Swallow Boats have many years of experience designing and building beautiful, functional craft many of which have come about as a result of design commissions. Typically a customer will come to us with an idea for their perfect boat. They may have done a fair amount of research and concluded there is nothing out there that quite fits the bill. It should be no surprise how often this is the case, a mass produced boat is essentially a one size fits all product. Generally, our customers are after something they cannot buy off the shelf. Sometimes it's an unusual requirement or a craft requiring special attention in design or build. Very often it is the light weight of many of our designs that appeals to those looking for something a bit different. We are generally asked to undertake both the design and build for a new project, but we do consider offering a plans/plywood service for those that want to build themselves. This usually comprises a full set of plywood parts computer cut to shape (circumventing the need for lofting) and a set of detailed plans. In either case we always agree on a firm price up front, before any construction work is started, in order to avoid any misunderstandings later. All our build work is backed by our comprehensive guarantee and customers are usually involved as much as possible in the design and build process. Many of them say it's almost the most enjoyable aspect for them - a deep involvement in creating their own boat. If you have a long held idea for a new boat you should get in touch with us for a no obligation feasibility assessment. This will give you a few sketches of the sort of thing we are aiming for together with an idea of the price for the project.