More Diablo questions

[Lowell Bernhardt]

Well I'm trying to think of all the stuff to post before I go out of town for the week, so yall in your infinate wisdom can reply. :D

As some may know, I'm going to build Bolger's Diablo. Today while looking thru an oud IN- FISHERMAN magazine I saw a floor plan that I liked in a (dare I say it in present company?)..... shall we say a rather common place building material. Any way I digress. Long story short, I liked this floor plan of this 16' boat.

Now stretching the Diablo is no problem, but in order to set it up the lay out like the boat I saw I need to elimnate the center bulkhead. When I say eliminate, I don't actuall mean eliminate it. :confused: Do you think that I could frame this out of dementional lumber? What I'm trying to get around is having to put a seat in the middle of the boat. If I could get around it that would be great. I don't have a picture to post I know that would help.

Well, I think that that's about as vague as I can make it. Thanks .

Lowell

[On Vacation]

You can eliminate the whole inside with a little planning of any boat. But it must be done by longituals and covering boards. Show me the boat of your desires. I can comment on the alterations. I will duck for now.

[Memphis Mike]

I've built this boat and what I think
is your getting in way over your head.
Build the first to plan and then build the
second the way you like. This boat is
a lot of fun but it can also be
dangerous. Follow the plans so you
will know whats goin on. There are
some things not mentioned in the book
about Diablo. Email me.

[Memphis Mike]

Don't alter anything Lowell. Take
my advice and build it to plan.
You'll be happy with the results.

[Wiley Baggins]

I'm with Oyster on this one, whether you use covering boards and longitudinals, or some sort of frame/semi-bulkhead. This is especially true if he is offering his substantial experience in terms of recommending structural modifications to go with the lengthening and reworking of the interior.

I think that Memphis Mike's warning is definitely appropriate with respect to your initial "set-up" runs, built to plan, or not.

[Bruce Taylor]

Lowell -- In tack and tape construction, the frames act as moulds. You need them, while building, to allign the bilge and side panels, and hold the bottom square. These are what you "tack" before the "tape" goes on, see?

Once the hull is framed out, filled and taped, you can almost certainly rearrange the interior to suit yourself. I can think of several ways this could be done, but OysterMikeSkiffy knows a lot more about it than I do, and he has already offered to help. If I were you, I'd accept his offer. He's a pro.

In some of the Instant Boats, the bulkhead/moulds are cut down into narrow frames after the panels are taped. If you were to do this, and then supply another bulkhead w/ a true thwart in a different location, you could probably arrive at a boat that would be every bit as strong as the one Bolger drew. You could even pull out the bulkhead/frame/mould entirely (while it's only tacked in place...before you've taped the interior) provided you replace it with a framing system that is at least as rigid as Bolger's (think of the racking and torsional stresses that your boat might be subject to, as well as the more obvious side-to-side stresses).

Could you post a pic of the layout you have in mind?

[ 09-08-2002, 08:41 PM: Message edited by: Bruce Taylor ]

[On Vacation]

In no way I am attempting to reinvent the wheel. But in the bow, you can change the forepeak and put a casting platform dropped down and a nice double rubrail a create a structual foward section. At somepoint you need a walking area in the bottom of the boat.

The laps of the planking from the top to the transition creates a very rigid structure for teh sides.

With the bow changed and the added rail area and the stern seating, it would be very strong. The middle seating does give the boat the rigid side motion and the strength in the bottom for compression.

I will look at the plans on the web site closer. There is not a design in tape and glue construction that can't be revised to an open deck in plywood construction.

[Memphis Mike]

Originally posted by oyster:
In no way I am attempting to reinvent the wheel. But in the bow, you can change the forepeak and put a casting platform dropped down and a nice double rubrail a create a structual foward section. At somepoint you need a walking area in the bottom of the boat.

The laps of the planking from the top to the transition creates a very rigid structure for teh sides.

With the bow changed and the added rail area and the stern seating, it would be very strong. The middle seating does give the boat the rigid side motion and the strength in the bottom for compression.

I will look at the plans on the web site closer. There is not a design in tape and glue construction that can't be revised to an open deck in plywood construction.To bad you have all of these thoughts and
you can't convey the information on paper.

[Lowell Bernhardt]

Thanks for the help guys! I'll be back on Thursady.

[On Vacation]

Hey Mike. Ever been in the retail business? Why should I be agravated with people like you? All it does is cause grief when you put it on paper or in plans form.

[ 09-08-2002, 09:50 PM: Message edited by: oyster ]