Built by hand.
Shaped by water.
From backyard shed to open ocean. The complete story of building boats with simple tools, honest materials, and a lot of patience.
The Catamaran
A 12m cruiser built from scratch in under three years
Small Boats
Plywood builds you can finish in a weekend or a month
Building Plans
Detailed plans with material lists and step-by-step guidance
Explore the builds
Every project documented. Every lesson shared.
Tokyo Express
The full story of designing and building a 40-foot ocean-going catamaran.
Backyard Builds
Three small boat projects. From a two-week runabout to a month-long plywood build.
Build Your Own
Professional-quality plans for small boats. Everything you need to start building today.
"I didn't use exotic materials or advanced tools. Just ingenuity and a willingness to learn." Tim Weston, on building Tokyo Express
From sketches to open water
In 1994, I started with a set of plans and a backyard. Two years and nine months later, Tokyo Express was on the water. Custom steering, self-assembled mast, everything designed for real-world sailing on a builder's budget.
Read the full story
Simple materials, real results
Forget the idea that boat building requires exotic materials or specialist tools. Plywood, epoxy, fibreglass, and determination. If you've got the will, you can build it.
Browse the plansFrom the blog
Tips, techniques, and stories from the build.
