fuel the dream: building a wood boat I could live/cruise on?

[jbarros]

ok kids, I've started building my first tender, so now I need some outragious dream that I'm working up to to keep me going. You guys want to point me in the direction of boats that I could theoreticly build (3 or 4 learning boat building projects down the road) and then cruise up and down the west coast of North and Central America on? Or is that still the realm only of boat yards and profressional shipwrights?

Thanks smile.gif

-- James

[Dave Fleming]

No, you can do it but let me run some items bye you OK?
First: are we talking ***my version*** of traditional carvel planked on sawn or steam bent frame construction?

If that is the case then a 40+ footer will be in the area of 6 to 10,000 manhours of solo labour at least.
Add materials, you can start now and slowly build up your 'stash' as time and money permit but WAIT...where is your design? Oh that well, maybe something in the 500 USD would fit. I base that on a quote from Mrs. Atkins for a 40+foot motor sailor for an existing design from the late 1930's. Just for model making, ayup, 400 USD is what I got quoted for an existing old but good design. Some will be more and some might be less.

Second: Hows about a nice cold moulded hull? Probably still in that time frame after you cover it with googe and glass.

Third: A full on feeberglaz vessel. Can't help ye there Laddy Buck,sorry. I byepassed petrochemical boatbuilding and went from wood to Aluminum/Steel.
BUT my heart was and is into Wood, man.

Fourth: Metal, either Aluminum or Steel. Can be done but how do YOU feel about those materials. Lots of folks have prejudices against one or the other or both. Me, based upon some little experience would go for Aluminum for a one off.

So first it is design, material, tools, more tools, more materials, money and did I mention money. A patient, long suffering wife and family.
A fight for every dollar for the project and it means lots of beans and fat back.

Unless of course you have the doe-re-mee. But of course if you had the doe-re-mee you wouldn't have to build it yourself ( unless you like hard work for a couple of years that is ), rather you could hire me to run the job for you.

Now I went through this with a Forum person some time ago and it wound up as a tempest in a teapot.
So this time I am trying to put a bit of humourous spin on it. Whether I succeeded or not is up to you.
BUT there is lots o'food for thought in them words, I'm thinkin'...
PAX
dave

[jbarros]

erm, 40 feet? I think thats a bit bigger than I was looking at. I've spent some time on 27-30 foot boats that were perfectly serviceable for my needs, If there's enough room in the head to stand up and I can rig a catch under the floor and a shower head, it's luxery (although a luxery I will be doing my best to incure ;) )

So, right now I'm looking for designs in the around 30' range, for wood construction, either plank or ply, for sail only (think oarclub freak) or possibly small outboard auxilary, as I have issues with inboards (they harbor personal grudges agianst me. :( )

Like I said, it's a long term thing, and it may never come to pass. For the first year or three I'm just doing research and looking around. If I see a boat that I fall in love with and can't live without, then thats cool, if not, then I'll probibly end up on a nice little glass pearson or something. :\

anyway, thanks for the input, I'm sorry I didnt clarify more.

-- James

[Dave Fleming]

Not to worry! Where would we be without our dreams. Keep lookin' for that special design.

[john welsford]

The boat itself is only a part of a building project like that, and without being comitted to a specific design you can still achieve a great deal toward the end result.
You'll need tools, lots of em. Machinery helps, a building space, high quality boatbuilding lumber, skills, lotsa silicon bronze screws and nails, a shop vac, and on and on. Almost all of this stuff has to be to hand to complete the job, but none of it is design specific so dont just stand rhere, get on with it.

JOhnW

[Jim W]

Desires are great. Dreams are wonderful (imagination is a wonderous thing). Aside from the cost of tools/materials is the commitment of time andd sacrifice, perhaps the most precious commodity. Determine your needs - not now, in three to five years, be factual. You can't make a 30' boat the Queen Mary. Look at designs, gain skills, SAVE MONEY, go to a shrink. There's is a tremendous difference between day sailors and what you are dreaming about.

[landlocked sailor]

read George Buehler's books. ;) tongue.gif :cool: Rick

[Steve Paskey]

The dream is quite doable, and here's a log for the fire. Have a look at Jay Benford's sailing dories: www.benford.us/index.html?dories/index.html (http://www.benford.us/index.html?dories/index.html)
--
The boats are beautiful, capable, roomy, and relatively easy to build given their size. "BADGER," the 34-footer, is the best-known version, and the photos on that page will definitely get your heart rate up. A couple named Pete and Annie Hill have lived for years aboard their Badger, and Annie wrote about it in a book called "Voyaging on a Small Income."

[ 02-07-2003, 11:50 PM: Message edited by: Steve Paskey ]

[David N.]

Howdy James
Have you looked at Van de Stadt design's ?? , They have a lot of different design's , and there boat's were alway's considered fast boat's , sailing that is !! .

For my all time favorite 30-35 footer , it would have to be an Olin Stevens " Spirit" class stripped planked , lot's of sail , not much for beam 8' , 29' waterline . Some one once decribed it as a 40' with the ends cut off .

I would check with the " principle " , about your wood , unlike tin you need to cure this stuff , and that is as far as I go with any wood suggestion's .

glad you caught the fever !! .

[Wild Dingo]

Welcome to the club James...

Well put Dave! :cool:

Now dreams ;) ... mmmmmm okay lets leave that out cause you specified... where to begin and stay confined so this doesnt get longwinded??...

okay lets take you to Paul Gartside Paul Gartside (http://www.gartsideboats.com) Al Mason (http://www.a-mason-na.com/) and yes I will add Murray Peterson (http://www.petersonboats.com/Peterson%20Associates.html) he does have smaller than the coaster which caused the ruckus that Dave alludes to such as the Susan a schooner at 28ft LOD x 22ft10in LOW x beam 9ft draft 4ft1in and sail area of 460sq feet with a disp of 6 1/2ton price plans available for Susan at $800USD {note here very few of Murrays designs are on the website!! email Bill Peterson with your thoughts and he will be very helpfull in suggesting a design or designs suitable from his fathers catalogue}
George Buehler (http://www.georgebuehler.com/) has on the other hand several designs that would suit what you talk about...there are huge numbers of designers and designs in the range your talking about Macnaughton Benford Dix Roberts among others

But next lets look at cost of plans... you will find as Dave rightly states the plans will range quite markedly anywhere from $250USD to $3000USD depending on length and designer or holder of the copyrights and quite feasibly beyond that mark...

example here in the 28 - 30 ft range... George Beuhler has his 29ft Schooner Uncle Sam plans for $495USD whereas the Peterson Schooner Susan plans are available for $800USD but then some would say they are as different as chalk and cheese... maybe maybe not...

So lets look a bit further from the schooner type... why I will never know but what the heck?!! ;)

Okay Paul Gartside has amongst his many plans on his site a 30ft Gaff Cutter plans of which cost $550CAN and Al Mason designed many similar length sailing boats of which really Anita maybe should pipe up and give a comparison cost for you so I will leave her fathers designs to her to discuss...

Of course we havent touched on the sweedish designs which are a good price cost when conversion takes place from the Kroner to the USD... nor have I touched on the ply designs available or even the designs of many of the old timers available through Mystic or other museums... Ive just touched on some of whats out there... best that others take up the challenge and offer what else they know to help you out.

The search begins :cool: enjoy and good luck!

[Shaver]

Might I suggest a look at a boat called Toadhall. Built in a shed by a guy called David Goodchild. Try http://www.anyboat.com/toadhall.htm
then for some great shop tips,
http://catalog.com/bobpone/hottip.htm