US Addresses, please add USD $75. For US Express Mail to US addresses or for US Global Priority Mail to Canada please add USD $95. For FedEx standard overnight delivery in the US and Canada, or FedEx International Economy to Mexico please add USD $175.   

FREE DELIVERY...! Delivery via email is easy, and is encouraged. It is by far the fastest and most economical way to receive your plans. If you elect this option, delivery is FREE . If you accept delivery by email, we will send you all drawings as PDF plots, and all documents as PDF's, ready for printing and / or plotting, which is easily accomplished at your nearest copy shop.  

Addresses Elsewhere Worldwide

PAYMENT OPTIONS : If you live outside North America, our payment options are as follows:

• Bank Check : For any amount up to USD $ 1,000, if you wish to pay by cashier's check or money order, it should be drawn on a US bank in US funds. It is most secure when sending funds to use a courier service such as DHL, FedEx, EMS, UPS that provide online tracking, rather than regular postal mail delivery service. If sending a cashier's check by courier, please inquire for our physical shipping address. For all payments made by check or money order we will wait until your check has cleared prior to sending out your order (for foreign issued cashier's checks or money orders, clearance takes a minimum of 10  business days after it is deposited ).
• Credit Card : For orders of up to USD $1,000, payment may also be made by credit card (Visa, Master Card, Amex) by using our PDF Order Form . The amount billed to your credit card will be the cost in US dollars, plus shipping. The cost in foreign currency will depend on the exchange rate applicable at the time of the transaction.  A transaction fee of 5% will be added to all credit or debit card orders.
• Wire Transfer : For ALL amounts above USD $1,000, a direct wire transfer is required (most secure, fastest and least costly). Please inquire by FAX or by email for our wire transfer details. See our FAX number below, or please use our PDF Order Form where our FAX number will also be found. 

SHIPPING OPTIONS: For addresses in Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Scandinavia, England, or any country that uses the Euro Currency, please add USD $150 for 3 to 6 day delivery via US Global Priority Mail . For faster delivery by courier (DHL, FedEx, EMS) or by US Global Express Mail please add USD $250 (usually takes 3-4 business days).

Please note that regular postal mail service s of any kind are not offered to destinations other than those listed above. In most other locations, regular postal mail has proven to be extremely unreliable.  For destinations not listed above, please add USD $350 for 3 to 4 day delivery by courier (DHL, FedEx, EMS). We will select the best delivery method depending on your location.    

FREE DELIVERY...! Delivery via email is easy, and is encouraged. It is by far the fastest and most economical way to receive your plans. If you elect this option, delivery is FREE. If you accept delivery by email, we will send you all drawings as PDF plots, and all documents as PDF's, ready for printing and / or plotting, which is easily accomplished at your nearest copy shop.  

KASTEN MARINE DESIGN, INC. Email us for our mailing address or to arrange a phone appointment.

PDF Order Form  

Please see the  AVAILABLE BOAT PLANS web page. Home   |  Intro   |  Our Design Process   |  Stock Design Info   |  Motor Yacht Designs   |  Sailing Yacht Designs   |  Prototype Designs Plans List   |  Articles   |  Our CAD Design Stream   |  Maxsurf   |  News..!   |  SITE MAP..!   |  Site Search   | Design Team   |  Contact Us

• All Web Site Graphics, Layout, and Written Content at this Domain Created by Michael Kasten.
• All Graphic and Written Materials at this Domain Copyright © 1989 - 2023 Michael Kasten.
• All Content Registered with US Library of Congress and US Copyright Office.
• Copyright Violations will be Prosecuted. All Rights Reserved.

• Building Skerry
• Building a Scamp
• Boatbuilding Links & Resources
• Boatbuilding Tools

Plans for Boats, oars and paddles. Many free plans

As I was looking through my boat plan links I realized that they were scattered here and there. I decided to compile the links all in one page to make it easier to navigate.

Email me if a link is broken. I try to update everything often but the internet is a fast paced place. (and I'm not so quick), I've also included free oar and paddle plans and books with plans in them.

I offer a few plans but most of these boat designs are links. I have not built most of these and cannot endorse them. Some plans are good, others not so much.

Many plans are now available, particularly those that offer hundreds of plans for very cheap, which are reprints from old Popular Mechanics and other magazine. The building methods are somewhat dated and the plans often not very detailed. Of more concern materials such as lead paint are sometimes recommended. Do your homework before building these. Often buying a good set of plans from a recognized designer will save you time and money in the end.

The following plan links may have duplicate because they may fit in different categories. A kayak plan might also be a free stitch and glue plan. Enjoy and go build a boat.

Links to All kinds of boat plans, oars, some free plans

• Miscellaneous Boat Plans many of them free. It's my largest plan page. Whenever I find a new plan I try and add it to this list.
• Motorboats Everything from simple skiffs to elaborate speedboats, classic wooden boats and fishing vessels.
• Dory Boat Plans Various plans some of which are free. Wide range of dory styles, usually characterized by a pointy front, relatively flat sides and toumbstone transom.
• Skiff Plans By skiff I mean a simple shaped pointy boat with a wide transom. Often used as a fishing boat. Capable of planing and carrying a motor.
• Strip Building Plans Often cedar strips are used. Often results in lovely rounded shapes with glorious wood finish. A favourite for canoes and kayaks but often seen in sailboats and multihulls.
• Ultra-Light Boat plans Imagine building a boat that weights less than 30 pounds and even less.
• Canoe and Kayak plans Many free plans included.
• Tenders Selection of boats suitable as tenders, some free. Many methods of building including stitch and glue, ultralight and strip building.

Free Boat Plans

• Free Skiff Plans Skiffs are fast easily built boats.
• Free Canoe and Kayak Plans There are some nice free designs out there. They vary in amount of detail offered.
• Free Stitch and Glue Plans Also plans that could be built using stitch and glue method.
• Free Rowboat Plans
• One Sheet Plans Boats can be built using only one sheet of plywood. Here are a few.

Free Canoe and Paddle Plans some links some actual plans

• Free Plans for Simple Oars by Spark Geissler Nice easy to build oars.
• Links to many Free Oar, kayak and Canoe Paddles. Some nice designs including traditional kayak paddles.
• Free Paddle Plan From an old boy's book.

Surf Boards and Paddle Boards

• Surf Boards and Paddle Board Plans

Multihulls and Proas

• Multihulls including catamarans, trimarans and proas.

House Boats

I have a few free actual boat plans, some in pdf format.

These are mostly from old sources. Check before building.

• Folding Boat Plan from Boy Mechanic Book Turn of the century design for a folding boat. Link to a video of someone who actually built it. It's quite good. I think the builder had to fiddle the dimensions some before it would fold properly, but it's a fun boat.
• Old Plan for Plywood Tender Actual plans, seems like a nice pram dinghy.
• Old Plan for Punt Actual plans, from old book. Substitute plywood for solid wood.
• Old Plan for Take Apart Skiff Actual plans, in PDF format. Boat is in 3 clip-together sections.
• Old Plan for folding boat in PDF format. Plywood with canvas hinges folding skiff.
• Take apart Jonboat come in 3 sections and has a built in cooler.
• Building a Skerry from plans
• Boatbuilding Links & Resources from my Website

I try to be accurate and check my information, but mistakes happen. ALSO keep in mind that not all free boats are good designs. Some are but others are worth exactly what you pay. Also keep in mind while I'm in a preachy mood, that a good set of plans will save you lots of time and if you've paid for them you can actually often contact the designer and get help.

Bear-Cat Sport

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• Description
• Materials and Notes

a 25½’ X 10' open-cockpit power catamaran

For a PDF study plan download, click HERE

CATEGORY: Power Catamarans CONSTRUCTION: Sheet plywood/wood framing, or welded aluminum

These longer, wider power cats allow greater displacement, tankage, storage, and load-carrying ability than our WILDCAT design.  Besides the extra room, the wider beam only improves upon the superior qualities of power cats, especially stability.  Based on v-bottom planing hulls, these boats can also absorb higher horsepower motors.  Twin outboards at the higher ratings can provide speed into the 50 MPH range.  Even at the minimum power ratings, planing speeds will range in the mid-to-upper 20's depending on all-up weight.

Construction methods in sheet plywood or welded aluminum use amateur-proven techniques similar to our WILDCAT design, but with beefier scantlings in keeping with the boat's greater heft.   Full-size patterns are provided for all hull-forming backbone members and frame contours - lofting is not required.  Nor are any special or esoteric building techniques.  Instructions with hull material listings cover all aspects of the project, and include a fastening schedule with plywood hulls.

BEAR-CAT SPORT features a huge open- cockpit center-console arrangement with raised casting platform at the bow.  Plans include length options of 24'6", 25'6", and 27'10". 

Aluminum Materials PDF Plywood Materials PDF

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Bear-Cat Study Plans - PDF Version

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• Plans by type
• Qty in Cart

DUO 900 Study Plans

DUO 900 Plans

Wizard Study Plans Download

Wizard Plans Download

Strike 20 racing trimaran using a F18 beach cat for hulls and rig

Strike 16 Main Hull Only Plans Download

Wingmaran 15 Study Plans Download

Wingmaran 15 Plans and Templates Download

ECO 520 PDF

MaXi The Cat Plans PDF

Janus (full plans) Download

5m rodcat beach catamaran plans.

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• Basic Kayaking Knowledge , Learn

15 Free Boat Plans You Can Build This Week (with PDFs)

Boatbuilding is one of the most ancient forms of craftsmanship still alive today. As long as our ancestors have had a curiosity about exploring open waters, they have been practicing and honing their boatbuilding skills.

To be honest, however, building a boat is no small task. It will require a lot of work and patience to ultimately create a finished product that you are happy with and that is actually seaworthy.

Of course, we have also included a few free boat plans. You can keep in your back pocket for the next time you are asked to build a cardboard boat as part of a contest or lakefront teambuilding adventure.

We hope that these resources help you in your journey to build your own boat!

Photo by SeventyFour via Shutterstock

Free Boat Plans

Why build your own boat, 1. the wanigan, 2. the mouse, 3. the slipper, 4. the handy andy, 5. the junior, 6. the jolly roger, 7. the cork, 8. the hobby kat, 9. the tern, 10. the falcon, 11. the white duck, 12. the sea midge, 13. the zephyr, 14. the gypsy, 15. the crazy cardboard boat, 15 free boat plans you can build this week (with pdfs) – final thoughts, share on pinterest.

• The Wanigan
• The Slipper

The Handy Andy

• The Jolly Roger
• The Hobby Kat

The White Duck

• The Sea Midge

The Crazy Cardboard Boat

Photo by Halsey via Shutterstock

There are a lot of reasons why you should explore building your own boat versus buying a pre-made model. Here is a quick breakdown of the most obvious benefits:

• You will know the ins and outs of your finished boat better than anyone
• It can be a great project to work on with your teenage or even adult children
• You will gain valuable skills molding and shaping wood and other materials
• You can design your boat for your specific needs
• You don’t have to trust the sometimes-questionable manufacturing of mass-produced boats
• You can create a boat that functions as your second home on the water
• You can save money if you source materials mindfully

Of course, most first-time boatbuilders still experience some level of trial-and-error. With patience and perseverance, however, you can craft a one-of-a-kind vessel that has no equal anywhere in the world.

Free Boat Plans You Can Build This Week (with PDFs)

PC Duckworks Boat Builders Supply

The Wanigan boat began as a garvey design, which is one of the older boat plans known to the Americas. Traditionally, these boats were built as work scows and were very popular among American summer camps.

The design itself is very simple, but these boats can carry heavy loads. It can also handle a trolling motor being mounted to the stern so you can cover more ground if you want to use it as a fishing boat.

The creator of this boat plan became aware of some of the downsides of the garvey design, such as the heavier weight that made it less efficient than some other designs. So he combined elements of dory and wanigan designs to create a hybrid.

The main changes include an enlarged beam, tilted lathes to provide a stiffer hull, and knocking off the top strakes to reduce the boat’s overall weight.

The Wanigan text

These additional The Wanigan drawings   may also prove useful for your build process!

The Mouse is one of the most compact and nimble boat plans we have found for this list. It is an easy build and also a great boat for two kids or a single teenage paddler.

The original builder began with a one-sheet boat design in an effort to create the lightest and most affordable boat possible. This means it is only suited for calm waters and should not be used in high winds or wavy conditions.

That said, it was built in roughly 12 to 24 hours of work time and doesn’t require a full workshop to construct. The main material that is required for building this boat is quarter-inch plywood. But the builder recommends using one-inch by half-inch pine or something a little sturdier.

The plywood and pine components are held together using a method called ”˜stitch and glue’. This method requires choosing one of the best glues for kayak outfitting , which are typically made of epoxy and glass tape rather than something cheaper like polyurethane.

The Mouse Instructions

Also, here are a few extra useful The Mouse Notes for builders

The Slipper is the first of many sailboat plans on our list and it is faster, easier, and cheaper to build than most. It also features a deeper cockpit than many other sailboat designs, which makes it safer for intermediate sailors.

This sailboat plan features dual steering stations so that you can sail from inside or outside of the helm. It also includes a centerboard trunk that hardly intrudes into the cabin at all. So that, it is easier to work around while you are in the cockpit.

The exterior hull and cabin of this sailboat feature a modified dory design using two sheets of plywood ripped to three feet wide before being joined together. The resulting hull is a modified V-shape that reduces drag.

The centerboard of this boat can also be winched up to the level of the top of the cabin or lowered down to alter the draft. This allows you to customize the boat design for a stiffer and more weather-worthy vessel if you need it.

The Slipper was also intentionally designed with an aft cabin that naturally helps to keep the bow pointed into the wind whether you are underway or the boat is anchored in the port.

The Building Slipper

PC DIY Wood Boat

The Handy Andy is a great little 10-foot portable rowboat for hunting, camping, fishing, and other recreational uses. It is actually the only folding boat design on our list, which makes it best for folks that need the most portable boat plan possible.

This boat features a 42-inch beam and a depth of about 15 inches at the mid-section. It also weighs roughly 80 pounds when assembled and can handle up to three average-sized human passengers.

The design boasts a flat bottom with canvas-bound edges and the primary material used for construction is ⅜-inch marine-grade plywood. Despite its lightweight nature, this rowboat can handle trolling motors or even outboard motors with a maximum of five horsepower.

Once finished, the hull can be folded or unfolded in less than a minute’s time.

This design makes it one of the only boats on this list that can be stored in a truck bed or easily carried by two people to be launched at more remote locations.

If you are looking for an all-purpose dinghy that can handle almost any use you might imagine, look no further than The Junior free boat plan. It can carry three or four average-sized adults and is much easier to row than a traditional dinghy.

It is also durable enough to be equipped with a small outboard motor. You could even set it up with sailing equipment if you want to use it as a sailing vessel. As we said, this is truly an all-around boat design!

This boat plan requires constructing three frames that will provide the majority of the load-bearing support. The builder recommends using ¾-inch framing with ⅜-inch plywood as the exterior material for this boat build.

Resin glue and flathead screws are also required to hold this boat together. But there is a full list of materials included in the plans we have linked to below. Sticking to that plan should also give you enough leftover materials to construct two six-foot oars for rowing this boat until you install a trolling motor or outboard motor down the line!

Channel your inner Captain Morgan when you are following these plans to build your very own Jolly Roger boat. This flat bottom boat design is designed for pond fishing . It can also be a useful yacht dinghy for getting from your dock to a larger vessel anchored offshore.

The plan follows conventional dinghy construction methods but also includes a few modifications that will save you time and energy. The wide design is super stable for boaters of all ages.

The keel, frame, chines, and risers are all cut from ¾-inch oak, ash, or any other trusted hardwood you can get your hands on. For the smaller components, the builder recommends using cedar, cypress, fir, or white or yellow pine.

Because this boat plan is also sturdy enough to handle a small motor, it includes important points for protecting the wooden hull from spark plug damage.

Be careful to follow these guidelines to build the safest boat possible if you imagine installing a motor down the line.

The Jollyroger

The Cork is another simple rowboat design. This one trends away from the flat bottom plans that we have included thus far. Instead, it features a deeper, V-shaped hull that makes it better suited to more efficient rowing and easier maneuverability.

It can be rowed easily from either seating position and is durable enough to handle up to three average-sized adult passengers. The ends of the boat are identical, which allows for multi-directional rowing.

The list of materials required for this boat plan should cost you between $30 and $50, depending on your location and hardware costs there. The resulting build is lightweight enough for two people to be carried and also to be transported on top of a vehicle .

Inside the boat, the builders use aluminum tubing to secure the struts that hold the seats. This material choice keeps the overall weight of the boat down while still adding the necessary rigidity across the beam of the boat.

The Hobie Cat is one of the most iconic and recognizable small sailing vessels ever made. This Hobby Kat plan is your answer to building your own iconic sailboat without spending thousands of dollars.

Your finished boat will be able to handle speeds of up to 20 miles per hour. It will be a super fun vessel for windy days on the lake or bay. The builder was able to construct the hulls, decking, and rudder for this boat while spending little more than $200.

From there, they purchased and installed the mast, boom, sail, and rigging, which brought the total amount spent to roughly $650 (still much less than a name-brand Hobie!). Without the mast and sail, this boat weighs roughly 165 pounds and is constructed using primarily 3/16-inch marine plywood.

You can also elect to build your own mast, boom, and sail if you have the time and skills to do so.

Those elements are not included in this boat plan, but they do offer some recommendations for where to buy these components!

The HobbyKat

Named after the common seabird found around the world, the Tern is a lightweight and nimble sailboat with a 72 square foot base design. She is made for inland sailing and planes very well in moderate breezes.

The hull design also provides minimal water resistance and the small floor plan makes this boat easier for intermediate sailors to handle. Even though it offers a small footprint, this boat is sturdy enough to handle up to four adult passengers.

One of the best things about this boat plan is that it can be built almost entirely by using only common hand tools.

Of course, you can speed things up if you have power tools and you are skilled enough to use them correctly.

The Tern boat plan includes a 20-foot mast, but you can shorten that length if you desire. The plan includes a complete list of materials and step-by-step instructions on how to plane and assemble each element.

As you might expect from its name alone, the Falcon is an incredibly speedy sailboat for its size. It boasts a 14-foot centerboard and can handle two to four passengers, depending on its size and weight.

In tests of the original build, the creators claim that this boat out-distanced many Snipe and Comet sailing vessels as well as pacing evenly alongside longer 18-foot sailboats. When finished, your boat will have a six-foot beam and a total weight of roughly 475 pounds.

For the main framing components, they recommend using white oak and plywood will be the main material used in the hull construction. The hull features a V-shaped that was inspired by larger schooners.

The Falcon is best suited to sailing on bays, lakes, and wide rivers. It is also a boat plan with just under 120 square feet of deck space and it is a great build for amateur craftsmen and sailors.

The White Duck is a flat-bottomed rowboat with a total length of 13’6” and a four-foot beam. The cockpit is approximately 15 inches deep all the way around and this boat can handle up to five passengers while maintaining buoyancy and stability.

When fully constructed, it will weigh roughly 200 pounds, but the final weight will depend on the type of lumber you choose for your build. This boat plan features plywood planking over solid wooden frames.

The White Duck is built with a pointed bow that cuts nicely through the water. The flat stern of this boat design will make it easy to attach a small outboard motor with a maximum of six horsepower.

As you might expect from its name, this rowboat is a great option for duck hunting trips. That being said, it is a highly versatile craft that can also be used for pond fishing or casual rowing on your nearby lake.

The Sea Midge is one of the smallest rowboats on our list and it is ideally suited for one average-sized rower or two small paddlers. It is only about 8 feet in length and offers a 52-inch beam at its widest point.

The Midge’s small dimensions make her ideal for navigating narrower creeks and streams. With an approximate weight of 62 pounds, she is easy to maneuver on the water and can also be much more easily transported than some of the larger boat plans on our list

The Seamidge

The Zephyr is a compact and speedy dinghy sailboat that measures roughly 14 feet long and approximately five feet across. This boat style was originally developed for safely crossing the English Channel. This means it can stand up well in rough waters.

When finished, it is also light enough to be transported on a small trailer or on top of a larger vehicle.

The boat plan calls for using hemlock or fir for the framing and oak or Douglas fir for the keel and chines.

The Gypsy is a small cruising sailboat that is meant to be equipped with an outboard motor for powered locomotion. The original design resulted in an incredibly seaworthy vessel that logged more than 6,000 nautical miles in her lifetime.

It includes a comfortable cabin that makes it well-suited for multi-day sailing adventures. This boat plan includes improvements on the original design that will help you build an extremely durable and long-lasting sailboat.

The Gypsy boat design will help you construct a vessel that can handle a motor up to 25 horsepower so that you can enjoy cruising speeds of up to nine miles per hour.

While it may require a bit more of an investment in time and money, it will also help you produce one of the best boats you can build with a free boat plan!

PC Saint Dominic Catholic School

Finally, let’s talk about a crazy cardboard boat plan that you can build in less than a day. This is a great boat plan to bookmark for your next teambuilding project so that you can earn bragging rights with your coworkers.

The plan calls for using 1.5 sheets of cardboard. But you can use the remaining half sheet to build your own boat paddle if you want to get creative.

Triple-thick cardboard is best for this boat plan. But you can always double up thinner sheets if that is all you can find.

These plans include an easy-to-follow diagram for marking, cutting, and folding the cardboard sheets to create the hull of your boat. From there, it calls for using contact cement and construction adhesive to seal the edges and corners.

If you are looking to save a little money on this build you could also use duct tape and then wrap the entire design in plastic sheeting to provide waterproof qualities.

Overall, this build is one of the cheapest and easiest on our list. It is also a great project for hot summer camp days on the lake or river!

Photo by Alexandra Soloviova via Shutterstock

We hope that you now have a couple of free boat plans to inspire you to begin your own construction project.

Don’t hesitate to check out YouTube for some useful boat-building videos when you are getting into the nitty-gritty of these build processes!

Enjoyed 15 Free Boat Plans You Can Build This Week (with PDFs)? Share it with your friends so they too can follow the Kayakhelp journey.

Peter Salisbury

Pete is the Owner of KayakHelp.com. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, he grew up kayaking, fishing, sailing, and partaking in outdoor adventures around the Great Lakes. When he’s not out on the water, you can find him skiing in the mountains, reading his favorite books, and spending time with his family.

RC Wing Sail Catamaran

Introduction: RC Wing Sail Catamaran

This is a Wing Sail Catamaran project that I started over 6 years ago after seeing the new AC 45s introduced to the America's Cup races. The model uses PVC sheet, Carbon Fiber tubing and 377 Dupont Mylar to "skin" the wings. The "Cookie Cutter" construction technique allows me to make quick inexspensive changes to the design without having to scrap a model and start over, everything is tweekable. Two Catamaran models are shown here, but I have created a total of four boats during design development, one of which only sailed once,and poorly. But that one sailing taught me alot, and I started another boat the next day. It's not all about finishing one boat, it's about developing a Platform that can evolve as you learn.

Attachments

Fourth Prize in the Instructables Design Competition

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