To preface this discussion, I must point out that for several years I have wanted to build my own  houseboat. I had carte blanche use of a 55 foot homemade unit for almost 15 years. I knew what I liked & didn't like in a houseboat. I pretty well had in mind what I wanted and the day I saw my future houseboat I knew it was mine to be - I bought it the next day. She had been out of the water for over 4 years. The current owner obtained it through an insurance settlement as the boat had broke loose and sustained some (how much?) damage. The owner (who coincidentally is in the boat business) did some extensive modifications but never finished them. I had enough room on my property to drydock and work on her, which I did for over a year. This is how I approached the project.

I coined a word in college back in the mid-late 60's - "Imagineering." It is a combination of imagining and engineering. I spent considerable hours brainstorming what I wanted to do. I wrote all of my ideas down and analyzed them. I looked at my budget and compared the two and came up with a basic plan. Being somewhat computer literate, I put everything in my word processor. I came up with a "Projects List" and a "Want List."  These lists were ever changing and modified. I never completed all my projects prior to launching in late August 1998 but the weather here in New Mexico is conducive to working on the water "almost" year round.

I must also add that I have a 1500 square foot workshop (primarily woodworking) and I work at a building materials supply store. Both these coupled with my ability to do woodworking projects, fiberglass work, electrical work, etc., etc. made my project more bearable and enjoyable. ( I am also a life long bachelor).

I divided my boat into the following major areas and then listed what I wanted to do in each area: