Probably the best book on traditional wooden boat building is by Howard Chapel, and most likely is out of print. There are various plans which can be purchased, such as Glen L, or a number of yacht designers such as Sam Devlin, William Garden, Robert Perry, Jay Benfroe, etc. A google search on building wooden sailboats shows over 18,000 hits and on sailboat design over 50,000 sites.-- there are a lot web sites which will help. Amazon.com shows several books on sailboat design and building--many out of print. You don't say how big a sailboat, or what the purpose is. Stitch and glue is fairly easy, fast and strong. Cold molding is also fairly fast and very strong, with excellent boats built with epoxy resins. It would be a major mistake to attempt to build anything other than a dinghy or daysailor without some boat design experience. Generally power boats are easier to design (certainly many designers may disagree) that will work (not necessary the best), but if you do not have the balance and lines of a sail boat, as well as the structural intregrity exacty right you will have a nice pile of firewood. There are home built boats that are works of art--and I am sure that your friend is capable of doing just that--but there are so many design perimeters that must be considered that unless this is a very small boat, it will really pay to have a designer work with him. Grew up on wooden boats, built a few small boats--but would not attempt to build one larger than 20 feet in length, except by cold molded method. Bob Austin, 30 foot single diesel aft cabin Carver Pensacola, FL.