So, why don't you build something?

Everyone needs a dinghy...

Right?

A couple of days ago I read a post about the cost of cruising. The problem was that it really wasn't about the cost of cruising but a list of stuff they wanted to buy, most of which were really not needed.

Of course, they felt they needed a bigger, more expensive dinghy as well.

Have you looked at the cost of dinghies of late? Looking at the inflatables from Defender, the cheapest dinghy they have is $699 but it's PVC and you'll have to buy a motor (at least $1000 for a 2HP) because inflatables don't row. When all is said and done you'll have spent at least $2k for a dinghy that is going to be problematic at best.

I won't even get into the whole "But you really need a RIB and at least a 15HP because, you know, speed..." to join the cool kids clique rant because you have a rollup inflatable and a 2HP you'll have to suffer through as a result.

My next dinghy, a nesting TwoPaws design will cost me the price of three sheets of 1/4" plywood, twenty bucks in lumber, a roll of glass tape, five yards, of glass cloth, and 1 1/2 gallons of epoxy. That and three full days of work and I have a cool dinghy for less than $500.

Since it rows way better than an inflatable I won't bother with an outboard but will keep my eye out for a cheap used 2HP two-stroke because, you know, some days you need to be a bit lazy. I'll also throw up a sailing rig for another hundred bucks... All told, I can't see it costing more than $800 which is still $99 cheaper than that funky PVC inflatable from Defender.

Which is a roundabout way of saying that building your own shit can save you a shitload of money.