Many men dream of owning a yacht on which they can sail the sea, but its cost sharply reduces the number of people capable of such a purchase without undermining the family budget. To make your dream come true, you can try to build a boat or yacht with your own hands. Of course, an unprepared person should not start with building a large vessel, but try to implement a simpler project.
To solve this problem, there are two solutions: a simpler one involves building a yacht yourself from pre-prepared parts, and a more complex approach is building a yacht from scratch.
Many specialized companies offer similar assembly kits. The kits include all the necessary parts from which the yacht can be built, as well as detailed instructions and drawings to ensure correct assembly and compliance with all technological processes. Typically, all parts come pre-sale, assembled into a single unit for quality control, after which they are disassembled, packaged and sent to the customer. In turn, the customer remains to complete all assembly work with gluing the structure in accordance with the manufacturers’ recommendations, using the information provided.
A homemade yacht built from scratch significantly complicates the task of the manufacturer, since all the parts will have to be created independently, and this will require certain skills and additional equipment. Therefore, it will be very difficult for beginners to bring what they started to a positive result.
To build a yacht by any method, you will first need a room to carry out all the processes (boathouse) and a set of necessary tools.
It is worth noting that one should not skimp on organizing the workplace and tools, since this will ultimately affect the quality and speed of the work performed.
Recommendations for building a yacht from a kit
The construction of a yacht of any type begins with a careful study of all the documentation provided, since if you do not approach this stage seriously, you can make mistakes that will be very difficult, and sometimes impossible, to correct later.
Assembling the yacht should begin with the preliminary connection of the frames and keel, which, if the result is satisfactory, can be assembled into a permanent connection. After this, springers are installed on the frames, onto which the ship's skin, consisting of special moisture-resistant plywood, is attached. It should be noted that this assembly is carried out in the traditional position (the vessel is installed with the keel up), since in this position it is easier to achieve dimensional accuracy and create ideal contours of the vessel.
Sheathing made of moisture-resistant plywood ensures high structural strength of the vessel, and fiberglass is used to seal it. The fiberglass fabric is mounted on a special moisture-resistant epoxy composition in several layers and, after drying, forms a uniform waterproof surface.
To create an attractive appearance and additional protection, the resulting surface is treated with special varnishes and waterproof paints. The interior surfaces of the yacht are also painted with waterproof paint, and the deck is laid.
At the final stage, the final finishing of the hull, installation of the necessary equipment and sailing equipment is carried out.
Carrying out tests in a working environment is a necessary condition for ensuring safety and identifying the seaworthiness of the vessel. Some shortcomings and shortcomings in the design of the vessel must be eliminated.
Recommendations and stages of work during the construction of a yacht in full
A homemade yacht poses a rather complex but solvable problem for inexperienced builders, so before starting work it is necessary to prepare design documentation.
It is almost impossible for an inexperienced specialist to develop documentation independently. To do this, you should contact specialized organizations or use the Internet.
After developing the project, you should take care of the working space, that is, create a boathouse for construction and assemble a slipway according to the size of the vessel on which it will be installed. To create a slipway, softwood timber beams are laid on a flat prepared surface in two rows and the structure is tied to form an accurate horizontal surface.
Harvesting lumber is a very important part of construction, since the strength and navigability of the vessel largely depend on their quality. To create the structure, you will need two types of lumber: a knot-free board made of coniferous wood and timber from harder species (oak, ash, etc.). The moisture content of the wood should be in the range of 12 – 20%, which will ensure no deformation.
The stem line and the theoretical position of the frame frames along which all structural elements of the vessel will be installed are marked on the slipway.
The assembly and gluing of frame frames is carried out according to the contours of the vessel using a special device, which is a template. The working plaza is applied to sheets of plywood, the thickness of which should be 10 - 12 mm, while it is easier to create closed frames containing below-deck beams.
The assembly of frame frames with a transverse shear-bar should be done using special screws. During assembly, it is necessary to use special stops to fix the position of the frames in accordance with the original markings. All bulkheads are formed together with frame frames and in some cases they are replaced.
The stem blank should be installed, precisely maintaining the angle of inclination relative to the horizon, while the keel beam is assembled from hardwood beams and attached to the stem using a button, and to the floras with screws and glue.
The stringers are made from laminated pine slats and are mounted on the stem and a set of frames using self-tapping screws and glue. After installing all the stringers, a mandatory chalking of the surface of the vessel is carried out to identify all inconsistencies with the contours of the vessel and eliminate defects.
To create the skin of the ship's hull, sheet baked plywood is used, which is cut according to a template and mounted on the stringers using glue and self-tapping screws, and they should be slightly recessed into the body of the plywood.
Upon completion of the installation of the casing, control measurements of the contours and surface treatment are carried out along a single radius. In this case, the bakelite varnish is removed from the surface with an abrasive tool.
To impart rigidity and tightness, the skin surface is covered with several layers of T11-GVS-9 fiberglass using an epoxy composition, and after the first layers have hardened, pasting with fiberglass is continued, but on the basis of polyester resins, bringing the number of layers to ten.
After this, the base of the vessel is turned over and a longitudinal deck is laid, on which the deck flooring is mounted.
To create a durable and airtight layer, the hull continues to be glued with fiberglass alternating epoxy and polyester binders. After all layers have hardened, the resulting surface is sanded and primed.
Painting work is carried out with special moisture-resistant paints, maximally protected from the effects of sea water, followed by forced drying.
Interior decoration, installation of additional equipment and sailing equipment are carried out at the final stage of vessel construction. If it is necessary to install a power plant on a ship, you should contact specialists, since this is a very responsible process that requires additional knowledge.
Building a complete vessel is a lot of work and increased responsibility, but a sailing yacht made by yourself can, with proper operation and proper care, delight you and your loved ones for many years, opening up the wonderful world of sea travel.
If you have not yet decided to build a real yacht, first think about building a model yacht with your own hands. This will provide a basis for understanding the structure of the yacht and the opportunity to study the technology.
Shipbuilding is a rather complex branch of industry, where yachts and other vessels are built from scratch. Ships are built at specialized enterprises called shipyards.
The shipbuilding industry itself originated in ancient times. When there was an urgent need for small ships and yachts. Traces of yacht construction have been seen in Ancient China and Egypt. This type of activity gained significant popularity during the Byzantine state.
The development and change in technologies for building various ships gradually underwent significant changes. The design began significantly with the frame of the yacht, which was previously covered with leather or bark. Gradually, the frame began to be made from boards. With the next century of steel, clinker ships made of planks appeared. They were characterized by symmetrically pointed stern and bow parts of the ship. For the construction of yachts, flat-bottomed parts of the vessel began to be increasingly used. They had straight sides and butt joints, they were made of plank sheathing.
DIY yacht construction
With each century, shipbuilding developed, new technologies appeared, shapes and parts of yachts, ships and other vessels changed. Intensive development in the field of yacht construction took place first in Portugal, then in Spain. Not much later, new technologies began to be used in France, England and the Netherlands.
Most often, Lithuania and Russia became suppliers of materials for construction.
Nowadays, shipbuilding technology has risen to a new level, which naturally surpasses its predecessors. Nowadays, high-quality technologies are used in construction, which are improved every year.
Various companies involved in yacht shipbuilding offer their own conditions, drawings and other tools. Some companies are engaged in the construction of yachts 20 meters long and no more. Typically a yacht is built from composites and wood. Well-equipped workshops produce exclusive and experimental yachts or boats.
Construction of yachts in Russia, St. Petersburg, Ukraine, Sevastopol, Crimea
Companies have their own teams that develop and improve new yacht models and draw up separate exclusive drawings for each yacht produced. Experienced employees of construction companies are able to correctly and efficiently solve complex problems of large and small vessels.
Construction of sailing yachts and fiberglass boats, there are vacancies for the yacht club.
With an exclusive order for the construction of a yacht, the tasks and main requirements for the future yacht are set. At the first stage of yacht construction, a prototype is selected. All details of the project are discussed and plans and initial sketches of the future yacht are drawn up. The next stage after the technical specifications will be the process of full design of the vessel. If a project has already been prepared for the start of shipbuilding, the cost of developing a new project does not increase.
When ordering a new, previously undeveloped project, there is the possibility of a slight price reduction due to the absence of additional disinhibition and other costs. After all the shipbuilding work is completed, you will end up with your own high quality wooden yacht at a fraction of the price of a plastic vessel. The advantage will be that no one will have a second yacht like this, and you will be able to have exclusive rights to your luxury yacht. When ordering, there is such a type of payment as partial.
The main advantage is that you will be confident in the quality of materials and assembly of structures due to the ability to be present during construction and control the assembly process. After the yacht is fully built and ready, you receive a long-term guarantee and appropriate service for your yacht.
In fact, the process of creating a yacht is very interesting and requires a lot of attention, patience and creativity. A custom-made yacht can become your second home, because everything in it will be done according to your wishes, and the interior will reflect your desires and aspirations.
Everything designed is necessarily carried out in accordance with established European standards and safety requirements. All work is confirmed by valid certificates and guarantees.
Video:
Building yachts is one of the most exciting activities for me.
If you want to buy a sailing yacht, consider the option in which the yacht is built for you according to the chosen project. Building a custom yacht costs clients several times less than buying a ready-made yacht.
The initial stage of construction of the yacht hull.
I have been building sailing-motor yachts for more than 20 years.
During this time, yachts were built according to the designs of Dudley Dix - DIDI 38, Mount Gey 30. And also according to the design of Bruce Roberts - Dolpfin 26.
Most people still believe that wooden boats are guaranteed to have problems with rot. Somehow it goes unnoticed that most of the wooden yachts they see are quite old, often much older than the fiberglass era. Many much newer fiberglass boats are in worse condition due to osmosis, cracking of the decorative layer, or delamination.
The popularity of wood hulls has declined greatly in recent years, perhaps due to the availability of fiberglass hulls. It is rare to see a new wooden boat now, but wood remains a good construction material.
The development of WEST technology (Wood Epoxy Resin Technology) has breathed new life into an old shipbuilding material. By combining old natural wood material with specially prepared filling resins, a lightweight and strong structure is obtained.
WEST technology can be successfully combined with a variety of construction methods, from slatted construction to diagonal planking, with or without stringers. They all have common requirements, the main purpose of which is to prevent moisture from entering the wood.
Modern epoxy resins provide increased life expectancy for a new wooden yacht. They eliminate moisture penetration and are very effective at preventing rot, resulting in a smooth, hard hull surface similar to fiberglass yachts. Most wood-built yachts afloat today were built before epoxy resins were used as marine coatings. Think about how long they could last if they were coated with epoxy coatings during construction.
Plywood is the closest competitor to steel for quick construction, but the shape used by most designers is limited to sharp-chine or multi-chine lines. A good option is a radius chine design that closely approximates the modern round chine shell shape, using sheet plywood on the flat areas and laminated plywood on the radius chine. Plywood remains an excellent material for hobby construction, especially when it is combined with epoxy resins for bonding and surface protection. It continues to be the most economical material for boat construction in many countries.
The hull is built on stringers along permanent frames, similar to making a model airplane from balsa, which is faster and easier than assembling the hull using temporary frames (patterns). The outlines of the frames are precisely drawn onto the plywood, using either a y-table or computer-generated files (CAD), or from more expensive full-size templates, then cut out with a power saw. Other options may be used, such as purchasing pre-marked or cut frame outlines, or purchasing a computer file to laser cut the bulkheads.
Cost of building a yacht
Hull, deck and interior materials cost approximately $7,000. This includes all wood, adhesives, epoxy coatings, interior and exterior painting, fastenings, slips, all temporary structural members, etc.
When I talk about interior decoration, this includes normal comfortable performance for a yacht, without fancy additions or unnecessary simplifications.
The total cost of a 40-foot yacht, including spars and electronics, is approximately $45,000.
The cost of a specialist and an assistant to build such a boat will be about $25,000-30,000
Turnaround time
Labor costs are unusually low. From the start of construction to the first voyage, approximately 3,000 hours of work by a master and an assistant.
The yacht is manufactured from start to finish in 12-18 months.
Examples of completed projects:
Yacht according to the DIDI 38 project: 
Mount Gay 30 project: 
based on the Dolpfin 26 project: 
Acquaintance, discussion and selection of a model for the implementation of your project...
At the initial stage, no matter how trivial it may sound, we need to talk with you. Even if this is your first time encountering yachting, it is extremely important to understand the main points of your vision of vacation on a yacht. Everything is important: the speed of travel, the number of days a year on board, the estimated budget for construction and annual operation, the number of guests, the region of navigation, the degree of customization of the vessel and much more. We also take into account the desired delivery date of the vessel, payment options and schedules, availability and degree of readiness of hulls at the shipyard, as well as the prospects and essence of updates to the model range, which allows us to make even more detailed recommendations. After bringing all these input parameters to equilibrium, we get the first solution - several model options on the basis of which we will implement the project.
Design
From the moment of the first discussion of the idea until the delivery of the vessel to the customer, throughout the design and construction of the yacht, the future Owner, in addition to the management of our company, has at his disposal a team of engineers and designers of the Azimut Benetti Group. The work is built in a certain key and sequence, but the priority is always the same - solving the problem posed by the buyer, expressing his individuality. Meetings and discussions of sketches and drawings, consideration and selection of material samples take place at the shipyard in Italy and in our Moscow office, if necessary, with a visit to the customer. Depending on the size of the vessel, on average this stage takes from 1 to 4 months. Each of the Azimut Grande or Benetti yachts is unique and inimitable, has a deep degree of customization, which allows you to significantly change the interiors and partially the superstructure of the vessel. It is probably for this reason that the yachting world knows their names and mentions the model less often.
Construction and control
When concluding a contract, the construction period and the date of delivery of the yacht to the customer are specified. Throughout the entire construction period, our company monitors each stage and provides a report on the progress of work. In total, on a medium-sized yacht (approx. 40 m), more than 1,000 quality control checks are carried out at various stages of production. Our surveyor is regularly present at the shipyard to carry out intermediate inspections. Please note that it is possible for the future Owner to make changes to the project during the construction process, but with the understanding of a possible increase in production time and a postponement of the date of delivery of the vessel.
Acceptance and transfer to the customer
According to the signed agreement between the parties and upon prior notification from the shipyard, our representatives begin surveying and testing the yacht. The first tests are carried out immediately after the hull is launched into the water, subsequent tests are carried out during the installation of the equipment already on the surface. At each stage, a protocol of comments and deadlines for their elimination are drawn up. After acceptance of the yacht by our company's surveyors, the vessel is handed over to the buyer's representatives for acceptance. As a rule, acceptance of a yacht directly by the Owner of the vessel takes little time, since 99% of comments are eliminated at all previous stages of construction and survey.
