When you add everything up, it can get expensive. I've developed the "Everything costs $150" rule-of-thumb, that seems to be able to estimate ship costs into the ballpark pretty well for Big Gun construction:

- Fiberglass ship hull: $150 (more or less, usually depending on size & complexity of the curves; you can cut this down to around $30-50 or even less if you build your own hull out of scrap wood)
- Guns: $150 per turret (less if you can make your own)
- Radio: $150 (typical for a 6-channel non-computer set + ESC; some better deals can be found sometimes)
- CO2 system: $150 (more or less, depending on the number of guns)
- Misc supplies & equipment (motors, shafts, rudders, wire, etc.): $150

Add it all up: A large battleship with 3 main turrets armed should cost about $1050 to build, which most experienced builders would probably say is in the ballpark. You can save money by building several of the components yourself, at the expense of more time, but only if you have the right tools, equipment, & skills. Mistakes that have to be undone add to the cost in both money & time. Tools that you might have to buy add to the cost, but can be used for other projects. It's definitely not a cheap, "throw-away" hobby.

Note also that if you go without the guns & CO2, & build the hull yourself, you can put an unarmed merchant ship on the water for about $300. A lot of people (myself included) recommend an unarmed merchant ship for a first build for several reasons:

- The clubs need cargo ships to flesh out battle scenarios.
- It costs less to get started.
- You can get on the water, & into the action, sooner.
- You get a taste for the action, which is often a motivator to get the armed ship built.
- All of your first-ship mistakes (of which there will probably be plenty) get to be made on something that you won't care about as much as a fully-armed warship. When you finally get around to building a warship, you will know so much more than you do now & you can put that knowledge to work making your warship that much better. Part of that knowledge might be that the warship you originally wanted to build might not work out so well in reality, & all sorts of plans can chage as a result of your experience.
- If you end up deciding that this isn't for you after all, you're not out as much money.

JM