Building a boat can be a blast, but after you decide what you want to build you must figure out where you will build it.

Your project will dictate the size of type of space you’ll need, as well as the type of tools. Are you attempting minor repairs on an existing boat or tackling a major overhaul on a trawler? Are you building a boat from scratch or a kit? Is it small, like a canoe or dinghy, or large like a river cruiser?

Steel construction will have one set of tools, including welders, grinders and sandblasters. Wood will have another. Some people get into vacuum bagging and vacuum infusion techniques for fiberglass epoxy lay-ups. Keep in mind that regardless of the hull material, wood likely will be a primary component of your boat, if only for interior furnishings.

THINK MOBILITYBruce C. DillahuntyA mobile workbench is a tool that holds tools.

For months now, I have been working on a 28-foot trailerable boat right here at home (for a story and blog on my project, see links). I have had a lot of fun, had my share of frustrations and I have learned a great deal. I'll try to impart some of these lessons here, at least as they apply to workspace and tools.
One key point is that boat building and repair require more mobility than many shop tasks. Many people who start building wooden boats already have a nice woodshop for other hobby or professional building. That’s great for small boats, but you’ll need to make the space work better for you. The key is mobility—yours, not the boat’s. You’ll be moving around a much larger object and , without fail, the tool you’ll need will be on the other side of the boat. When you’re at the stern, the parts for the next phase will be at the bow.

Work on a large boat means getting in and out of the hull—each trip into the interior means up a ladder and back down to get over the sides. Make sure that you have needed tools and supplies when you step up. Eventually, most of your tools will migrate into the interior, which will begin to resemble a workshop.

Tools and supplies need to be mobile, too. I use rolling workbenches. I took a "baker's rack" that we had, cut it in two, mounted wheels and made a top cut from an old solid-core door. It has made a fairly sturdy workbench. With this type of project, workbenches don’t take the same abuse as other traditional shop tasks, so this set-up works well for me. Most of the parts are bigger and are either on the floor or are actually on the boat.

If you are building a smaller craft where more of the labor takes place on the actual workbench, you may want something stronger, but then the mobility requirements will be less. Having two or more mobile platforms allows easier cutting of sheet goods with a circular or jig saw. Just span the sheet across both tables, arranging them so that the cut goes between them and both sides are supported.

The workbenches have shelves where I keep my commonly-used power tools. I can easily reach under and grab what I need. Extension cords are coiled and hang on the end. For hand tools I have my "common set" in a carry bag received as a gift long ago. Keeping a core set of screwdrivers, pliers, a cordless drill and other basics in a portable pouch works well no matter what you are doing. I have my big toolbox in the garage, but if I need to work around the house or away from home, I can pick up my "go bag" of tools and cover most basics. If I need more, I can take another box with me. My bag follows me on one of the rolling workbenches, depending on where I'm spending my time.

TOOLS AND POWER

With tools, you can go to any extreme. My tool selection beyond basic hand tools is fairly limited. I have a store-brand circular saw, a small store-brand table saw, a jigsaw, a small sander and my new toy, a power hand planer. The table saw has been a lifesaver—it is so much faster than laying parts out and cutting with a circular saw—but you can live without one. Still, given their relative low cost, if you have the space, I would recommend one, even if it is a basic model. The power hand planer is great and a lot of fun. I'm sure a hand planer would be fine, and purists may swear that's the only way to go, but I'm not among them. A boat has so many angles and places that need “non-square” planing that this $50 investment made sense. Bruce C. DillahuntyA tool bag that's ready to go anywhere.

Unless you are building a very small craft by hand, a close source of electricity is a must. Trust me, you don’t want to listen to a generator all the time if you can help it. If you are welding and using other power tools, make sure your power feed will meet your needs.

Don’t forget personal protection. Make sure you wear hearing and eye protection. Don’t cut corners if you are using epoxy or other chemicals and wear appropriate gloves and other protective gear.

WIND AND WEATHER

Weather protection is another factor: Your project may take months, if not years. Wind and water are a given, and you can toss in snow if you live in colder climates. Temperature control is an issue if you are using epoxy or other chemicals. A shed for a boat can range from a tarp tossed over things, which is my system, to a "portable shed," a pole barn, bow shed or a permanent building (For a sidebar on sheds, see link).

I don't have the luxury of a true workshop, though I have one bay of a garage to work from. I can't use the entire thing, but it houses a workbench area and my table saw. To get out of the weather, I can back the cars out and have a three-car garage to use, which was great during the initial construction phases until the frames were finished. After that, I had to move the boat itself out back. Working there hasn’t been too bad, though I make quite a few trips back and forth.

If I were building a smaller boat—such as when I built my wooden dinghy—I could do most everything inside, which was nice.

Still, my outdoor worksite is blessed with a commercial garden shed and a concrete sidewalk running from it, to the boat and under the boat. This allows me to use roll-around solutions and store things close to the boat without lugging everything back to the garage. Lacking concrete, planking from plywood or other lumber will make it easier to roll a cart or workbench around.

Wind protection can be critical. For some welding, you have to be out of the wind. With epoxy work, mixing Cabosil (or Aerosil), a thickener used with epoxy, out in the wind just won't work. The stuff is so fluffy and light it simply blows away. I mix my epoxy in the garage, though I’ll probably soon move to the garden shed for convenience.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Space can be rented but it will add to your build time.

Bruce C. DillahuntyTarps aren't ideal for this kind of work.Consider the convenience of your build location. If your site is at your house, it only takes a few minutes to run out and get something done. It also is a handy prod when you don’t really feel like working but know you should because it is right there. Out of sight and down the road is a different matter. The flip side is that you need to check zoning requirements, neighborhood covenants and such before starting a big build.

I’ve heard horror stories about people building beautiful boats in their backyards and then not being allowed to bring in the crane to get the boat out and onto a truck.

If the project involves an existing boat, one of your first decisions should be where you will be working. Is the boat in a boatyard or in a slip? Can you do the repairs with the boat in the water? Lack of room to work and store parts; the availability of power; and marina rules and regulations can all make working on a boat in the water more difficult. And remember what happens when you drop that screw.