PDA

View Full Version : Making a wooden boat



Louis
12-09-2008, 12:50 PM
Curious to know if anybody has made their own boat before.

I think it would be a very rewarding experience to be on the water in a craft that you have personally made yourself.



Louis

TheRealAndy
12-09-2008, 02:34 PM
Have not made one but I am seriously considering making a replica of a boat that is in the maratime museum that I sailed on as a kid. Its a Linton Hope Rater, carvel plank about 22foot. I have to make the decision in the next couple of months cause If I go ahead it has to be completed for the 100th anniversary of Sandgate Yacht Club in 2012, so I have about 3 years to make it. Just waiting on plans now and when they arrive I will cost it out, and that will be the deciding factor!

Mindi
12-09-2008, 05:47 PM
Have made a few actually including a 16ft American Power Dory which I used for ten years with a 25 Yammy on the back and it is still going strong on Port Philip bay after 16 years... also several rowing dory types...fantastic fun to do. Lots of plans available. materials pretty expensive now. No sophisticated tools required, but a bandsaw a big plus, otherwise chisels , a spokeshave or drawknife, a Japanese backsaw and lots and lots of clamps.
Depending on what you have in mind I could suggest some books to grab secondhand from the Web. and you are spot on..it is very rewarding fishing from a boat you have built. The Dory mentioned above fished everywhere from the 4 mile reef at Bermagui to the Noosa Everglades to Westernport and PP Bay.
Have also made an11ft pram dinghy with a 4hp Yammy which was built to fish the Roper and Daly and Sth Alligator for barra..and did so successfully ....and at 50kg was easy to cartop about 10-15kg lighter than a tinny the same size plus about half the cost...still have that one sitting beside the dam

patrol50
12-09-2008, 06:38 PM
hi - yep i built a harley trailer sailer 18 and took me about 8 years part time effort from start to finish which i still have the boat just sitting there under a tarp most of the time - put so much time and effort in it i cant bring myself to sell it - have of course sailed it reasonably often in the not too distant past and also used it as a motor boat also at times with 18 hp on the back - but have a quinny 470 / 50 hp runabout these days to use as a ruabout / fishing boat and its a bit hard to use too boats when your not retired - lot of time and effort to build one believe me but still a labour of love in so many ways and a great stress equalizer - would i do it again - i dont think i would as it just takes so much time to do it if your not trained in wood working - its quite expensive also to build a decent size plywood trailer sailer these days particularly if you do it properly using west system and dynal covered etc
just my thoughts
see you rob

patrol50
12-09-2008, 06:47 PM
just as an add on - power tools certainly help cut the time down and an angle grinder set up as a disc sander is worth its weight in gold - the band saw certainly helps cut the frames accurately but a jig saw can suffice and of course a power drill is indispensible plus an electric plane - forget the hand tools, chisels, planes etc they are for the old tradesmen - use a top quality gap filling epoxy glue system and you can be 3mm or 5 mm out in your joins and the glue does the job and lots of clamps i have about 30 in total from - 50 mm right thru 100mm 200mm 300mm 400mm ,and a few big 500mm - good luck and dont let me talk you out of it rob

TheRealAndy
12-09-2008, 07:06 PM
just as an add on - power tools certainly help cut the time down and an angle grinder set up as a disc sander is worth its weight in gold - the band saw certainly helps cut the frames accurately but a jig saw can suffice and of course a power drill is indispensible plus an electric plane - forget the hand tools, chisels, planes etc they are for the old tradesmen - use a top quality gap filling epoxy glue system and you can be 3mm or 5 mm out in your joins and the glue does the job and lots of clamps i have about 30 in total from - 50 mm right thru 100mm 200mm 300mm 400mm ,and a few big 500mm - good luck and dont let me talk you out of it rob

Nice. My old man built a glass over ply 30foot yacht and sailed it from melbourne to brisbane. Then I came along and ruined it all for him!

The boat I am thinking about building is carvel, so lots of old school knowledge is required. Unfortunatly most of the older guys that knew these building tecniques are now passed on. I do still know a couple though. I wonder how many people have build caulked plank boats here!

For those who are remotley interested, the replica is of Miss Sandgate, which is currently being restored at the Brisbane Maritime Muesum.

patrol50
12-09-2008, 08:37 PM
yes andy your are certainly taking on a pretty challenging job building in carvel but again it i believe can be made easier with the right power tools but have never done it of course - building with strip planked cedar is to some extent somewhat similar and i have had a go at that - i have seen a maintenace boatyard cut the cord and sealer (bitumen or other sealer etc) out of an old carvel planked boat with a small hand power circular saw and then fill with epoxy sealant to stop leaks - good as new - good luck rob

Mindi
12-09-2008, 09:01 PM
just as an add on - power tools certainly help cut the time down and an angle grinder set up as a disc sander is worth its weight in gold - the band saw certainly helps cut the frames accurately but a jig saw can suffice and of course a power drill is indispensible plus an electric plane - forget the hand tools, chisels, planes etc they are for the old tradesmen - use a top quality gap filling epoxy glue system and you can be 3mm or 5 mm out in your joins and the glue does the job and lots of clamps i have about 30 in total from - 50 mm right thru 100mm 200mm 300mm 400mm ,and a few big 500mm - good luck and dont let me talk you out of it rob

Yep epoxy does cover a few sins mixed with fortifying compound but if you want a varnished planked or otherwise natural looking wooden boat some joinery tools are a good idea. Biggest win was two small hand drills..one witha drill and one with a screwdriver...saved about a million chuck operations.

Briz
12-09-2008, 09:40 PM
Not sure if a canoe makes it into what everyone considers a 'boat' ... but a great way to unwind - I build as much for relaxation or possibly therapy as I've not found anything that comes close - just finished an alloy boat this year which was a completely different set of skills to learn - thoroughly recommend the process to everyone.
Attached are a few pics of the build - from setting up the stations to letting the kids loose - it's had a lot of use over the last couple of years in the upper reaches of the Noosa after bass ... once you get over the first scratch the rest is easy!
cheers
Briz

dogsbody
12-09-2008, 10:11 PM
Check out this one. http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=113942

Dave.

Mindi
13-09-2008, 09:28 AM
Check out this one. http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=113942

Dave.

OOOPs.......makes my efforts look pretty crude. What a beautiful thing.

Louis
13-09-2008, 03:23 PM
That's a beautifull canoe.


Louis

TheRealAndy
21-09-2008, 09:11 PM
Just got a copy of the plans for the linton hope rater class yacht today! I will try to get a scan and post them up, perhaps then some members can tell me if I am losing the plot by thinking of building one!

Steboe
22-09-2008, 12:17 PM
How does hoop compare with kauri for a stitch and glue dinghy

Ken