yet another newbie!

[kisero]

Hello folks,

I will repeat this non-original phrase that many have written over here, this forum and community is an invaluable source of inspiration and knowledge. Thank you all for positive constructing replies!

My target: enjoy the pleasure of working on my own creation, a day sail boat, with no higher draft than 4 feet, rounded hull wooden construction. I found so far the “Dark Harbor 12” the best match to my intentions. The more I see it, the more I like it. I can take up to 1 / 2 years to build it, I have the place but I need all the rest.

My background: my dad owned a 25 feet wooden (full cedar) sailboat (German Frers) design (I’m Argentinean) that I never liked, since when I was kid all I wanted was a stunning fast fiberglass boat... Today, I might be getting old, but I love wooden oldies. I have no experience other than repairing a few chine, cockpit bits and caulking my dad’s boat. By no means, this converts me in a carpenter of course and I have this very clear in my mind.

I would feel more confident if before starting on this I would hit some books (specially on carve-built hulls) and carpenter tools utilization, can any of you recommend something (there’s a lot in Amazon…)?

What types of wood would you use for the hull (cedar?) or deck? I’ve seen mahogany is also used as a cheaper approach (and maybe less elegant?)…I need to find out this to weight the cost of this project before I go to my wife for expense approvals…

I’m afraid I sound like a complete novice for such project and I would appreciate if someone would tell me upfront if I’m heading nowhere with my background.

Again:
- Books recommended?
- I have the Dark Harbor plan available
- I have the place to build it
- I have no carpenter experience
- I have experience on sailing and wooden boats. Mostly repairing them a bit.
- I might have the local town carpenter helping me a bit

All information is greatly appreciated. Including hull pictures of an already built Dark Harbor!!!

Thanks
Esteban

[pefjr]

You are in a position that most wooden boat owners would love to be. Without a boat. But I can see you're a romantic, and hooked. Your next few years will be tough, good luck

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Welcome to the forum...!

A lot of questions to answer but here is my .02 worth:

What you build should have something to do with where you are. Your cruising ground will somewhat dictate what kind of boat would be best in terms of design. There are, however, designs that do most things well.

Our hosts, Woodenboat, have a great store online that sell many books that are real benchmarks for builders and enthusiasts. Check it out

Materials can also vary depending on your location. Local woods are often a better deal, and each area will have a species that works.

If you have no woodworking experience, you should be taking on some minor tasks around your home to familiarize yourself with tools and assembly techniques. Experience is a good thing.

Good luck..

[JimD]

For step by step building of a carvel boat this is one is a classic. Very clearly written, extremely well illustrated, and entertaining as well, by Bud McIntosh:

http://img.amazon.ca/images/I/51GH4PZS02L._SL500_AA240_.jpg (http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/images/0937822108/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=916520&s=books)

[Lew Barrett]

Welcome to the forum!

[RodB]

Welcome to the Forum.

I'm in a thoughtful mood tonight... so here goes....

You are like most here in the beginnings of their interest in wooden boats. If you take time to peruse this forum and read a few of the better books on boat building and boat designs.... you will have a much better idea of whats involved in the several types of building processes... and which type of design would likely fit your needs and area.

Choosing a design is another major task, and believe me, there are thousands of designs to choose from. It is your task to gain all the exposure you can on boats and to narrow down the parameters that will meet your supposed needs in a craft.

You start with a growing passion about woodenboats... then you start educating yourself on boat building and boat designs and their varying function. This is an enjoyable process and everyone has to start somplace.

Another confusing factor is that as you learn more about boats, your tastes will change and the "perfect" boat for now... will likely be much different in a few years.

Speaking as someone who is a little ahead of you on this continuum, I can say everyone has to build their first boat... and usually, if you build one, you'll want to build another. I would guess that you will find the search for a design to build very enjoyable and educational. I have found the search for a design for my second build, has been a really enjoyable experience as my boat knowledge has increased both in design function and building methodologies. Many advise the would be boat builder to choose a simpler and smaller design as a "learning project"... obviously, you will be more skilled in basic boat building if you have one project completed already.

Its nice to dream about building a boat such as you have described, but as you learn more, you will find a the entire process quite complex, as most boats are a series of compromises... with a direction towards what each individual may want a craft to do. Also, as I am sure you have realized, some designs are much more advanced in building skill than others, and having access to an experienced mentor can be quite important on more advanced designs.

For starters, read some of the best books on boat building such as mentioned above.... many of the best are listed in the boatbuilding section on the Wooden Boat Store.

Books of interest....

How to Build a Wooden Boat by Bud McInosh
The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction by Meade Gougeon
Building Small Boats by Greg Rossel
Boatbuilding by Chapelle
Details of Classic Boat Construction by Pardey
Cold Molded and Strip Planked Boatbuilding by Ian Nicolson
Clinker Plywood Boatbuilding by Ian Oughred
Devlin's Boatbuilding by Sam Devlin
Buehler's Backyard Boatbuilding by George Buehler
The New Cold Molded Boatbuilding

This does not even mention books compiling various designs by some of the worlds best designers (hundreds of these)... not to mention the science of boat design and all the factors that affect performance of differing designs. Lots to learn and so much fun. As long as you love boats, the journey is a lot of fun. Don't forget the many books on actual sailing, crusing, and of course other more focused books on boatbuilding such as boat electrical, rigging, sails, boat canvas, etc, etc.

Some of the best books of boat designs compiled...

The Good Boat Series by Roger Taylor
Good Boats
More Good Boats
Still More Good Boats
The 4th Book of Good Boats
John Alden and His Yacht Designs
Boats With an Open Mind
Philip Rhodes and His Yacht Designs
Sam Crocker's Boats
Albert Strange on Yacht Design, Construction, and Crusing
Albert Strange
Sensible Crusing Designs
The Sharpie Book
Fifty Wooden Boats
Fourty Wooden Boats
Thirty Wooden Boats
Designs to Inspire
Colin Archer and the Seaworthy Double Ender
Of Yachts and Men
Practical Small Boat Designs
100 Boat Designs Reviewed



Good luck, enjoy the journey.

Rod B

[pcford]

Welcome to the Forum.

I'm in a thoughtful mood tonight... so here goes....

<snips>

Excellent and well written advice.

The man may not have the best political beliefs down in the Bilge but he is spot on here.

[RodB]

:):D

[johnw]

Put an icon and your location on your profile, then people will feel like they know you better. If you don't, someone will decide you are Dutch, and although he has disappeared, his ghost haunts the forum.

Which Dark Harbor? I know where you can buy a 12 1/2 (WL) but then you'd have to get it to Argentina...

[davebrown]

who was Dutch?

[kisero]

hey, awesome thanks to all the comments, recomendations, advices and so. greatly appreciated, i think for all this ambitious projects we all seem to share, boosting confidence with a couple of well written phrases helps a lot!!!

i'm meditating on my strategy, i'll use the rest of the summer to read a few of the books you guys recommended me, i'll work out my working space to make it suitable for the construction, i'll go trough design (and their construction implications) and closer to the end of the year i'll make my choices. I'll need to buy some gear and learn to used them adequately.

I've seen that a pro takes around 2k hours in building a Dark Harbor 12, so It's good to know time ahead that this will take time : )

i've updated my profile information, not sure if it's displayed over here? Although i'm Argentinean i've been poking around quite a lot, i'm now settling down in a town close to Bratislava, Slovakia. I've got Croatian roots so i spent a considerable amount of time in the Adriatic too.

i'll keep a record of my steps in a website, i'll start it when i receive the books from Amazon : )

thanks again! i'll keep you loopedd!!

[ChaseKenyon]

Location: Dlha, Slovakia (you'll have to google maps that!)

I did google it and got lost in the endless listings of over 100 ski areas in the country over there. If my back improves like they tell me it will (starting a new therapy program this noon) Do they have a need for robotics teacher/ or carpentry , or boat building to fill in with when not teaching ski and snowboard like I have for 42 years? Are there foreign work visas available for teachers?

WOW beautiful country from the pictures I could find.

:) Chase.

[62816inBerlin]

Welcome!

I realize that the Czechs and Slovaks have split , but perhaps it's worth your while to visit : www.yachtbau.cz (office@yachtbau.cz) where they build the Golant Gaffer (among others) which, although mostly with fibreglass hull, has a beautiful old-style finish in wood (rigging, decks, upperworks and interiors). Maybe some inspiration for your further efforts.

Anyway, the yard is near Budweis where some of the best beer in the world is brewed!

Gernot H.

(BTW: as an IT guy - you don't perchance belong the t-systems server maintenance people?)

[johnw]

who was Dutch?
Dutch Rub was a troll.

[Cuyahoga Chuck]

Ahoj from Cleveland.
An Argentine in Slovensko? Did you know that, long ago, a few Slovaks immigrated to Argentina? Some of my relatives from Drahovce (at the south end of Lake Slnava) went to Argentina instead of Cleveland. One, a family named Varac'ka, produced a well known Argentine national football player. Other than him Argentina has swallowed up all the rest.
If you have experience sailing on the Danube I'm certain we would all like to know about it. Tacking into a 15 MPH current has got to be something most of us will never experience.
do videnia

[CGrant]

Hi and welcome. Send an email to Art Read - he's on this forum. He built a beautiful Dark Harbor 12 1/2 that is now in Seattle - I believe that is the one "johnw" refers to above. She has some restoration needs and would be good for you to start the process with.

[kisero]

Ahoj!
yes, many Europeans emigrated Argentina (in fact my surname might also give you a hint) and certainly to US!
Never tried the Danube for more than a few pictures, the current is pretty strong and I've only seen a few 15/20 motorboats and kayaks...the current can be very strong, specially in summer after the winter meltdowns!
dovi!


Ahoj from Cleveland.
An Argentine in Slovensko? Did you know that, long ago, a few Slovaks immigrated to Argentina? Some of my relatives from Drahovce (at the south end of Lake Slnava) went to Argentina instead of Cleveland. One, a family named Varac'ka, produced a well known Argentine national football player. Other than him Argentina has swallowed up all the rest.
If you have experience sailing on the Danube I'm certain we would all like to know about it. Tacking into a 15 MPH current has got to be something most of us will never experience.
do videnia

[kisero]

yes! lot's of ski here altough most of them are not that big as i've seen in france or italy!

boat building is a niche here, havent seen much altough they have some decent size lakes and the wealthy german/austrian market just around the corner...

interests in running buzzznessss just drop a line! :) i cant find any boatbuilding course in europe so far, havent tried much tough...


I did google it and got lost in the endless listings of over 100 ski areas in the country over there. If my back improves like they tell me it will (starting a new therapy program this noon) Do they have a need for robotics teacher/ or carpentry , or boat building to fill in with when not teaching ski and snowboard like I have for 42 years? Are there foreign work visas available for teachers?

WOW beautiful country from the pictures I could find.

:) Chase.

[kisero]

Hi and welcome. Send an email to Art Read - he's on this forum. He built a beautiful Dark Harbor 12 1/2 that is now in Seattle - I believe that is the one "johnw" refers to above. She has some restoration needs and would be good for you to start the process with.

wow!! this is great! will do.
thanks!

[kisero]

Put an icon and your location on your profile, then people will feel like they know you better. If you don't, someone will decide you are Dutch, and although he has disappeared, his ghost haunts the forum.

Which Dark Harbor? I know where you can buy a 12 1/2 (WL) but then you'd have to get it to Argentina...


John, what's the cost of a DH 12 in US? a good looking one.
just to close the math, since i've seen that it takes 12K hours 1 FTE to complete one, that's 5 month full time job..
cheers!