No, I have never built a but before, and never have I come close to doing it. I don't think that I would trust myself to built one. I always think about the negatives such as, what if the boat sinks because I didn't erect it properly. Things like that scare me so I 'd rather purchase. However, I do think that building a boat would be a fun family task; I think I may try that. it wouldn't hurt to give the boat a test in a small pull or something to ensure everyone's safety.