Deckster FAQ

Q: How long will it take to build my Deckster?

Much will depend on your skills and available workspace, but it is possible to have the basic hull pieces cut out and glued into a boat shape in less than a day. As the Deckster has many options it is difficult to estimate how long it will take, but the basic boat can be made very quickly. With all the options included, it should be possible to build a Deckster in about 40 hours. As with most projects, it's the details that take the most time.

Q: How much will the Deckster cost to build?

You will need to cost in two sheets of marine plywood and about three litres of epoxy glue for starters. That should give you a basic price. Add to that some paint and the usual sundries such as brushes and sandpaper, and this will give you a rough idea. Of course much will depend on the quality of the materials used, and where you purchase them.

Q: Do you sell an Deckster kit?

Sorry, no. The Deckster is only available in plan form. But don't let this stop you! All you need is a jigsaw, a drill and a plane and you can cut out all the panels yourself in just a few hours

Absolutely. The Deckster was specifically designed as a sailing boat and full instructions on how to rig your boat are included in the plans. The Deckster uses a modified Optimist sailing rig.

Q: What is the biggest outboard I can fit?

The Deckster has been tested with up a 3.3hp engine

Q: How well does it row?

The Deckster rows very nicely. The position of the rowlocks can be changed depending on the number of occupants.

Q: How much does the Deckster weigh?

The Deckster weighs about 25 kilos in deck stow mode and about 30 kilos when fully assembled.

Q: I don't have any experience, can I still build a Deckster Dinghy?

In order to make the removable bow section watertight, the Deckster has a double seal system using neoprene cord which is very effective and easy to install or replace if necessary.

The Deckster has been designed to fit on most cambered decks. To determine if the Deckster will fit on your deck, please click here.

The Deckster is 170cm long, and 115 at it widest point.

You do not need to have any experience building boats, you only need very basic woodworking skills, and a few tools such as a jigsaw, a drill and a plane. The plans have been specifically created in an illustrated step by step style to guide you through the entire building process.

Q: How does the removable bow section seal?

Q: Will the Deckster fit on my deck?

Q: What are the Deckster's Dimensions?

Q: Tell me more about the plans

The metric plans have about 100 pages, well over 100 photos and lots of other useful information. The plans come in a pdf format and are about 6mb in size. Clicking on the buy NOW link will direct you to PayPal where you can pay either with your account or a credit card. After payment, you will be sent an email with a link to the plans. Click on the link to download the plans and save the file to your hard drive.

If you prefer a more traditional method of purchase, please visit Duckworksbbs.com. Here you will be able to deal with real people. It will take a little longer and it cost a bit more but they are really nice people to do business with.