PSA: Basic sailing technique and safety precautions are needed for safe homemade ships. Nick Kroehnke via YouTube Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. It traditionally takes years of training and apprenticeship before shipbuilders truly master the art of handcrafting wooden vessels . However, that doesn’t mean all that time is necessary . Kentucky-based YouTuber Nick Kroehnke, aka Cumberland Rover , has spent the past few months documenting his progress on constructing a simple, 12-foot-long sailboat using everyday materials from the local hardware store. As he demonstrates across multiple videos, sometimes all you need is basic carpentry skills and a bit of creativity to take to the water yourself. Building a Wooden Boat 2026: Sail and Oar Skiff According to Hackaday ’s recent rundown, Kroehnke began his journey by building a rowboat using two pieces of 1×12 lumber that he bent and attached to a basic wooden frame.…