BOATBUILDING FROM SCRATCH - Boat Plans & FULL SIZE Frame & Stem Patterns.
If you want your boat to have a professional appearance !!
Start with FULLY LOFTED FULL SIZE PATTERNS as prints or on CD

Over 30,000 Bruce Roberts designed boats are in service world-wide. You have 250 boat plans & kits to choose from. Photos & letters from owners of hundreds of these boats are shown on this 500 + page web site. Bruce Roberts designed sailboats, power boats & trawlers are used commercially & for private use; Fishing boats, Government Patrol Boats, Licensed world wide charter boats etc. Check through this web site & you will find hundreds of these boats.
 

Most Bruce Roberts boat plans are designed to meet Lloyds, USCG, EU & other Classification Society rules. These rules require extensive stability & other rigorous boat design calculations.

ALL the boat KITS & sail & powerboat designs available as CUTTING FILES meet these commercial rules & specifications. The fact that more Bruce Roberts sail boats & power boats have crossed the major oceans & completed hundreds of circumnavigations; more than any those of any other single designer, means that you can build one of Bruce's designed boats with utmost confidence. Several SPRAY's have completed TWO or more complete circumnavigations !

BOAT PLANS & FRAME PATTERNS EXPLAINED.
Our chief designer ... Bruce Roberts-Goodson comments: Many people ask me what is the difference between Plans & FULL SIZE Frame, Stem and Deck beam patterns & Boat building Cutting Files and Boat Plans.

The boat plans are for you to build a boat from 'Scratch'. To be more specific ... Using the boat plans and a collection of appropriate materials you build the boat from "scratch" ... You  make the frames from the patterns supplied and then you make patterns for each subsequent part as you proceed to build the boat...See below for details of a typical plan & frame patterns.

Plans are different to KITS. To learn more about KITS  click on KIT PRICE LIST    CUTTING FILES EXPLAINED    KIT ASSEMBLY EXPLAINED

BOAT PLANS: You will receive the latest updated version of your selected boat plan, this is only possible when you order your plans direct from the designer Bruce Roberts-Goodson - Bruce Roberts Yacht Design ... You will receive many construction sheets, which include copious written notes as well as the detailed drawings necessary to build all parts of your boat. You can only receive the latest boat plans from the designer so beware of  PIRATED PLANS  Many changes & additions have been made to our plans over the past few years ... these updated plans are only available from an Authorized Bruce Roberts Yacht Design office. See list AUTHORIZED BRUCE ROBERTS OFFICES

The plans.

To build a boat from scratch you need a set of suitable boat plans including full size patterns for the frames, deck beams and stem.   Below is listed what our own design office supplies in this regard. With the advent of modern computer yacht design we have been able to offer the complete plans on CD. The benefit of receiving you plans and full size patterns in this way is that you can have as many prints made of each sheet as you may need.

For instance if you are looking for quotes on either having the hull built or to purchase some piece of equipment or quotes for mast and sails; all these suppliers want to see the plans. You will find that having the ability to have the plans printed locally will offer many advantages during the building program. Also on the CD the designer can supply photos of similar boats under construction and other printed material that will assist you to better understand the plans and the boat building process in hand. As most printed plans cover many large sheets of paper, it does cost a considerable amount in postage, (usually about $/€50 or £35)  to deliver from the designer to you. CD’s can be mailed for a very modest cost.

The boat plans as listed below are for you to build a boat from 'Scratch'. To be more specific; using the boat plans shown below and a collection of appropriate materials you build the boat from "scratch". You make the frames from the patterns supplied and then you make patterns for each subsequent part as you proceed to build the boat.

As mentioned earlier you plans can arrive either printed on paper or as printing files on a CD. You should receive the latest updated version of your selected boat plan, this is only possible when you order your plans direct from the designer. You will receive many construction sheets, which include copious written notes as well as the detailed drawings necessary to build all parts of your boat.

Below is listed what we consider to be a complete set of plans and full size patterns to enable you to build your boat with the minimum time spent in doubt as to how and what to do next!

Sheet 1A. (There may be several sheets covering various versions of the same design). These sheets cover the boats general arrangement drawings, profile and plan views of the hull, the deck and superstructure plus the deck plan.  In the case of sailboats, the sail plan and measurements is usually included on these sheets.

Sheet 1AA. (There may be several sheets covering various versions of the same design). Boat Accommodation laid out and shown in plan and profile views. The several versions of the one design are shown on separate sheets. Also included is a list for all the materials needed to build the hull deck and superstructure. In the case where the boat can be constructed of a variety of materials, these are all listed to allow you to cost out the boat in each.

Sheet 2. Boat Lines plan, show hull sections, profile including all water and buttock lines, plan view including all water lines and buttock lines. All frame spacing, stern or transom detail keel measurements, rudder and skeg should all be included and all dimensions are clearly shown.

Sheet 3. This sheet will be a reduced drawing, representing what you can expect to see, when you lay out the full size boat hull patterns. We call this sheet the key to full size patterns; it acts as a key when arranging the hull patterns and will enable you to readily understand just what the patterns contain. This sheet will help you to resist the temptation of trying to lay out the patterns on your living room floor.

Sheet 4. On this sheet you are shown how to manufacture and assemble the frames, plus form up the stem and other parts of the basic framework. This sheet also shows how to set up all these items on a strong back or a system of bed-logs. The above forms the shape of your hull.

Sheet 5. This sheet will show the installation of the stringers and deck shelf plus installing the plating in metal boats. In the case of radius chine boats additional information is supplied on installing these plates. Assuming you are building up-side-down, this sheet will show the turning over process.

Sheet 6. Now the boat is upright and this sheet covers the inside of the hull, and shows the installation of the floor webs, bulkheads, engine beds, and all interior stiffeners for your boat.

Sheet 7. This sheet may show detail of the various items not covered in sheet 6. Often it takes two or more sheets to cover webs, bulkheads,

Sheet 8. This is the engineering sheet that covers the engine installation, locating and building the fuel and water tanks plus making the rudder. Also included are details on making the stern and rudder tubes plus propeller shaft detail. Stanchions swim platforms and similar items may also be on this sheet.

You may note that much of the above work can be completed before the deck and superstructure are in place. It is far easier to install the heavier items such as the engine before the ‘top’ goes on. Individual builders will have a preference in this regard.

Sheet 9. This sheet shows details the forming and installation of deck beams, side decks, foredeck, aft deck, cockpit construction and all deck framing detail of your boat design.

Sheet 10. Patterning and making the cabin sides cabin front etc. In the case of the cabin sides the measurements should be adequate to enable you to make up a plywood pattern and trial fit before cutting the actual cabin side plates.

Sheet 11. This sheet covers such items as, deck fittings, additional rudder construction etc.

A DETAIL FOLIO showing how to build some boat fittings and tools plus other valuable boat construction tips is included with all plans. When the plans are ordered on CD it is often possible to include numerous photos showing the under construction and examples of completed versions.

Sheets A, B, C, D, E, F, G & H these are the full size boat hull frame pattern sheets that are laid together wall-paper fashion. The full size patterns contain details of all frame shapes, stem, deck and cabin top cambers and the pattern for the expanded transom. Patterns are either paper (Or in the case of plans supplied on CD) computer files that can be printed out by your local print shop.

The price of the boat plans includes as much consultation with the designer as YOU feel necessary to help you successfully complete the project....the offer 'CALL BRUCE ANYTIME' is not made lightly. You can CALL BRUCE ANYTIME for advice on your boat building project.

Where Fiberglass is mentioned as a boat building material this means Balsa sandwich / Foam sandwich, Single skin or C-Flex. All steel boat plans are readily adaptable to aluminum boat construction unless otherwise stated. Most wood epoxy boat designs can be built using either moulded ply or strip plank or a combination of the two.