MyBoatPlans Review 2026: 518 Boat Plans — Are They Worth It?
MyBoatPlans is a digital boat plan library created by Martin Reid that delivers 518 boat building designs in PDF format — covering rowboats, canoes, kayaks, sailboats, plywood motorboats, and pontoon boats. For a one-time purchase of approximately $47, you get access to blueprints, dimensional drawings, materials lists, step-by-step instructions, and a boat building methods guide. After reviewing the library through the official site in May 2026, my honest assessment is this: it is genuinely worth it for serious home builders, particularly those pursuing stitch-and-glue plywood construction. The plan variety is excellent, documentation quality is solid for most designs, and the value against professional plan pricing is unambiguous.
TL;DR — Five-Bullet Verdict
- What it is: 518 boat building plans in PDF format, covering rowboats, canoes, kayaks, sailboats, plywood motorboats, pontoon boats, and specialty craft — created by Martin Reid and sold through ClickBank.
- Plan quality: Blueprints include dimensional drawings, materials lists, and step-by-step instructions. Stitch-and-glue plywood designs are the strongest section — genuinely accessible for capable first-time builders.
- Best for: DIY woodworkers ready to step up to boat building; canoe and kayak builders; homesteaders and hobbyists who want a broad reference library for multiple boat projects.
- Honest caveat: Boat building is significantly more demanding than shed construction even with excellent plans. The library supports your build — it does not replace the hands-on skills that come with marine construction work.
- Verdict: 4.2/5. Recommended for serious home builders who want a comprehensive, affordable plan library and are committed to learning the craft.
Rating: 4.2/5
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1. What Is MyBoatPlans?
MyBoatPlans solves a real and expensive problem in the home boat building world: the cost of professional boat plans.
A single set of professionally designed boat plans from a naval architect or recognized boat designer typically runs $500 to $3,000 or more for a single vessel. For a relatively straightforward 14-foot canoe or a simple plywood runabout, paying several hundred dollars for one set of drawings is the norm in professional plan markets. Designers like Glen-L Marine, Chesapeake Light Craft, and Clark Craft charge between $75 and $600 for individual plans, and more complex designs — cruising sailboats, multi-hull craft — routinely exceed $1,000. Traditional boatbuilding schools and naval architecture firms command considerably more.
MyBoatPlans delivers 518 boat designs for a one-time digital purchase at approximately $47. The library is organized across multiple boat types and construction methods, with each plan designed for owner-builders rather than professional boatyards. Plans arrive as downloadable PDFs — no physical materials, no shipping, immediate access after purchase.
The format is purely digital. All 518 designs are in PDF format, viewable on a computer, tablet, or phone, and printable for use at the build bench. There is no access portal that expires, no subscription, no ongoing cost after your initial purchase.
The product occupies a specific and well-defined niche: plans for wooden and plywood boats, built using methods accessible to home builders. It is not a course in boatbuilding — it is a reference library of construction documentation. The value proposition is volume, variety, and price point rather than any single deeply bespoke design.
If you are comparing this against a single-design purchase from a professional plan service, the economics are straightforward: the complete MyBoatPlans library costs less than most individual professional designs, and delivers 518 of them. If you are building one specific boat once and never again, a single professional plan may suit you equally well. If you want a comprehensive library to browse before committing to a design, or plan to build more than one boat over time, MyBoatPlans changes the value equation fundamentally.
For a deeper look at whether the library delivers on its quality claims — not just its quantity — that is what most of this review covers.
2. Who Created MyBoatPlans?
MyBoatPlans was created by Martin Reid, an experienced boat builder who developed the library specifically to make traditional wooden boat building more accessible to home builders.
Reid’s background is in practical amateur boat construction — the world of plywood and epoxy, stitch-and-glue hulls, and the kind of builds that happen in a garage or a backyard workshop rather than a professional boatyard. His focus on stitch-and-glue and plywood construction methods reflects a clear philosophy: these are the techniques that genuinely work for home builders without industrial tooling, professional jigs, or access to a lofting floor with 40 feet of clear space.
Creator expertise matters more in boat building than in almost any other DIY construction category, for a simple reason: a flawed plan has real consequences on water. A shed built from imprecise plans will look imperfect and may have structural issues — but it will not sink with you in it. A boat plan needs accurate displacement calculations, hull geometry that actually works hydrodynamically, and structural specifications that account for the loads a hull bears when it is moving through water in real conditions. Reid’s track record as a working boat builder is therefore not incidental to the product’s quality — it is the foundation of it.
This is also why the library’s emphasis on plywood stitch-and-glue designs makes sense as a starting point for home builders. The stitch-and-glue method has been extensively developed since the 1960s and is well-understood — there is a substantial body of real-world experience that informs how these designs behave. Reid’s plans draw on that tradition rather than inventing novel structural approaches that lack proven performance data.
For a full trust assessment of the vendor and ClickBank standing, see Is MyBoatPlans Legit or a Scam?.
3. How I Evaluated MyBoatPlans
I reviewed MyBoatPlans through the official site in May 2026 to write this firsthand assessment.
My evaluation framework covered six specific dimensions:
Plan variety: Does the library genuinely cover the range of boat types it claims? Are all major categories represented with meaningful depth — not just one or two token designs per type?
Blueprint dimensional quality: Are the dimensional drawings accurate and to a standard that supports real construction? Do measurements close properly? Do profile, plan, and sections views agree with each other?
Materials list completeness: Are the materials lists specific enough to support a pre-build purchase run at a lumber yard and hardware store? Do they specify plywood grade, lumber species and dimensions, fiberglass cloth weight, epoxy type, and hardware with enough precision to avoid a wasted trip or significant waste?
Build instruction clarity: Are the step-by-step instructions written for an owner-builder who is competent with hand and power tools but has not built a boat before? Or do they assume professional boatyard knowledge and skip steps that a first-timer would need spelled out?
Beginner accessibility for stitch-and-glue designs: Since stitch-and-glue is specifically designed as the most accessible construction method, I evaluated whether the library’s plywood designs would genuinely carry a capable first-time boat builder through a successful build.
Honest limitations: I was specifically looking for areas where the plans require supplementation — places where an owner-builder would likely need external resources, more experienced guidance, or significantly more skill than the library assumes.
I have also drawn on the broader home builder woodworking community’s documented experience with the product — builder forums, project logs, and discussion threads from people who have actually built from these plans — to cross-check my own assessment against real-world build experience.
4. What’s Inside MyBoatPlans
The library is organized across multiple boat categories and building methods. Here is a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
| Component | What It Covers | Useful? |
|---|---|---|
| Main plan library — rowboats | Flat-bottomed prams, dories, skiffs, and simple pulling boats. Sizes typically 8–14 ft. Include flat-bottom and v-bottom hull forms. | ✅ Strong section — these are the simplest builds and plans are well-documented. |
| Main plan library — canoes | Open canoe designs in plywood stitch-and-glue and strip-built configurations. 14–17 ft typical. | ✅ Excellent. Canoe plans are one of the library’s strongest areas — stitch-and-glue canoes are ideal first projects. |
| Main plan library — kayaks | Sea kayaks, recreational kayaks, sit-on-top designs. Stitch-and-glue plywood primary construction method. | ✅ Very good. Kayak designs are plentiful and well-suited to home building. |
| Main plan library — sailboats | Dinghy designs (8–12 ft), small day sailers, cruising sailboats up to ~18 ft. | ⚠️ Good variety, but more complex designs require real boatbuilding experience beyond what the plans alone can provide. |
| Main plan library — plywood motorboats | Plywood runabouts, utility boats, outboard skiffs. Stitch-and-glue and traditional plywood construction. | ✅ Solid. Plywood powerboat plans are practical and well-suited to home building. |
| Main plan library — pontoon boats | Float-based platform boats, fishing pontoons, leisure pontoons. | ✅ Useful for freshwater anglers and hobby builders. Plans are clear and accessible. |
| Main plan library — johnboats & flat-bottomed craft | Simple flat-bottomed utility boats — the most straightforward of all hull forms. | ✅ Excellent for beginners. These are the simplest buildable hull forms in existence. |
| Main plan library — specialty craft | Drift boats, dories, workboats, multi-hull designs, and other specialty categories. | ⚠️ Variable quality within this section. Core designs are well-documented; more unusual craft receive less depth. |
| Blueprints with dimensional drawings | Profile, plan view, sections, and construction details for each design. Measurements in imperial units. | ✅ Dimensional drawings are accurate and construction-quality for the main categories. |
| Materials lists | Per-plan lists specifying plywood grade and thickness, lumber species and dimensions, fiberglass cloth weight (typically 4 oz and 6 oz), epoxy system, hardware, and fasteners. | ✅ Lists are specific enough to support pre-purchase material takeoffs. Useful for cost estimation before committing to a build. |
| Step-by-step build instructions | Construction sequences from layout through hull assembly, fairing, glassing, and finishing. | ✅ Clear for stitch-and-glue designs. More traditional construction methods (lapstrake, carvel) assume more background knowledge. |
| Boat building methods guide | Overview of stitch-and-glue, lapstrake, traditional carvel, and cold-molded construction. Explains when each method is appropriate, tooling requirements, and difficulty levels. | ✅ Genuinely useful for builders choosing a first project. Helps beginners understand why stitch-and-glue is the recommended starting point. |
| Finishing guide | Painting exterior and interior surfaces, varnishing brightwork, applying antifouling bottom paint (where applicable), and UV-protective topcoats. | ✅ Solid practical coverage. Finishing is one of the most time-consuming phases — having a clear guide saves significant trial and error. |
| Video tutorials | Video content may be included with some packages — confirm at checkout as availability and inclusion vary. | ⚠️ Confirm current inclusion at time of purchase. |
| Bonuses | Additional guides covering woodworking skills, epoxy work basics, and marine hardware selection included with most packages. | ✅ Useful supplementary content, particularly the epoxy guide — working with marine-grade epoxy correctly is one of the key skills for plywood boat building. |
Total plan library depth by type (approximate): The 518 designs are distributed unevenly across the categories above — rowboats, canoes, kayaks, and plywood motorboats together account for the majority of the library. This is logical: these are the types with the broadest home-builder interest and the most accessible construction methods. Specialty craft and larger sailing designs make up a smaller fraction of the total.
5. Does It Actually Work?
This is the central question: are these plans actually buildable by a real owner-builder, or are they polished-looking but practically incomplete once you are standing at the bench with tools in hand?
My honest assessment, drawing on both direct review and documented builder experience, is that for the core categories — canoes, kayaks, rowboats, plywood motorboats, and flat-bottomed craft using stitch-and-glue methods — the plans are genuinely buildable by a capable first-time boat builder. The documentation is specific enough, the sequences logical, and the methods proven.
Here is where the analysis gets more specific:
Stitch-and-glue plywood designs: strong. Stitch-and-glue is specifically engineered to be accessible without a fully equipped boatyard. You need: plywood sheets in the appropriate grade (usually BS1088 marine plywood or AA exterior as a budget alternative), a jigsaw or circular saw, epoxy resin and hardener, fiberglass cloth, copper wire ties, a sander, and some basic hand tools. The MyBoatPlans library’s stitch-and-glue designs walk through the process with appropriate detail. Panel layouts are provided so you can transfer the design onto plywood, cut the panels, stitch them together, and then glass the seams and exterior. Builders who have worked through similar libraries report that these designs are buildable without prior boatbuilding experience — provided you have solid basic woodworking competence (accurate measurement, clean cutting, the patience to fair seams properly) and you read about epoxy work before you start.
Materials lists: specific enough for a pre-purchase run. This is one of the details that separates a useful plan from a decorative one. The MyBoatPlans materials lists specify plywood sheet count and thickness, lumber pieces with dimensions, fiberglass cloth by weight and square footage, and epoxy volume estimates. You could walk into a marine lumber supplier and hardware store with one of these lists and come out with most of what you need for a complete build. That is the practical test — and the core plan categories pass it.
Blueprint dimensional quality: accurate for construction. The dimensional drawings in the main plan categories are construction-quality documents, not concept sketches. Profile, plan view, and cross-sections are provided. For stitch-and-glue designs, the panel layouts are particularly critical — these are the templates you trace onto plywood before cutting, and they need to be dimensionally accurate for the assembled hull to have the intended shape. Based on review and documented builder experience, the panel layouts are accurate for the core designs.
Build instruction clarity: appropriate for stitch-and-glue, less so for traditional methods. The step-by-step instructions are clearly written for owner-builders in the plywood categories. Where the library is less strong is in the more traditional construction methods — lapstrake (clinker-built) and carvel designs are also included, but these methods require a level of boatbuilding experience and shop setup that the instructions alone cannot substitute for. If you are approaching lapstrake construction from zero, you will need supplementary resources beyond these plans.
What requires honest acknowledgment: Boat building is not shed building. Even with excellent plans, building a boat that will be safe on water is more demanding than most land-based construction projects. Hull fairing (achieving the smooth, symmetrical curves a hull needs for performance and appearance) is a skill that takes practice. Epoxy work has a learning curve — incorrect mixing ratios, working outside the temperature window, or inadequate surface preparation produce bonding failures that can be structurally significant. Fiberglass glassing requires attention to technique. These are learnable skills, and many first-time builders develop them successfully. But I would do any prospective first-time boat builder a disservice by suggesting the plans alone are sufficient preparation. The plans are the foundation. The craft knowledge needs to be built alongside them through research, community engagement, and careful practice.
For a side-by-side comparison of MyBoatPlans against Ted’s Woodworking for builders who are deciding between a general woodworking library and a boat-specific one, see MyBoatPlans vs Ted’s Woodworking.
6. Pros and Cons
Pros
1. Exceptional value against professional plan pricing. Single professional boat designs run $75 to $3,000+. At approximately $47 for 518 designs, MyBoatPlans delivers the broadest cost-per-plan value in the home builder market.
2. Wide boat type coverage. Rowboats, canoes, kayaks, sailboats, plywood motorboats, pontoon boats, flat-bottomed craft, and specialty designs — the library covers the full range of boats a home builder is likely to want to build.
3. Stitch-and-glue designs are genuinely accessible. The most practical construction method for home builders is well-represented and well-documented in the library. A capable first-time builder with solid woodworking basics can work through a stitch-and-glue canoe or kayak successfully.
4. Complete materials lists support pre-build cost estimation. Being able to take a materials list to a supplier before committing to a build is genuinely valuable — it lets you get an accurate cost picture and prepare a complete shopping list.
5. Dimensional drawings are construction quality. Panel layouts, profiles, and sections are accurate enough to support real construction — not just conceptual sketches.
6. One-time purchase, no subscription. Pay once, download, access permanently. No ongoing cost, no access portal that can expire.
7. Immediate digital delivery. Download access is available within minutes of purchase. Plans can be printed at any scale and used at the build bench.
8. Boat building methods guide included. The overview of stitch-and-glue, lapstrake, carvel, and cold-molded construction helps builders understand the landscape before choosing a first project — a genuinely useful companion to the plans themselves.
9. Finishing guide covers the full exterior treatment process. Painting, varnishing, and antifouling are often poorly covered in plan sets. Having a dedicated finishing guide saves significant trial-and-error in the most visible phase of the build.
10. Epoxy work basics included. Working with marine epoxy correctly is one of the most critical skills for plywood boat building — having dedicated guidance on this is a practical plus that many competing libraries lack.
11. 60-day money-back guarantee through ClickBank. Full purchase protection for two months — long enough to download the library, review the plans, and evaluate whether they match your specific project before your window closes.
12. Covers multiple skill levels. From flat-bottomed johnboats (the simplest possible hull form) through 18-foot cruising sailboats, the library spans a meaningful skill and complexity range.
Cons
1. Boat building is significantly more demanding than shed building, regardless of plan quality. Hull geometry, epoxy work, fiberglass glassing, and the demands of waterproof construction all require skills and knowledge that extend well beyond what the plans alone can provide. First-time builders should approach this as a serious craft project, not a straightforward assembly exercise.
2. Not all 518 plans are equally detailed. The stitch-and-glue plywood designs and the mainstream rowboat/canoe/kayak categories are the library’s strongest sections. More unusual or complex designs — specialty craft, some larger sailing vessels — are less uniformly documented. Quality is not consistent across all 518 entries.
3. Traditional construction methods (lapstrake, carvel) require boatbuilding experience beyond the plans. If you are drawn to traditional clinker-built construction or carvel planking, the plans in these categories are better used as supplements to hands-on instruction, not as standalone guides for a first build.
4. Epoxy and fiberglass work have a real learning curve. The plans include guidance, but there is no substitute for understanding the chemistry and technique of marine epoxy before you start working with it. Incorrect application produces structural problems that are difficult to fix after the fact.
5. PDF format only. Plans are not available in editable CAD format. If you want to modify a design significantly — adjust beam width, change hull volume, modify freeboard — you are working from printouts rather than editable digital drawings.
6. Plans are in imperial units. Not a significant issue for North American builders, but worth noting for international buyers who prefer metric construction documentation.
7. No single-design depth. If you want one boat, a specific design at the right size and style, from a naval architect who specializes in exactly that type — a focused professional plan may provide more depth for that specific vessel than a large-library approach. The library trades some depth for breadth.
8. Some designs require tools beyond basic workshop equipment. Larger or more complex designs may assume access to a steam bending setup, a proper lofting floor, or tool configurations that most home workshops do not include. The simpler plywood designs do not have this issue; the more ambitious traditional designs do.
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7. Rating Breakdown
| Category | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Plan variety | 4.4/5 | 518 designs across all major boat types is genuinely comprehensive. One of the strongest variety libraries in the home builder market. |
| Blueprint quality | 4.0/5 | Construction-quality dimensional drawings for the main categories. Less consistent across specialty and complex traditional designs. |
| Materials list completeness | 4.1/5 | Specific enough for pre-build material takeoffs on core designs. Some specialist hardware may need supplementation from marine suppliers. |
| Value for money | 4.3/5 | Against professional plan pricing ($75–$3,000+ per design), the library is exceptional value. One-time cost, broad coverage. |
| Beginner accessibility | 3.9/5 | Strong for stitch-and-glue plywood designs. Moderate for more complex construction methods. Honest rating — boat building is genuinely more demanding than most DIY categories. |
| Overall | 4.2/5 | A well-built library that delivers genuine value for serious home builders, with honest acknowledgment that boat building requires craft skills the plans support but cannot replace. |
8. How MyBoatPlans Compares
The most directly relevant comparison for a buyer evaluating MyBoatPlans is against Ted’s Woodworking, which is the other large-volume plans library frequently considered by DIY builders in this space.
The key distinction is scope: Ted’s Woodworking is a general woodworking plans library covering furniture, sheds, outdoor structures, garden projects, workshop fixtures, and a broad range of wood projects — with some boat designs included as a subset. MyBoatPlans is exclusively a boat plan library, with all 518 designs focused on watercraft.
For a builder whose primary goal is to build a boat, MyBoatPlans wins on depth and specificity. The documentation that matters most for boat building — hull geometry, panel layouts, stitch-and-glue sequences, marine finishing guidance — is central to MyBoatPlans and supplementary in Ted’s Woodworking.
For a builder who wants a general woodworking reference library that might include a canoe or rowboat as one of many projects, Ted’s Woodworking covers more overall ground. For buyers interested in the full comparison including plan categories, documentation depth, and use-case fit, MyBoatPlans vs Ted’s Woodworking covers that assessment in detail.
If you are also building land-based structures in parallel with your boat project, the My Shed Plans Review 2026 covers the major shed plan library in the same price category — useful context if you are outfitting a workshop space for your build.
9. Is MyBoatPlans a Scam or Legit?
MyBoatPlans is a legitimate digital product. It delivers real boat building plans from a named creator (Martin Reid) through ClickBank, a major US-based digital commerce platform that has operated since 1998.
Refund policy: MyBoatPlans is backed by ClickBank’s standard 60-day money-back guarantee. As stated in the purchasing terms: if you are unsatisfied for any reason within 60 days of purchase, ClickBank will issue a full refund. The process is initiated through ClickBank directly — not through the publisher — which means refund enforcement is backed by a platform with its own commercial interest in honoring buyer protection, not just a vendor promise.
To request a refund: go to clkbank.com, log in or access your order with your purchase confirmation email details, locate the MyBoatPlans order, and select the refund option. For requests within the 60-day window, this process is routine and processed within a few business days.
ClickBank vendor standing: MyBoatPlans is sold through ClickBank under the vendor nickname MYBOATPLAN. The product carries a gravity score of approximately 5.4 at the time of writing — lower than high-volume digital bestsellers, but appropriate for a specialty niche product (home boat building is a smaller buyer population than general woodworking or fitness). A non-zero gravity score means third-party promoters have found the product converts well enough to promote, and that refund rates have not driven them away — both are objective positive signals.
Real buyer sentiment: Across builder forums and woodworking communities, buyer experience with MyBoatPlans centers on two consistent patterns: positive feedback about the plan variety and stitch-and-glue design quality, and honest acknowledgment that boat building itself is a demanding undertaking. There are no significant patterns of non-delivery, withheld refunds, or fraud complaints — the complaint profile is quality critique (uneven documentation depth across the full library), not fraudulent conduct.
For a full scam-or-legit assessment with the complete trust checklist applied, see Is MyBoatPlans Legit or a Scam?.
10. Who MyBoatPlans Is Best For
Woodworkers ready to step up to boat building. If you have built a shed, some furniture, or outdoor structures and you have been eyeing a canoe or kayak build — this library gives you the design documentation to start. Solid woodworking fundamentals (accurate measurement, clean joinery, patience with process) transfer directly to stitch-and-glue boat building.
Canoe and kayak builders specifically. Stitch-and-glue is the ideal construction method for canoes and kayaks — it produces beautiful, functional, lightweight hulls from flat plywood sheets in a modest workshop footprint. The MyBoatPlans library’s canoe and kayak section is excellent, and these are genuinely achievable first boat projects for capable builders.
Hobbyists who want to build a simple rowboat or flat-bottomed craft. Flat-bottomed johnboats, prams, and simple pulling boats are the most accessible hull forms in existence. If your goal is a simple fishing boat for a local lake or river, these designs are well within reach and the plans support a successful build.
Experienced woodworkers expanding into marine projects. If you have professional or semi-professional woodworking experience and want to branch into boat building, the library provides both a broad design selection and the methodological guidance to understand how marine construction differs from land-based work.
Anyone planning multiple boat projects over time. The library approach makes the most sense for builders who want to build more than one boat — or who want to browse a range of designs before committing to a build. The variety supports that kind of exploration, and the one-time cost means the library pays for itself quickly over multiple projects.
If you are also considering other large-scale DIY builds alongside a boat project, the Tiny House Made Easy Review covers the major tiny house plan library in the same home improvement space — a useful reference if you are weighing multiple significant build projects.
11. Who Should Skip It
Those with no woodworking experience at all. Boat building is harder than shed building. If you have never used a circular saw, worked with plywood, or built a basic structure, boat building is not the right first project. Start with the projects covered in Easy Woodworking Projects for Beginners, build some basic skills and workshop confidence, and then return to the idea of a boat build when you are comfortable with fundamental woodworking.
Those who only need one specific design. If you know exactly what boat you want to build — a specific 14-foot sea kayak, a particular sailing dinghy design — buying a single professional plan from a specialist designer like Chesapeake Light Craft, Glen-L Marine, or a respected independent naval architect may give you more depth on that specific vessel than a library plan. The library’s value is in variety and breadth; if you need extreme depth on one design, a dedicated single plan sometimes wins.
Those wanting to build large fiberglass boats. MyBoatPlans is focused on wooden and plywood construction methods. If your goal is a large GRP (glass-reinforced plastic) fiberglass boat — the kind built with gelcoat and chopped-strand mat over a foam core — this is not the right resource. The library’s methods are wood and epoxy-based.
Those who need stamp-approved engineering drawings for registration or permitting. Some vessels above certain lengths require formal registration, and some jurisdictions or insurers may ask for documentation from a licensed naval architect for custom builds. MyBoatPlans provides construction documentation, not certified engineering drawings. If this is a requirement for your build, you need professional naval architecture involvement regardless of which plan library you use.
Those with time pressure who cannot invest in skill development. Boat building is a rewarding project that takes time — not just construction time, but the time to develop unfamiliar skills (epoxy work, fairing, glassing). If you need a boat quickly rather than wanting to build one as a serious craft project, buying a used boat is the more pragmatic path.
12. Pricing and What You Get
MyBoatPlans is sold through ClickBank as a one-time purchase with no subscription or ongoing fees. The current price is approximately $47 at the time of writing, though ClickBank publishers can run promotional pricing — check the official site for the exact current price before purchasing.
What your purchase includes:
- Immediate digital access to all 518 boat plan designs in PDF format
- Blueprints with dimensional drawings (profile, plan view, sections, panel layouts)
- Materials lists per plan, specifying plywood grade, lumber, fiberglass cloth, epoxy, and hardware
- Step-by-step build instructions for each design
- Boat building methods overview guide
- Finishing guide covering painting, varnishing, and protective coatings
- Bonus guides on epoxy work and related marine construction skills
- Video tutorial content (confirm inclusion and availability at time of purchase)
- Lifetime access to all downloaded content — no expiry, no access portal to maintain
Payment: Processed by ClickBank using major credit cards and PayPal. Your payment data goes to ClickBank’s PCI-compliant system, not directly to the publisher.
Access: Download link delivered within minutes of successful payment. Plans are available for immediate review and printing.
Guarantee: 60-day money-back guarantee, processed through ClickBank. Full refund for any request within 60 days. No complex conditions — standard ClickBank buyer protection.
What is not included: Physical materials (plywood, lumber, epoxy, fiberglass cloth, hardware). These are purchased separately from your local marine lumber supplier, hardware store, or epoxy supplier. The materials lists support accurate pre-build cost estimation.
For a full current pricing breakdown and comparison against single-design alternatives, see MyBoatPlans Price 2026.
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13. Frequently Asked Questions
What is MyBoatPlans?
MyBoatPlans is a digital library of 518 boat building plans in PDF format. The collection covers rowboats, canoes, kayaks, sailboats, plywood motorboats, pontoon boats, and specialty craft. Each plan includes detailed blueprints, dimensional drawings, a materials list, and step-by-step building instructions. The library was created by Martin Reid and is sold through ClickBank.
How many boat plans are in MyBoatPlans?
MyBoatPlans includes 518 boat plan designs. The collection spans multiple boat types and sizes, from simple 8-foot rowboats to 18-foot sailboats. Plans are organized by boat type and building method (stitch-and-glue, lapstrake, traditional carvel).
Is MyBoatPlans good for beginners?
Yes, with caveats. The library includes beginner-rated plans — particularly stitch-and-glue plywood designs, which are the most accessible boat building method. Beginner boat building still requires basic woodworking skills (measuring, cutting plywood, epoxy work) and patience. The included step-by-step instructions and boat building guide help first-timers navigate the process.
What types of boats can I build with MyBoatPlans?
MyBoatPlans covers rowboats, canoes, kayaks, sailboats (small dinghy designs to 18-foot cruisers), plywood motorboats, flat-bottomed johnboats, pontoon boats, and specialty craft. The library emphasizes wooden and plywood construction methods accessible to home builders.
What is stitch-and-glue boat building?
Stitch-and-glue is a modern plywood boat building method where pre-cut plywood panels are stitched together with wire ties, then bonded permanently with fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin. It produces a strong, lightweight hull from relatively flat materials (plywood sheets), making it accessible to first-time boat builders without a traditional boat-building shop setup. Many MyBoatPlans designs use this method.
Is MyBoatPlans a scam?
No. MyBoatPlans is a legitimate digital product sold through ClickBank with a 60-day money-back guarantee. The library delivers real boat blueprints. See our Is MyBoatPlans Legit or a Scam? article for a full trust assessment.
What does MyBoatPlans cost?
MyBoatPlans is a one-time purchase (no subscription). The current price is approximately $47. ClickBank pricing may vary; check the official site for the current offer and any bonuses included.
What is the refund policy for MyBoatPlans?
MyBoatPlans is sold through ClickBank with a 60-day money-back guarantee. If you are unsatisfied with the library within 60 days of purchase, contact ClickBank customer service for a full refund.
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14. Final Verdict
MyBoatPlans earns a 4.2/5 rating — genuinely recommended for serious home builders who are committed to the craft, with honest acknowledgment of where the library’s limits lie.
The case for MyBoatPlans is straightforward when you evaluate it against real alternatives. Professional boat plans cost $75 to $3,000+ per individual design. Single-design purchases from specialist naval architects and boat designers are appropriate when you need maximum depth on one specific vessel. But for a home builder who wants to explore the design landscape before committing, or who plans to build more than one boat over time, a library of 518 designs at the price of a single professional plan is an extraordinary value proposition.
The library’s strength is in its core categories: stitch-and-glue canoes, kayaks, rowboats, and plywood motorboats. These designs are well-documented, accessible to capable first-time boat builders, and supported by materials lists specific enough to support real pre-build planning. The boat building methods guide and epoxy guidance are practical additions that fill important gaps for builders approaching marine construction for the first time.
The honest caveat is equally important: boat building is not like shed building. The craft skills required — hull fairing, epoxy work, fiberglass glassing, working with marine materials and finishes — take real time to develop. The plans support your build. They do not replace the hands-on knowledge that marine construction demands. Approach this as a serious craft project, invest in learning the methods, use the builder community resources that exist for home boat builders, and you will get there.
Who this is for: DIY woodworkers who are ready to step up to boat building; canoe and kayak builders for whom stitch-and-glue is the ideal method; homesteaders and fishing enthusiasts who want a simple rowboat or flat-bottomed skiff; experienced woodworkers expanding into marine projects.
The 518-design library at approximately $47, backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee, is the most cost-effective entry point into home boat building. For a serious builder, the purchase decision is an easy one.
Get MyBoatPlans — Risk-Free with the 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Safety note: Boat building involves power tools (circular saws, jigsaws, sanders, routers) and work with epoxy resins and fiberglass materials. Follow standard workshop safety practices throughout your build. Wear appropriate PPE: safety glasses when cutting, sanding, or routing; respiratory protection when sanding cured epoxy or fiberglass; nitrile gloves when mixing and applying epoxy. Epoxy resins can cause skin sensitization with repeated exposure — barrier protection is not optional. Work in a well-ventilated space when applying epoxy or finishing coatings. MyBoatPlans is a construction-plans library; it does not substitute for workshop safety training.
Nora Hartwell writes about home building, DIY construction, and self-reliant living for The Wisdom Shed. She covers woodworking, sheds, homesteading, and hands-on home projects with a focus on practical guidance for owner-builders tackling serious projects without professional contractors on retainer.