Boat Building Forum

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work is WORK!
By:Paul G. Jacobson
Date: 1/16/2008, 5:22 pm
In Response To: Re: To make a small fortune building boats. . . (Bill Hamm)

: You could make alot better money working at McDonnalds and you'd get medical
: :)

: Bill H.

That is basically the point. From the analyses I done, in today's economy you can't jump into a boatbuilding business and expect to make a substantial profit. For the first few years you would indeed be making better money flipping burgers than building boats.

There is a fairly high financial hurdle to clear, and it typically takes years to establish credibility as a boat builder. It is going to be very difficult to come up with a winning business plan to present to a bank to get a money for starting a boat building business. Unless you invest a tremendous amount of your own capitol, the numbers just aren't there. If someone wants to invest their own savings in such a venture, then I sincerely wish them well, but they should remember that if they put their personal tools, buildings and money into the business, should fold, those items can be taken by creditors. The US Small Business Administration gives odds on small business failures of 50% in the first year, and 90 percent in 5 years.

If you want to do this for a hobby, it will be very fulfilling. If you do this over a long period of time (as a hobby) you might eventually pick up enough business to develop a reputation, or stockpile enough plans to sell, or write a few books so you get residuals. Along the way you'll build jigs, gauges, tooling, and forms.

You'll slowly invest in tools. You'll also add "mental tools" to your inventory as you learn additional techniques for building, and for solving (or avoiding) those problems which always seem to crop up. With an extensive background and experience your odds of success are much greater, but they are still against you.

The answer to most questions about success in business seems to be based on hard work and long hours. If you are really hooked on it, then you don't mind the long hours.

Either that or you'll develop a sensitivity to cedar dust or epoxy, and have to find ways to preserve your health.

Just some thoughts.

PGJ

Messages In This Thread

Material: BS-1088 vs BS-6566 plywood
Kudzu -- 1/11/2008, 9:44 pm
Re: Material: BS-1088 vs BS-6566 plywood
Toni V -- 1/12/2008, 5:22 pm
Re: Material: BS-1088 vs BS-6566 plywood
Luke -- 1/18/2008, 3:42 pm
Re: Material: BS-1088 vs BS-6566 plywood
Bill Hamm -- 1/13/2008, 1:28 am
Re: Material: BS-1088 vs BS-6566 plywood *LINK*
Mike Savage -- 1/12/2008, 5:56 am
Re: Material: BS-1088 vs BS-6566 plywood
Kudzu -- 1/12/2008, 7:55 am
Re: Material: BS-1088 vs BS-6566 plywood
Mike Savage -- 1/12/2008, 2:13 pm
Re: Material: BS-1088 vs BS-6566 plywood
Bill Hamm -- 1/17/2008, 8:07 pm
Re: Material: BS-1088 vs BS-6566 plywood
Mike Savage -- 1/18/2008, 8:00 am
Re: Material: BS-1088 vs BS-6566 plywood
Bill Hamm -- 1/20/2008, 2:57 am
Re: Material: BS-1088 vs BS-6566 plywood
Kyle T -- 1/12/2008, 8:34 am
Re: Material: BS-1088 vs BS-6566 plywood
Kudzu -- 1/12/2008, 9:18 am
To make a small fortune building boats. . .
Paul G. Jacobson -- 1/12/2008, 3:46 pm
Re: To make a small fortune building boats. . .
Bryan Hansel -- 1/17/2008, 10:03 pm
cost , value, and pricing of wood kayaks.
Paul G. Jacobson -- 1/19/2008, 3:39 pm
Re: cost , value, and pricing of wood kayaks.
Bryan Hansel -- 1/19/2008, 9:16 pm
Re: cost , value, and pricing of wood kayaks.
Bill Hamm -- 1/20/2008, 2:53 am
Re: cost , value, and pricing of wood kayaks.
Bryan Hansel -- 1/20/2008, 7:01 pm
Re: cost , value, and pricing of wood kayaks.
Bill Hamm -- 1/21/2008, 2:10 am
Re: cost , value, and pricing of wood kayaks.
Kudzu -- 1/21/2008, 9:14 am
Re: cost , value, and pricing of wood kayaks.
Bill Hamm -- 1/21/2008, 2:06 am
Re: Canoecopia
Bryan Hansel -- 1/21/2008, 12:25 pm
Re: Canoecopia
Bill Hamm -- 1/22/2008, 2:07 am
Re: Canoecopia
Paul G. Jacobson -- 1/23/2008, 3:02 am
Re: Canoecopia
Bill Hamm -- 1/27/2008, 2:40 am
Re: Canoecopia
Bill Hamm -- 1/27/2008, 2:26 am
Re: Canoecopia
Bryan Hansel -- 1/27/2008, 11:00 am
Re: Canoecopia
Bill Hamm -- 1/28/2008, 2:38 am
Re: Canoecopia
Bryan Hansel -- 1/29/2008, 12:25 am
Re: Canoecopia
Bill Hamm -- 1/30/2008, 2:32 am
BWCA
Paul G. Jacobson -- 1/28/2008, 4:09 pm
Re: Canoecopia
Bill Hamm -- 1/28/2008, 2:33 am
Re: Canoecopia
Reg Lake -- 1/23/2008, 10:18 am
Re: Meet at the Beach - Northern Midwest?
Bryan Hansel -- 1/22/2008, 7:02 pm
Re: Meet at the Beach - Northern Midwest?
Bill Hamm -- 1/23/2008, 2:00 am
Wooden Boat Show & Summer Solstice Festival *LINK*
Bryan Hansel -- 1/23/2008, 6:40 pm
Re: To make a small fortune building boats. . .
Dan Caouette (CSFW) -- 1/19/2008, 6:22 am
Re: To make a small fortune building boats. . .
Kudzu -- 1/19/2008, 1:02 pm
Re: To make a small fortune building boats. . .
TOM RAYMOND -- 1/14/2008, 12:11 pm
Re: To make a small fortune building boats. . .
Bill Hamm -- 1/16/2008, 6:28 am
work is WORK!
Paul G. Jacobson -- 1/16/2008, 5:22 pm
Re: work is WORK!
Bill Hamm -- 1/20/2008, 3:35 am
Re: work is WORK!
Bill Hamm -- 1/17/2008, 1:53 am
inner-coastal locations
Paul G. Jacobson -- 1/18/2008, 6:12 pm
Re: inner-coastal locations
Bill Hamm -- 1/20/2008, 3:50 am
Re: work is WORK!
Kudzu -- 1/16/2008, 8:13 pm
Re: work is WORK!
Paul G. Jacobson -- 1/18/2008, 6:02 pm
Re: work is WORK!
Bryan Hansel -- 1/17/2008, 10:28 pm
Buy a paddle? heresy :)
Paul G. Jacobson -- 1/18/2008, 6:07 pm
Re: Buy a paddle? heresy :)
Bryan Hansel -- 1/18/2008, 7:32 pm
You would make a good wife for someone :-) *NM*
Kudzu -- 1/13/2008, 8:36 am
Re: You would make a good wife for someone :-)
Tom Yost -- 1/21/2008, 1:40 pm
Re: You would make a good wife for someone :-)
Chris Ostlind -- 1/23/2008, 7:19 am
Re: You would make a good wife for someone :-)
Tom Yost -- 1/23/2008, 9:34 am
Yo!
Dave ( of Calif.) -- 1/22/2008, 4:13 pm
Re: You would make a good wife for someone :-)
Bill Hamm -- 1/22/2008, 2:02 am
Re: You would make a good wife for someone :-)
Kudzu -- 1/21/2008, 1:44 pm
Or a better business manager for them :) *NM*
Paul G. Jacobson -- 1/16/2008, 5:25 pm
ROFLOL :-) *NM*
Kudzu -- 1/16/2008, 8:02 pm
Re: Material: Not all BS 1088 is created equil *LINK*
Donovan -- 1/12/2008, 10:31 am
Re: Material: Not all BS 1088 is created equil
george jung -- 1/12/2008, 10:52 am
Re: Material: Not all BS 1088 is created equil
Kudzu -- 1/12/2008, 12:34 pm
Re: Material: Not all BS 1088 is created equil
Mike Savage -- 1/12/2008, 2:22 pm
Re: Material: Not all BS 1088 is created equil
Charlie -- 1/12/2008, 1:57 pm