For the Kids

• Boys and girls can have fun sailing toy boats.Polka Dot/Polka Dot/Getty Images
  
  Learning about boating, water and the environment all come together when helping children make a boat of their own. Small wooden tugboats, sailboats and other fun floating toys are relatively simple to build. Many of these can be very basic, but there are more extravagant ones -- some of which have motors to power them. If you prefer to surprise your child with a wood boat, you can find kits and model plans in a variety of places, from craft stores to boat shops. Always use non-toxic paints, glue and other materials.
  
  

Models

• Model-making is a pleasurable pastime.Tay Jnr/Digital Vision/Getty Images
  
  Spending a bit of time making a model wooden ship can be satisfying work. And the reward is a beautiful showpiece. Some model boats can actually be taken to the water, while others serve more for educational or decorative purposes. Kits abound for classic boats and historic ships, and you can also devise your own basic plans, adding details that personalize them. These wood crafts are a cross between toys for the grown-ups and artistic pacifiers for those times you are ashore and can't get on the water yourself. If you like puzzles, large-scale models can be quite the challenge.
  
  

Kayaks and Canoes

• Wood boats are really objects of art that float.Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
  
  Kayaks and canoes are one or two-person boats that are easier to build than most people realize. You can purchase kits with every necessary piece, or just get patterns and collect the parts you will need. If you have space in a garage, studio or work shed, you will be able to make one. Fine woodworkers and serious boat builders craft stunning vessels from hardwoods such as fir, teak, cherry and mahogany.
  
  

Accessories

• Crafts for wood boats don't have to be limited to the boat alone. Think outside the beam.Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  If you aren't interested in consulting a marine architect to construct a large, wooden vessel of your own, perhaps you can consider the accessories you might need and build them instead. Canoes and kayaks need oars, which can be constructed from many kinds of wood. Less obvious craft projects might include a rack for books or wine, stowage crates, trim details and photo frames for on-board displays. Retouching wood furniture, frames, chests, vintage blocks and tackle and other items can also be rewarding. Toss in a wooden lobster and a few clams for the galley.