cost for custom build

[Brodie78]

Does anyone out there, maybe someone in the marine industry, have a ballpark figure (either by length or displacement)for a custom build that isn't a huge gold plater? Seems like the only custom boats you see are $$$$, not sure if it's only the folks with big bucks that even consider a custom boat, or is it just prohibitive at smaller sizes.

While I don't have a specific boat design in mind (this is daydreaming at the moment but I'd design my own), I'm thinking ~30', moderately heavy (D/L 250), daysailer/weekender with simple systems, probably cold molded or strip built.

[sailingdog]

Custom building a boat that is less than 40' in size is generally a losing proposition. The amount of labor that goes into building a 30' boat versus a 40' boat isn't all that different, but the amount they can sell the 40' boat for is an order of magnitude greater than the 30' boat generally.

If you're building yourself, then you remove the biggest component of the cost from the equation, and then building a smaller custom boat can be more cost-effective, since you're providing the labor.

[Giulietta]

Originally Posted by Brodie78

Does anyone out there, maybe someone in the marine industry, have a ballpark figure (either by length or displacement)for a custom build that isn't a huge gold plater? Seems like the only custom boats you see are $$$$, not sure if it's only the folks with big bucks that even consider a custom boat, or is it just prohibitive at smaller sizes.

While I don't have a specific boat design in mind (this is daydreaming at the moment but I'd design my own), I'm thinking ~30', moderately heavy (D/L 250), daysailer/weekender with simple systems, probably cold molded or strip built.

It's not really worth it, unless you want something really really simple, with amodest mast and average rig and minimal systems.

Buy a production, it's cheaper.

You only custom if you can't find what you want..there is so much choice for what you want in the production boats, why bother?

Besides, even if you design it, you still need a naval architect to approve and do all the calculations to get it certified (at least in Europe don't know in the US)..

If you're building remove 40% of the cost, rest is material..

If you have it built, count on at least a year to a year and half where you are feeding the builder, way over $10.00 per month.

A boat that size, playing very conservative yopu're looking at $150.00 to $200.000, easy.

If you go bigger, better materials, well built and as you really want, you're looking at values in excess of $400.000.

[Giulietta]

Called a friend that is building a custom 9 meter (30 feet) racer, with wood interior 2 cabins salon and one head.

It's made with fiberglass and PVC (Divinycel), with kevlar reinforcements.

So far, just in materials and labour, boat not finished yet, its already at 82.000 Euros.

He figures a final cost of 180.000 Euros when finished, including engine, gear, winches and aluminum mast. No sails..$5000 each.

[sailingdog]

Those costs are about in line with what I've seen on some of the custom home-built Farrier designs that I've looked at. A well-done Farrier 9A is about $160,000 all up...

Originally Posted by Giulietta

Called a friend that is building a custom 9 meter (30 feet) racer, with wood interior 2 cabins salon and one head.

It's made with fiberglass and PVC (Divinycel), with kevlar reinforcements.

So far, just in materials and labour, boat not finished yet, its already at 82.000 Euros.

He figures a final cost of 180.000 Euros when finished, including engine, gear, winches and aluminum mast. No sails..$5000 each.

[Brodie78]

there is so much choice for what you want in the production boats, why bother?

There isn't, though, which is why I asked. I've looked a lot, and what I want doesn't seem to exist. I don't really like many of the current production boats (plus there are so few in the <30' size range) and the older boats are usually lacking in performance, ergonomics etc.

Thanks for the info, though, it does seem to explain why there are so few custom smaller boats.

[Giulietta]

what exactly are you looking for?

[max-on]

What are you looking for, maybe we can offer a few suggestions. For example, for 'newer' designs, are you in the Open 30 or the Dehler 29 mindset, or something completely different? Also, J Boats is coming out with a new 30 ft model.

[Brodie78]

The closest thing would be something like an Alerion 28 but a little bit more of a "boat" (i.e. heavier), a little less modern looking, but still retaining the large cockpit/small cabin slant. I'm not a racer and don't really enjoy light boats, although I do like how the J/boats sail, but for that the occasional Tuesday night race on someone else's boat is fine. I mostly daysail, 90% of the time singlehanded, but would like to do some coastal cruising in the next few years (weekends, maybe a week). The boat doesn't have to be a rocket but it does need to sail respectably. If this helps my last boat was a gaff rigged Doughdish (great boat, but got tired of being wet all the time) and my current boat is a 23' Cape Cod Marlin (basically a big doughdish or Bullseye with a marconi rig). I'm planning on keeping the Marlin for a few more years but you know the fun of boat-daydreaming....

[Giulietta]

Originally Posted by Brodie78

The closest thing would be something like an Alerion 28

Ohh I'm sorry..can't help you.