Amateur Boatbuilding: What if I Make a Mistake?
Small Craft Advisor|November - December 2020
Everyone makes mistakes. If we try new things we will make mistakes, an essential part of the learning experience. It’s nice to learn from mistakes of others, but we learn more lessons and they stick better when they are our own. The more painful the mistake, the stronger the lesson learned.
Amateur Boatbuilding: What if I Make a Mistake?

That’s not to say you should go into a project blindly and learn only from mistakes. We should first research by reading or asking knowledgeable sources, to ensure we enter a new experience with the best chance of success. But even armed with knowledge and experience, there are myriad potential mistakes lying in wait.

I designed the Paper Jet with a building procedure in mind, but soon learned it couldn’t be done and had to backtrack and find another way. I had other backtracks too, but eventually had my boat complete. The backtracking probably added 25 hours to my building time, but I was doing something nobody had done before. I had lessons to learn that could only come from building the prototype, so that I could write building instructions to enable others to build without making those same mistakes.

If I were scared of making mistakes I wouldn’t try new things. I designed and built the first radius chine plywood boat, my own Black Cat, and made mistakes along the way, but was able to recover and move on.

I shrugged off criticisms from the skeptics about the wisdom of my project and its chances of success. The skeptics were of no consequence unless I allowed them to be. They were generally people who had never built anything significant themselves. Typically people who get pleasure from someone else making a mistake don’t achieve much themselves. Disregard those negative people.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November - December 2020 من Small Craft Advisor.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November - December 2020 من Small Craft Advisor.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من SMALL CRAFT ADVISOR مشاهدة الكل
A HEAD FOR RUBATO
Small Craft Advisor

A HEAD FOR RUBATO

I dislike port-a-potties. I'm not too fond of poop in any form, really, being non-scatological by nature.

time-read
5 mins  |
September - October 2022
THE ARTFUL SAILOR
Small Craft Advisor

THE ARTFUL SAILOR

Ain' nothin' new about using sails as nautical billboards. The ancients painted all sorts of signs and symbols on their sails.

time-read
3 mins  |
September - October 2022
Twin Keels
Small Craft Advisor

Twin Keels

OUT WIHUEIRIJE with Howard Rice

time-read
4 mins  |
September - October 2022
Cedar Key 2022 Windy Boat Meet
Small Craft Advisor

Cedar Key 2022 Windy Boat Meet

Cartop Cruising

time-read
3 mins  |
September - October 2022
A New Trailer
Small Craft Advisor

A New Trailer

THE BIGHTS

time-read
9 mins  |
September - October 2022
PLAN STUDY: Fancy Free
Small Craft Advisor

PLAN STUDY: Fancy Free

If you're looking for a simple and inexpensive cruising sailboat with traditional character, our FANCY FREE should fill the bill. The sharpie-dory hull with flat-bottom, hard-chine form is ideal for the amateur.

time-read
3 mins  |
September - October 2022
BOAT REVIEW: Rhodes 22 Revisited)
Small Craft Advisor

BOAT REVIEW: Rhodes 22 Revisited)

Overlooked by the masses, admired by owners—there are good reasons the Rhodes 22 has been in production for over a quarter century.

time-read
10+ mins  |
September - October 2022
Another Favorite Mod
Small Craft Advisor

Another Favorite Mod

The always creative Tom Luque sent us details on one of his favorite modifications

time-read
1 min  |
September - October 2022
BLOODY TUESDAY
Small Craft Advisor

BLOODY TUESDAY

“Although the author if indeed he even used his real name) calls this story fiction, we arent so sure. You be the judge. Eds

time-read
5 mins  |
September - October 2022
CRUISING ISLE ROYALE
Small Craft Advisor

CRUISING ISLE ROYALE

I sle“ Royale on Lake Superior is one of my favorite places to cruise. Established as a National Park in 1931, Isle Royale is located about 20 miles off the North Shore of Lake Superior near the Minnesota/Canadian border.

time-read
10+ mins  |
September - October 2022