We Built a Plywood Boat in ONE Week. In Africa. In Someone’s Garage.
Will this DIY plywood boat we built in just one week actually float?
After our dinghy got stolen in the Cape Verde islands, so we decided to build one ourselves. on a small island in Africa. In someone else’s garage. With limited tools, limited materials, and a whole lot of improvisation.
In this episode, we start building a 9ft stitch-and-glue plywood Spindrift dinghy from scratch. We share the process, the setbacks, and all the scrappy problem-solving along the way. And trust us… this is not one of those polished workshop builds.
⛵ In this episode:
– DIY plywood boat build
– Stitch & glue dinghy construction
– Building a boat with limited supplies
– Quick & budget-friendly boat building
– Fiberglassing, laminating & bending plywood
– Boatbuilding mistakes, fixes & lessons learned
– Turning plywood sheets into an actual boat
This build tested our patience, creativity, and ability to “make it work” more than once… and at one point, things literally cracked under pressure.
👇 Let us know in the comments:
Have you ever built something complicated with limited tools or resources?
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:36Anchorage Mindelo, Cape Verde Islands
02:11 Walking to Elton's Garage in Mindelo
02:37 Preparing the Plywood Sheets
02:48 Mapping the Boat Measurements onto the plywood sheets using Spindrift Plans
03:00 Using Nails and Plywood strips to draw a curve for the baot hull
04:45 Cutting the Plywood boat parts for the hull
05:35 Laminating the upper and lower hull parts together at the bow
06:56 Mapping and cutting the plywood parts for the bulkheads, transom and seats
07:40 Prepping for the Stitch and Glue, drilling many holes into the boat!
10:55 Stitching the hull of the boat together
11:16 trying to bend the hull AAAAAAND CRACK!!!
11:37 Why Floh decided to build a 9 Foot Nesting Spindrift Dinghi
17:04 Repairing the broken bow connection
18:37 Soaking the non broken bow connection
19:18 filling the bulkhead holes for the nesting connection with thickened epoxy
19:25 Second try to bend the hull!!!
19:47 Stitching the side panels together to shape the hull of the dinghi
20:15 Slight doubt about the sturdiness of the construction
21:50 Caution: Things we did differently than what was recommended in the plans because of what we had available
26:02 Sanding the hull & laminating with fiberglass and polyester outside and inside the boat
26:31 CUTTING the boat in TWO PIECES!
27:41 Transporting the Dinghi to the Harbour in Mindelo
UNTIE THE LINES Season 8 Episode 41 (S8E41)
⇩ Join the wonderful support crew that makes these videos possible and get instant access to behind the scene footage, regular real time updates and even join some of the most magic moments of this journey during a live feed ⇩
► YOUTUBE CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkYfFeySHGN4DPrOc9So7PA/join
► PATREON http://www.patreon.com/WhiteSpotPirates
⇩ Wanna buy me a drink or a treat for Boga? ⇩
► PAY PAL https://www.paypal.me/whitespotpirates
****
Join me on an inspiring journey that began with buying and refitting my Reinke Super 10 sailboat called KARL. Facing the challenges of solo sailing as a female sailor, I navigated the highs and lows of single-handed sailing while tackling DIY boat repair projects, from engine fixes to full boat refits on a budget. My life aboard was a mix of adventure and reflection, shaping an independent woman’s story of resilience, personal growth, and embracing the sailing lifestyle.
Along the way, I became an ocean conservation activist with In Mocean, stumbled across my dog Boga, and discovered the joys and challenges of sailing with a dog. Now, I’m exploring a new chapter, having jumped aboard my partner’s Hallberg Rassy Rasmus with Boga and his Australian Kelpie, Jango. Together, we face the unique dynamics and challenges of sailing as a couple, balancing off-grid life, sustainable sailing, and the demands of long-term cruising.
If you’re interested in remote sailing adventures, authentic sailing stories, and the realities of living on a sailboat, this channel offers a glimpse into the world of DIY projects, the sailing lifestyle, and life’s transformative moments on the water. Follow along for inspiring stories that reflect on the beauty of sailing, personal growth, and chasing dreams—one wave at a time.
And always remember: if I can do it, you can do it, too!
👉 Binge watch my solo sailing adventure from the beginning https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXRq1t-_HOXvL6L6lGac5YAloge4jiLRA
⇩ More about my journey with my sailboat SV Karl @WhiteSpotPirates ⇩
► INSTAGRAM http://www.instagram.com/WhiteSpotPirates
► FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/WhiteSpotPirates
► MY BOAT KARL http://whitespotpirates.com/untie-the-lines/my-boat-karl
*****
Thanks to everybody who has supported the creation of these video and has shared this epic adventure with me so far. It would not have been the same without you!
Lots of ocean love and salty smiles, Nike 🧜♀
WhiteSpotPirates
Nike Steiger documents the high-authority restoration of 'KARL' and her 2026 Atlantic crossing aboard 'Santana'. Join the mission for ocean plastic recycling in Colombia.
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Will this DIY plywood boat we built in just one week actually float?
After our dinghy got stolen in the Cape Verde islands, so we decided to build one ourselves. on a small island in Africa. In someone else’s garage. With limited tools, limited materials, and a whole lot of improvisation.
In this episode, we start building a 9ft stitch-and-glue plywood Spindrift dinghy from scratch. We share the process, the setbacks, and all the scrappy problem-solving along the way. And trust us… this is not one of those polished workshop builds.
⛵ In this episode:
– DIY plywood boat build
– Stitch & glue dinghy construction
– Building a boat with limited supplies
– Quick & budget-friendly boat building
– Fiberglassing, laminating & bending plywood
– Boatbuilding mistakes, fixes & lessons learned
– Turning plywood sheets into an actual boat
This build tested our patience, creativity, and ability to “make it work” more than once… and at one point, things literally cracked under pressure.
👇 Let us know in the comments:
Have you ever built something complicated with limited tools or resources?
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:36Anchorage Mindelo, Cape Verde Islands
02:11 Walking to Elton’s Garage in Mindelo
02:37 Preparing the Plywood Sheets
02:48 Mapping the Boat Measurements onto the plywood sheets using Spindrift Plans
03:00 Using Nails and Plywood strips to draw a curve for the baot hull
04:45 Cutting the Plywood boat parts for the hull
05:35 Laminating the upper and lower hull parts together at the bow
06:56 Mapping and cutting the plywood parts for the bulkheads, transom and seats
07:40 Prepping for the Stitch and Glue, drilling many holes into the boat!
10:55 Stitching the hull of the boat together
11:16 trying to bend the hull AAAAAAND CRACK!!!
11:37 Why Floh decided to build a 9 Foot Nesting Spindrift Dinghi
17:04 Repairing the broken bow connection
18:37 Soaking the non broken bow connection
19:18 filling the bulkhead holes for the nesting connection with thickened epoxy
19:25 Second try to bend the hull!!!
19:47 Stitching the side panels together to shape the hull of the dinghi
20:15 Slight doubt about the sturdiness of the construction
21:50 Caution: Things we did differently than what was recommended in the plans because of what we had available
26:02 Sanding the hull & laminating with fiberglass and polyester outside and inside the boat
26:31 CUTTING the boat in TWO PIECES!
27:41 Transporting the Dinghi to the Harbour in Mindelo
UNTIE THE LINES Season 8 Episode 41 (S8E41)
⇩ Join the wonderful support crew that makes these videos possible and get instant access to behind the scene footage, regular real time updates and even join some of the most magic moments of this journey during a live feed ⇩
► YOUTUBE CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkYfFeySHGN4DPrOc9So7PA/join
► PATREON http://www.patreon.com/WhiteSpotPirates
⇩ Wanna buy me a drink or a treat for Boga? ⇩
► PAY PAL https://www.paypal.me/whitespotpirates
****
Join me on an inspiring journey that began with buying and refitting my Reinke Super 10 sailboat called KARL. Facing the challenges of solo sailing as a female sailor, I navigated the highs and lows of single-handed sailing while tackling DIY boat repair projects, from engine fixes to full boat refits on a budget. My life aboard was a mix of adventure and reflection, shaping an independent woman’s story of resilience, personal growth, and embracing the sailing lifestyle.
Along the way, I became an ocean conservation activist with In Mocean, stumbled across my dog Boga, and discovered the joys and challenges of sailing with a dog. Now, I’m exploring a new chapter, having jumped aboard my partner’s Hallberg Rassy Rasmus with Boga and his Australian Kelpie, Jango. Together, we face the unique dynamics and challenges of sailing as a couple, balancing off-grid life, sustainable sailing, and the demands of long-term cruising.
If you’re interested in remote sailing adventures, authentic sailing stories, and the realities of living on a sailboat, this channel offers a glimpse into the world of DIY projects, the sailing lifestyle, and life’s transformative moments on the water. Follow along for inspiring stories that reflect on the beauty of sailing, personal growth, and chasing dreams—one wave at a time.
And always remember: if I can do it, you can do it, too!
👉 Binge watch my solo sailing adventure from the beginning https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXRq1t-_HOXvL6L6lGac5YAloge4jiLRA
⇩ More about my journey with my sailboat SV Karl @WhiteSpotPirates ⇩
► INSTAGRAM http://www.instagram.com/WhiteSpotPirates
► FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/WhiteSpotPirates
► MY BOAT KARL http://whitespotpirates.com/untie-the-lines/my-boat-karl
*****
Thanks to everybody who has supported the creation of these video and has shared this epic adventure with me so far. It would not have been the same without you!
Lots of ocean love and salty smiles, Nike 🧜♀
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