---
product_id: 7438179
title: "Boatbuilding for Beginners (and Beyond): Everything You Need to Know to Build a Sailboat, a Rowboat, a Motorboat, a Canoe, and More! Paperback – July 1, 2002"
brand: "jim michalak"
price: "€ 118.47"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.fi/products/7438179-boatbuilding-for-beginners-and-beyond-everything-you-need-to-know
store_origin: FI
region: Finland
---

# Boatbuilding for Beginners (and Beyond): Everything You Need to Know to Build a Sailboat, a Rowboat, a Motorboat, a Canoe, and More! Paperback – July 1, 2002

**Brand:** jim michalak
**Price:** € 118.47
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Boatbuilding for Beginners (and Beyond): Everything You Need to Know to Build a Sailboat, a Rowboat, a Motorboat, a Canoe, and More! Paperback – July 1, 2002 by jim michalak
- **How much does it cost?** € 118.47 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.fi](https://www.desertcart.fi/products/7438179-boatbuilding-for-beginners-and-beyond-everything-you-need-to-know)

## Best For

- jim michalak enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted jim michalak brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

Full description not available

## Images

![Boatbuilding for Beginners (and Beyond): Everything You Need to Know to Build a Sailboat, a Rowboat, a Motorboat, a Canoe, and More! Paperback – July 1, 2002 - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51PI9qPdSQL.jpg)
![Boatbuilding for Beginners (and Beyond): Everything You Need to Know to Build a Sailboat, a Rowboat, a Motorboat, a Canoe, and More! Paperback – July 1, 2002 - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41Q9XppbF+L.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    Building And Using Boats Is Good For The Soul
  

*by G***S on Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2016*

Forty years ago I stupidly sold my last boat.  I have missed it every day since. It was my sixth and best boat, a Chrysler Lonestar. Three of these six boats I built myself, one I shared the work with my father.  Building a plywood boat is a bagatelle particularly using the stitch and glue method. my seventh boat is built by this method.  In the process I have bought six books from Amazon though all of the information that I needed was free on the internet. The books  are “Go Build Your Own Boat” and Build The New Instant Boats by Harold Payson, “Boats with an open Mind” by Philip Bolger, “Boat Building For Beginners” by Jim Michalak, “Ultra Simple Boat Building” by Gavin Atkin and “Understanding Boat Design” by Ted Brewer There are separate reviews for each of these books.Jim Michalak's book is great for the builder and I give it 5 stars. It is a book that is rich in information for the small boat builder and user. It includes actual complete readable plans for 5 boats and pithy descriptions of others. He also included a design for the “Puddle Duck Racer.”  His building instructions are very complete. He recommends choosing or building a boat that satisfies yourself because you will usually be the only one in it.  From experience I find this to be good advice. My favorite boat in this book is “Robote.” The book covers sail making and building techniques. It has a useful technical appendix.  Sailing and rowing are covered thoroughly. Michalak also addresses boating safety fairly completely.  He recommends practicing “self rescue” and seriously discusses flotation chambers for these light boats. Plywood boats contain very little wood and when swamped have little buoyancy.  If they have no flotation chambers or foam they cannot be re-boarded and bailed. He could have said more. For example: Outboard powered light boats without flotation chambers near the motor sink stern first and may disappear completely. If they float they settle in an almost vertical position, motor down, and cannot be re-boarded. The only way to recover is to dive down and unclamp the motor which will then probably be lost. The required flotation volume in cubic feet for these boats is Length X Beam /6 where all measurements are in feet. This will give about 2 inches of freeboard when the boat is filled with water.  If there are heavy items on board  (motors, batteries, tanks, anchors etc.) additional volume at one cubic foot/62 pounds should be added.  Boats may be swamped by capsizing, getting punctured, by surprise waves and stupidity.  It happens all too often. Many factory boats do not have sufficient flotation volume. Because they can be holed the USCG does not count volumes that include the hull as flotation unless they are filled with foam which makes them useless for storage. Sobriety and life preservers are important for safety and legality.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    If you only get one boatbuilding book.....
  

*by J***M on Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2007*

I am new to boat building, even new to boating (occasional canoeist), and have been reading a lot of sailing texts and boat building books.  This one is the best, period.  Experienced boatbuilders find it useful, but for those of us with no experience, it is a primer of basic boat construction.  I loved the illustrations in Bolger's books and the other texts that I got through interlibrary loan.  I borrowed Harold Payson's books from a friend, but the combination of clear writing with easy to comprehend drawings, and best yet, complete plans for 5 boats, make this the one book you have to have.  Even if you have 10 books on boat building, you need this one.  I finally decided to build a PD Racer as my first boat (NOT a Michalak design) and this book and the help of Dave Gray of Polysail were ABSOLUTELY the things that got me started and have kept me going.  Without this book, I would have a pile of bonfire material and some bad memories, instead of a boat.  Thanks Jim.  And my next boat will be a Piragua!  (And I wonder if an IMB can be rowed and sailed all the way on the Intercoastal?)

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    Real book for beginners!
  

*by J***A on Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2022*

I think it could be more nice with a dvd include!

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.fi/products/7438179-boatbuilding-for-beginners-and-beyond-everything-you-need-to-know](https://www.desertcart.fi/products/7438179-boatbuilding-for-beginners-and-beyond-everything-you-need-to-know)

---

*Product available on Desertcart Finland*
*Store origin: FI*
*Last updated: 2026-03-13*