Thirty years of craft
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.
Begin the story From backyard shed to open ocean. The complete story of building boats with simple tools, honest materials, and a lot of patience.
Begin the storyA 12m cruiser built from scratch in under three years
Plywood builds you can finish in a weekend or a month
Detailed plans with material lists and step-by-step guidance
Every project documented. Every lesson shared.
The full story of designing and building a 40-foot ocean-going catamaran.
Three small boat projects. From a two-week runabout to a month-long plywood build.
Professional-quality plans for small boats. Everything you need to start building today.
"Building your own boat isn't about saving money. It's about creating something with your hands that takes you places you've never been."Tim Weston
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
Forget the idea that boat building requires exotic materials or specialist tools. I built a 40-foot ocean-going catamaran with accessible materials. Plywood, epoxy, fibreglass, and determination. If you've got the will, you can build it.
Browse the plansTips, techniques, and stories from the build.
