> I'm now ready to varnish my stripper and am waiting for the CT weather to
> warm up. (I like to varnish in th garage) People often ask me "How
> much to get one of these built for me? I no longer hesitate for a single
> second and respond "Around $8000."

> This year I really addressed the reality of all the time , decision making
> and worry you put into building these things. A fiberglass dinghie can
> cost up to $2500. Some of my flunkie friends make $ 8000. in a few weeks
> if business is good. I wouldn't make a stripper for a nickle less for
> anyone. Thats why when you build one, you truly have a covited piece of
> art work.

> I once had some of my boats on displey in a well-to-do town in Fairfield
> county, CT. I told people that time "around $4500." they
> responded, "that's all" They had a much truer handle on the
> value of things and what time and craftsmanship are worth.

There is a difference between "worth" (what the market will pay) and "cost" (what it takes to build and sell).

There is a very large market for kayaks below $1,000, a moderate market in the range of $1,000-3,000, and almost no market above $3,000. Based on the market kayaks are worth less than $3,000. (There may be a market for kayaks as furniture but...)

To get costs down below $3,000 is almost impossible. Producing a boat with 100 hours of labor requires keeping labor cost below $30/hr. This translates to $20/hr wages and $10 overhead (employer's share of taxes, and benefits). For $20/hr you cannot hire good workmen, certainly not those who can produce a good boat in 100 hours.

But you can get costs down to a reasonable level (on a per boat basis).

$50 power tool depreciation (cost $1000 life 20 boats - table saw and router set up to hold .005 tolerances)

$50 hand tool depreciation (new razor saw each boat, and new sandpaper - almost infinite life of all other tools (cost less than $200))

$150 epoxy and epoxy application tools

$200 cloth

$150 wood (includes wood for new strongbacks and forms for each boat)

$10 utilities (ignoring the monthly base rate charge)

$50 16'x24' shop (building is cheaper than renting ignore the land cost - but you can rent mini storage for about this amount)

$50 advertising (your best advertising is to carry your boat around on your car)

-$100 tax savings for running a business

You can spend more but even a loose (not no) budget is less than $1000 + labor per boat.

To make 60k of income per year

at 10 boats per year (half time work) you need to charge $7000 per boat

at 20 boats per year (full time work) you need to charge $4000 per boat.

To make a profit you need to be GOOD and FAST.