Thirty years of craft Built by hand.
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.
From backyard shed to open ocean. The complete story of building boats with simple tools, honest materials, and a lot of patience.
A 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.
"I didn't use exotic materials or advanced tools. Just ingenuity and a willingness to learn." Tim Weston, on building Tokyo Express
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. Plywood, epoxy, fibreglass, and determination. If you've got the will, you can build it.
Browse the plansTips, techniques, and stories from the build.
