The plans have arrived for the Pacific Troller Dory. I have read them over a few times and I am ready to go out and build the construction frame.
This morning, I received the plans for building Joansa, a rowing boat designed by John Welsford. http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/jw/joansa/index.htm
I have finally been able to make up a more reasonable estimate for the construction of the Butler Pacific Gunning Dory. I am afraid, due to the astounding amount of epoxy specified in the plans, and the increase in epoxy prices, my estimate earlier is far away from reality.
At this point, I need to apologize for my extremely optimistic guess on the amount of materials that would be needed, plus my costs were based on the boat I built a year ago.
After reading the materials list for both boats, the Joansa is going to cost less than the Butler Dory. The biggest reason for the price difference is the amount of epoxy specified to build the Butler Dory. The dory is built with no frame to support it, using instead, the changing angles of plywood plus the epoxy welds for rigidity. Welsford's dory has wood frames and fir stringers at all the plywood joins, eliminating much of the epoxy. Butler specifies his boats to be give three coats of epoxy, inside and out. Welsford swears by house paint instead.
Here is the basic materials list from each boat plan.
BUTLER DORY
Plywood - Marine grade- 6mm- 2sheets =$160
4mm - 2sheets =$130
Epoxy 3 gallons (including taxes) =$636
Fibreglass cloth =$55
Epoxy fillers =$20
Fir gunnels etc. =$25
Oar sockets and oar locks = $40 to $80 depending on design
Oars (from Barkley Sound Oars) straight = $120
spoon blade= $250
Taxes not included above = $60
Total is around $1246 to $1380, depending on chosen hardware and oars
WELSFORD JOANSA
Plywood - Marine Grade 6mm 2 sheets = $160
4mm 2 sheets = $130
Epoxy - 1 1/2 gallons = $318
Fibreglass cloth =$20
Epoxy fillers =$20
Fir gunnels and stringers =$30
Oar sockets and oar locks = $40 to $80 depending on design
Oars (from Barkley Sound Oars) straight = $120
spoon blade= $250
Taxes not included above = $60
Total is around $900 to 1050, depending on chosen hardware and oars.
I just realized I have not added anything for the paint. My last boat took, maybe, a gallon of good house paint.
Further information that needs to be considered: The Welsford Joansa is a beautiful boat! The designer is the man who designed my earliest boat, The Walkabout. The Joansa is a more time consuming build, so the time factor needs to be considered too.
The Butler dory could be built less expensively, by applying house paint for weather protection, but certainly not reducing the amount of structural fiberglass and epoxy. Savings in time would be considerable. Savings in costs? Maybe a couple of hundred bucks?
I guess you need to make another decision, based on more realistic information. If this stretches the budget too much at this time, I understand and again apologize for shooting from the hip. If you want the Butler Pacific dory one way or the other, I will build one. If you want the Welsford Joansa I will build that one instead.
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