OK so my friend and I have decided to start saving up and eventually build this. http://onepiece.wikia.com/wiki/Going_Merry We where wondering if you guys thought 100k would be enough to build this in a full scale, fully working ship? Or if you guys thought we didn't need that much. -Thanks

YOU are aware that's a cartoon boat... and what it takes to build a wooden boat... and the labor and materials needed.

You'd be lucky by the time its drafted... speced out... materials purchaced... and people with wooden shiup construction at a shipyard (a real specialty these days) located, and paid and built... you'd be lucky to be in for less than Ten times that.

Figure in at least ten experienced shipbuilders in a small shop... working maybe a year... what the labor charges would be alone.

Boards have to be cut... steamed bend trimed again clamped and be allowed to dry before the next row can be placed...

I've seen a 40 foot wooden tugboat built... and that took over a year watching its progress daily as I drove past it on the way to and from work...

YOU are aware thats a cartoon boat.......and what it takes to build a wooden boat...and the labor and materials needed.

You'd be lucky by the time its drafted...speced out...materials purchaced ...and people with wooden shiup contruction at a shipyard (a real specialty these days) located, and paid and built...you'd be lucky to be in for less than Ten times that.

Figure in at least ten experienced shipbuilders in a small shop...working maybe a year....what the labor charges woudl be alone.

Boards have to be cut...steamed bend trimed again clamped and be allowed to dry before the next row can be placed....

I've seen a 40 foot wooden tugboat built......and that took over a year watching its progress daily as I drove past it on the way to and from work....
I realize this is a cartoon ship. But my friend and I planned on making the ship ourselves. Would that cut down the price at all?

I realize this is a cartoon ship. But my friend and I planned on making the ship ourselves. Would that cut down the price at all?

You won't be doing it yourself if you want something that floats and is navigable on the water.

A lawn ornament is a far different thing.

The tools and equipment needed alone will keep you from even getting started.

THen youhave the size and weight to transport it... wich would be in excess of what's allowed even by special permit on most roads.

Have either of you actually had an opportunity to vist one of the old wooden sailing ships of the era? If you haven't... but do get a chance... I recommend it. YOU can see the way they are made.. the size of the lumber used... (you aren't getting it at a lumber yard)... now to see how hard it will be... take a common 2x4 and try to manipulate it into a different shape.

I bet you will have a hard time bending it at all (even with a steamer big enough to hold it, dry it would be impossible). The timbers used on a ship will be 4 to 8 times thicker and far longer. The keel fat thicker than that.

I'd say you would have a difficult time finding two people in the world capable of doing that with just the two people.


I'd recommend trying something smaller first... like a wooden rowboat. You will learn a lot of the obsticles and techniques you will need and face face only on a much smaller scale.

There is a HUGE amount of labor in a project like that. Far more than I think you believe.

I'm a guy who remodled most of his house alone. I'd have a hard enough time building the rowboat even with the equpment I have.

You won't be doing it yourself if you want something that floats and is navigable on the water.

A lawn ornament is a far different thing.

The tools and equipment needed alone will keep you from even getting started.

THen youhave the size and weight to transport it....wich would be in excess of whats allowed even by special permit on most roads.

Have either of you actually had an opportunity to vist one of the old wooden sailing ships of the era? If you haven't...but do get a chance...I recomend it. YOU can see the way they are made..the size of the lumber used....(you aren't getting it at a lumber yard).....now to see how hard it will be...take a common 2x4 and try to manipulate it into a different shape.

I bet you will have a hard time bending it at all (even with a steamer big enough to hold it, dry it would be impossible). The timbers used on a ship will be 4 to 8 times thicker and far longer. The keel fat thicker than that.

I'd say you would have a difficult time finding two people in the world capible of doing that with just the two people.


I'd recommend trying something smaller first....like a wooden rowboat. You will learn a lot of the obsticles and techniques you will need and face face only on a much smaller scale.

There is a HUGE ammount of labor in a project like that. Far more than I think you believe.

I'm a guy who remodled most of his house alone. I'd have a hard enough time building the rowboat even with the equpment I have.
I do realize how much work would go into this. And like you said my friend and I did plan on making smaller sized boats to begin with. Haha we're both only 16. We didn't plan on even having enough money to build the ship until we're about 30 years old.

Better start planny a lot further out than thirty.

Very few 30 year olds manage to get even $30,000 into the bank much less well over the $100,000 in materials you would need. Unles your family owns a lumber company and sawmill and forrest... the prices for that alone are going to escalate more than you will believe.


And I can positively guarantee you both of you will find other priorities long before then. Life has a way of doing that.

And seriously... build a proper wooded rowboat... the way it should be done... and you will have so many hours of labor into it... you will see the point I'm making about it being way over your heads...

Woodworking takes a lot of skill... you don't just hop in and do it... and many people just won't have the aptitude to develop that skill even under the direction of a craftsman teaching them.

I am a far better metalworker than a woodworker... and carptentry is not the same skillset as boatbuilding.

Wooden Boat Construction (http://smaalders.net/yacht_design/gobboatconst.html)

THe above link would give you an idea on what it takes for a much smaller boat...


THis one is going to be on the scale of what you are talking...

Timelapse film of the building of the Grayhound update February 2012 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HepAG8ziOyk)

Though it's a time lapse.

Build a small one now, maybe 3' long.
Go for it.
Why the heck not? These rough tough guys are just giving you a lot of bluster. It's the old 'get lost kid' challenge. You ignore your detractors. Or you are stronger for it.

Oh and do a REALLY good job because eventually you will be able to auction it for tens of thousands more than the cost of materials you put into it.

PS: There's an old saying about wooden boats: plan to spend once a year the same amount you spent building it. These days it's more, because unless you own private ocean front, it costs a yardarm and a pegleg to dock a boat.

Ok thank you! We realize this will take A lot of work. Maybe more than we realize but we both really want to make some type of ship. Thank you for all of your help! We both will read over this again and look at the links you gave us.