so the 25 ft workboat at the lowest labor rate is $25,000. the high grade awlgrip boat is $52,000.
The boats would ride identically. shiny boats are nice, but I have a lot better things to do with $27 K than polish my shiny 25 wooden skiff.
Dave, you've said it all!! That is my philosophy too. I like a good looking boat as much as the next guy, but not at that cost! To each his own of course, but for me it's about being on the water and fishing!! Mirror like finishes are hard to achieve and hard to maintain. No thanks.
In many cases building your own hull is about the process and the enjoyment of accomplishment, including a nice finish. I know in my own instance I have two hulls that's at both ends of the spectrum, one with dash and splash using Kiltz to seal and get the boat in the water with plans in the winter to polish the rough corners off of it, and the other attention to details, finished out to yacht standards from the solid mahogany varnished floor forward to the complete varnished interior in the cabin.
Of course we as builders know all the perceived flaws and warts that is rarely if ever noticed by the casual walker by. But polish does cost and also begins in the building stage. But we all need to know what is required to accomplish the surface that gets those shiny topcoats. If not then you end up with a mess to look at too.
