At 16 years old, Alex is already taking on his own boat build, working on a modified x4210BA along with a trailer to suit. After attending a Pure Plate Boat Building Course, he’s now applying what he’s learned to a full project of his own.

Alex has always been into boating and fishing and decided to take on the challenge of building something from the ground up after being inspired by custom builds he’d seen online.

Before starting, he had some basic hands-on experience, but this project has introduced him to new skills, particularly in welding and fabrication. Like many first-time builds, it’s been a learning process throughout.

He’s currently working out of a home garage setup, making space by moving the family cars out, and building the boat piece by piece.

When we asked Alex about the highlights of the build so far, he said, “Seeing it all come together piece by piece… watching something you’ve built yourself start to actually look like a proper boat is unreal.”

On the challenges, Alex explained, “The biggest challenge has probably been learning new skills as I go and making sure everything is done right the first time… there’s a lot to think about, especially with measurements and fabrication.”

Once finished, Alex plans to use the boat for both onshore and offshore fishing, as well as exploring along the coast.

He’s also already looking ahead to future builds, with plans that include a pontoon boat, a 6m centre console, and eventually an 8m hardtop. Longer term, he’s aiming to build towards a hire fleet and his own fabrication shop.

Check Out Alex social accounts for updates on his builds:

Barnzey Does Stuff &  Barnzey Customs