paladin
11-09-2009, 01:30 PM
Early this morning I had a message on my mail.....asking if I could draw a boat in steel........I've never drawn one.....I looked at the basic specs, then took a look at the materials, then at the possible construction. I am aware of the capabilities of numerous companies that will water cut the steel from files from the computer, but....finding someone to weld the steel presents a challenge.
I contacted three companies in Canada that advertise steel boat construction. One no longer worked in steel, the second had laid off their staff although they were still in the area, and they had reduced their work force from 70 to 6 and now worked in fiberglass, and the third wasn't interested just to build the hull and decks.
Next, I contacted three yards on the East Coat, from New England to Norfolk, Va. One would cut the metal as they had always farmed it out to other companies around the facility, but wanted to do the engineering as they no longer assembled craft, the second said there was not enough work having to assemble a precut boat without the entire job, and the third, Mr. Howdy Bailey, a very pleasant gentleman that I have had the pleasure of speaking with numerous times over the years, said that he took the opportunity to retire, with the downturn of the economy. Surprisingly, he thought that building the boat in wood made far more sense. I had to agree although that was not the request made to me. If the boat were to be made of wood, I would send it to South Carolina.
Food for thought.
I contacted three companies in Canada that advertise steel boat construction. One no longer worked in steel, the second had laid off their staff although they were still in the area, and they had reduced their work force from 70 to 6 and now worked in fiberglass, and the third wasn't interested just to build the hull and decks.
Next, I contacted three yards on the East Coat, from New England to Norfolk, Va. One would cut the metal as they had always farmed it out to other companies around the facility, but wanted to do the engineering as they no longer assembled craft, the second said there was not enough work having to assemble a precut boat without the entire job, and the third, Mr. Howdy Bailey, a very pleasant gentleman that I have had the pleasure of speaking with numerous times over the years, said that he took the opportunity to retire, with the downturn of the economy. Surprisingly, he thought that building the boat in wood made far more sense. I had to agree although that was not the request made to me. If the boat were to be made of wood, I would send it to South Carolina.
Food for thought.