How much does a first time captain have to spend?
Naturally, the total cost to build and operate a ship depends on builder skill and the components used. Almost everything can be built from scratch using common hand and power tools. Many components can also be procured from surplus catalogs, junk yards or flea markets for very good prices (I got 6 really good batteries at a flea market for $9 total). The amount of wood needed to construct a hull is relatively cheap. The most expensive part of the ship is the batteries (at least two sets of 8-20Ah) and the radio gear (4 channel minimum, 6 for battleships). A complete itemized cost list (built from scratch) is given below. Clearly, the first ship is the most expensive since you have to buy all the support gear initially. After that, almost everything, except the hull, can be re-used in another ship. Most veterans have a number of ships with interchangeable parts that are moved around as needed depending on the battle conditions and personal goals. And don’t let the initial cost discoura
