A somewhat problematic VolksCruiser issue...

Something like hindsight, about that budget problem, and over at Sensible Simplicity Jay is not in a happy place...

So, what about building your own VolksCruiser?

The thing is, I really like building boats but I have to hesitate when it comes to recommending that someone build a boat these days on a VolksCruiser budget. The truth of the matter is, I'm not sure it can actually be done in the current economic climate.

Not that there aren't some great VolksCruiserish designs just crying out to be built. Tad Roberts with his Future Cruiser concept is really on to something and so is Mark Smaalders with his Simplicity series and there are any number of existing plans just crying out to be built and cruised...

Have you checked the price of good lumber and plywood lately? Epoxy? Lead?

The fact is, the cheapest way to buy boatbuilding materials these days is by buying them in the guise of a used boat. Not an exactly happy making state of affairs is it?

That being the case, here's an idea...

Would it not be cool if some enterprising boat designer were to look at what's out there on the used market and do a VolksCruiser redesign of some likely readily available sailboat? That way you'd be able to reuse resources that might otherwise wind up in landfill or left rotting tied to some dock.

I don't know about you, but I'd pay a reasonable chunk of money for a well thought out refit plan that improved a CAL34, Columbia36, or other undervalued boat available used in great numbers... Like I said, just an idea.

Listening to Paul Revere & the Raiders

So it goes...