Boat Restoration How-To
DIY Boat Restoration: Amateur Boat Building & Marine Systems
The MotorCity Boat Werks How-To Library brings together more than 30 years of DIY boat restoration and amateur boat building experience. These guides and videos cover fiberglass boat restoration, composites, electrical systems, engines and repowering, hull structure, sailboat restoration, plumbing, interiors, pilothouse construction and the other jobs that go into rebuilding an old boat. Pick a category below and find the project, repair or system you’re working on.
FIBERGLASS & COMPOSITES
Glass Work, Core Materials, Coosa Board, Structure, Fabrication & Repair
ELECTRICAL & NAVIGATION SYSTEMS
DC Systems, AC Systems, Wiring, Panels, Nav Instruments, Horns, Charging Systems, Solar
ENGINES & REPOWERING
Diesel install, Gas Engines, Fuel Systems, Fuel Tanks, Drive Train and more
STEERING & CONTROLS
Steering systems, Autopilot, RFU, Linkages, Controls and Installations
INTERIOR & CABINETRY
Cabinets, Joinery, Layouts, Furniture, and Interior Refits
PAINT & WOOD
Surface Prep, Fairing, Primers, Paints, Teak repair, Varnish and Finishing
MAST & SAILS
Rigging Inspection, Roller Furling, Sail Selection, Rigging Tips and more
HULL STRUCTURE
Rot Repair, Bulkheads, Platforms & Bowsprits, Decking, Lockers and more
TRAILERS & LIFTS
Boat Trailer Restoration and Lifting Mechanisms
PLUMBING & TANKS
Water Systems, Heads, Holding Tanks, Thru-Hulls and Sanitation
WORKSHOP & TOOLS
Radars, GPS, Depth Sounders, PA Systems, Helm Dashoard, Horns, and more
BUDGETING & PLANNING
Project Planning, Budgeting, Financing, and Pit Falls
DINGHYS & DAVITS
Dinghy projects, Dinghy Restoration, Boat Davits, Dinghy Sailers & Rowboats
PILOTHOUSES
How to Build a Pilothouse for Your Small Sailboat or Powerboat
BUCKET LIST BOATS
Stories of Boat Motivation to Keep You Going While You’re Building Your Boat
WOODEN BOATS
Wooden Boat Building, Traditional Boat Building, Wooden Boats Sail and Power
You Can Restore a Boat
You don’t have to know how to restore an entire boat. You just have to learn how to do the next job.
You don’t need to be a professional boatbuilder to restore an old boat. Most of this work can be learned. Fiberglass, electrical systems, engines, plumbing, carpentry—none of it is magic. You learn one job, solve one problem, and move on to the next.
I’ve been doing that for more than 30 years. I’ve made mistakes, changed plans, torn things apart and done them over. That’s part of amateur boat restoration. This How-To Library documents what I’ve learned along the way so you can see how the work is done, what it costs, what works—and sometimes what doesn’t.
Restoring an old boat doesn’t have to mean throwing money into a hole in the water.
After more than 30 years of amateur boat building and boat restoration, I’ve documented what I’ve learned in more than 180 videos, a published book, magazine articles, and over 3.5 million views on YouTube. This How-To Library brings that experience together—from DIY fiberglass boat restoration and sailboat restoration to engines, electrical systems, composites and complete boat rebuilds. Before you start tearing your boat apart, it helps to understand what you’re getting into, what you can do yourself, what it’s going to cost—and why restoring an old boat can still be worth doing.
Fake Boat Restoration: Is the Boat Really the Project?
When does documenting a boat restoration become content creation disguised as boat restoration? I examine YouTube restoration channels, the incentives created by views and monetization, fantasy spectacle, sadfishing, manufactured drama, and the difference between producing content about a project and actually progressing toward a finished boat.
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