Knowing the way of the seas and boatmanship and how ships are constructed, is a good idea for anyone who is interested in either building or buying a boat. Building a boat is an extremely long task, usually one goes to a shipyard and requests a boat be built. Once the order is placed, the buyer waits the normal several months and is then notified his boat is ready. Knowledge of the craft of shipbuilding is an invaluable asset when purchasing a boat, or when maintaining it, as you are able to do some of the simple tasks yourself, thus saving you money you would normally pay to a shipyard.