Wooden Boatbuilder

[peter radclyffe]

Peter Radclyffe 2005.

THE BIG CLASS

1

How different would the work have been for a shipwright, plater, blacksmith or joiner! No welding machines, all steelwork was riveted, no angle grinders, maybe a bench grinder, no stainless steel, a blessing and a curse because stainless steel is very hard to drill; maybe no electric lights, I don’t know, no halogen lamps or strip lighting, no plastic for washers or bedding.

[peter radclyffe]

this is about building a composite racing yacht 100 years ago

[peter radclyffe]

2

For the joiners and the shipwrights, no chop saws, bench sanders, biscuit machines, modern glues, crosshead screws and cordless drills and torches or routers, all moulding was probably done on a spindle router and with hand moulding planes, no electric planers or hand circular saws, no chain saws most large pieces were worked by axe adze, chisels. Spars were either steel or drawknife and hand planes, the mallet and chisel is still one of the most versatile ways to remove wood, combined with saw cuts, it’s way quicker, safer and cheaper then a router where a large chunk of wood is to be removed, it can then be finished with a router, caulking mallets and iron haven’t really changed in 100 years, but the mastic and glues have.

[peter radclyffe]

i was also in charge of this 50 % restoration
i installed 2 new 400 hp aifo diesels,
& patterned new bronze sterngeabr />

in charge of 50 % restoration, installed 2 new 400 hp aifo diesels
patterned new bronze sterngear, etc
MOHICAN© Benjamin Mendlowitz Fast Commuter Shipyard: Consolidated Shipbuilding Corporation
Designer: Consolidated
Plan n°: 2937
Year built: 1929
Length: 66 ft.
Beam: 12.6 ft
Draft:3 ft
Tonnage: 25 ton.
Type of construction: double skin with cedar
Engine:2 x 400 Hp AIFO
Speed: 27 knots max.
Restoration: 1995-1997, Circolo Nautico Italiano
Located: Italian Liguria’s Riviera

Mohican is one of that incredible Fast Commuters fleet that during 10’s and 20’s transported their owners from their Long Island’s luxury villas to New York City.
Every day 100-150 Fast Commuters competed in speed; the records were markets on New York Yacht Club’s board.
Born to be competitive in speed, they were pushed by big petrol engines.
Built in different sizes, they started from 50 feet length to arrive at Peter Rouss 225 feet’s boat.
Mohican was built by Consolidated, period’s most important motoryachts shipyard. It was transported in Italy and then restored at maximum level without any compromises

[peter radclyffe]

i re-aligned the sterngear on this, after the coked-up skipper pulled an anchor thru the hull with one prop shaft
ROBERTA Baglietto 16m Ischia Lenght: 16.16 mt
Beam: 4.14 mt
Depth: 2.20 mt
Draft: 1.30 mt
Engine: 2 diesel GM 12 V 71 N
Hp: 1000 Hp
Normal Deplacem: 19.7 ton.
Full Deplacem: 21.2 ton.
Max speed at full depl: 26.5 MPH
Cruising speed: 22 MPH
Cruising RPM: 2050
Endurance and range at cruising speed:14 hours
Passengers’ accom: 6 pax
Crew’s accom: 2 pax
Fuel: 3200 lt,
Water: 900 lt.
Restoration: Circolo Nautico Italiano
Located: Italian Liguria’s Riviera
Baglietto,very famous italian shipyard established in 1860 and growned after Second World War during the italian economic and nautical boom period, with series production of motoryachts.
Elba, Capri, Ischia, Minorca and Maiorca were the models.
Ischia was the most famous one with 97 exemplares production; a record for that period!
Last ten Ischia’s motoryachts had fly bridge. Baglietto, in fact, transformed, first in the field, american’s fischermann’s fly bridges in living areas.
Roberta was the last Ischia exemplar and was completly restored by CNI without compromises.
The final result is a reliable boat, refinedly decored, at 100% originality level.

[peter radclyffe]

heres a pretty boat we were going to restore, until the project manager lost the plot,
now that sounds familiar
JUANITA A Herreshoff 12 ½ sailing dinghy Shipyard: Herreshoff MFG. Co, Bristol, R.I. (USA)
Design: Cap. Nat Herreshoff
Year built: 1930
Number of construction: 1107
Rigging: Sloop
Length: 15’10’’
Lenght on Water-line: 12’6’’
Draft:2’6’’
Beam:5’10’’
Restoration: Circolo Nautico Italiano. Museum quality.
Restoration’s hours: 1100
Others: custom trailer, 2 canvas covers, Docron sail set, cotton sail set.
Location: Torino, Italy.

The rigging until 1924 was gaff type, then customers could choose Marconi version too.
After the War, all the royalties on this model were bought by Quincy Adams shipyards, that sold
them again to others during the years.
Its great success continues today, as every year several exemplares are built both in original
“Buzzard Bay” version, both in “Haven”version.
Juanita was bought in 1995, in Maine.
It is a well known model in USA, not often on the market in Europe.

[peter radclyffe]

before i was the foreman there ,cni restored this

SEREIA A skimmer Hydroplane Shipyard: John Thornycroft & Co. Ltd, London.
Design: John Thornycroft
Year built: 1928
Number of construction: 2071
Length: 9.00 mt.
Beam: 2.10 mt
Draft: 0.60 mt.
Engine: 6 cylinders, RBThornycroft
Speed: 36 miles/h
Materials: double diagonal varnished mahogany.
Restoration: 1993-1994 Circolo Nautico Italiano. Museum quality.
Restoration’s hours: 11.000
Others: custom trailer, 2 canvas covers, several spare parts.
Located: Torino, Italy.

This boat was built in 6 identical exemplares.
It came from English Navy force “Torpedo boats” used during the Second World War.
Today only 2 exemplares remain; Sereia and anothe one owned by the Thailand Royal family.
John Thornycroft was a pioneer in using “redan”, a little single step that interrupts hull surface reducing water’s impact and increasing speed.
Later on, in 1910, “redan” use became familiar for all sports boats producers.
Then, we saw the introduction of the traditional planant bottom, from which hydroplane name
cames.
Thornycroft shipyard was famous not only for the military and civil boats they built, but also for a
series of racing boats, as Miss England II and Miss England III, that won several speed’s records.
Sereia was bought in 1992 and completly restored. Until it arrived at its past splendor.
An important and rare vassel, in excellent conditions.
It is practically an unique item

[peter radclyffe]

i cannot afford to keep the gozzo, so i may have found someone to pay me to finish it



22:11 hours Wednesday, 17/03/2010



Portoferraio. An eco shipbuilding. A production chain that respects the environmental quality of the territory. This project initiated on an experimental basis, from Esaom, thanks to the professionalism of a shipwright elbano adoption, Peter Radclyffe, and the collaboration of a group of boys from the recovering community Exodus, a long time - through its own cooperative - to work in the yard. Objective: build brand wooden Esaom goiters. And around this production to develop the skills to make a point of reference of the Elbe for the recovery and restoration of wooden boats. No fiberglass, no maxi yacht "that size and type of production - says the director of Esaom, Antonio Martella - would hardly be compatible with Portoferraio el'Elba. Theater of the experimental area of Cantierino. I Esaom goiters. Inside the yard for several months at work Radclyffe Peter, shipwright elbano adoption, and after various professional experiences in some of the most famous Italian shipyard for wooden boats, like the Viareggio Del Carlo, and numerous restoration ships historical value, putting his hand to the realization of a prototype of goiter in agreement with Esaom. Boat of six meters in maritime pine. A small jewel of naval engineering, the kind that is now difficult to appreciate in the yards because, to make a difference, there is the art of a master carpenter. "It will be completed by next spring - says Martella - and after some tests at sea, put on sale. Obviously a market niche that of goiter, or intended for fishing enthusiasts, "but that goes well - continues the director of the shipyard - the traditions and characteristics of this territory." Restoration. The prototype is only a piece of the project, more broadly, the shipyard elbano that the wood would pay more attention within their historical activities refitting. In Italy there are very few centers that specialize in water restoration of wooden boats. And one of the reasons is that the master builders like Peter Radclyffe able to carry out the works are very few. Here then is the idea that the production of goiter was born Esaom second project: the recovery of historical craft in conjunction with a cooperative of young people linked to the rehabilitation community Exodus. All boys who have responsibilities for boating and that already work for other types of work, through the yard. To them, in recent months, was given the opportunity to have a teacher, Peter fact, that guides them in the recovery of small boats history. In the Cantierino there are already two waiting to be reborn to new life: a crop of the early twentieth century, probably belonged to General Diaz, and a spear than a hundred years ago was used as a boat rowing race for the stakes. -- Valentina Landucci

[peter radclyffe]

cesare sangermani came to see me today, so there may be another bucket of rot to restore

[Larks]

cesare sangermani came to see me today, so there may be another bucket of rot to restore

Interesting Peter, any hints as to what it might be? Also can you post a pic of Gozzo? I thought you already had but can't find it.

[Lew Barrett]

Thank you for the reboot, Peter. Curious; any interest in Mohican from buyers? I know she's been listed for quite some time.

[peter radclyffe]

well Greg, i shall wait & see, its a wartime 12 metre, but they love to yap here
hi Lew, i guess she is too dear

[Hwyl]

cesare sangermani came to see me today, so there may be another bucket of rot to restore

But lovely boats, is it Julie Mother

[peter radclyffe]

no Gareth, i shall study that one, there is another similar , rondine 2
for some weeks i have not posted as i could not find where the photos were on the italian p c, now ive found them

heres a 40ft danish kotter body plan

[peter radclyffe]

we had to wait months for a weather window to take the 70ft composite teak 1930's C & N motor yacht Bounty, sistership to Romara from hamble to torpoint,to be refastened,
you could tap the bronze planking bolts off the steel frames with a hammer, too tender,
the main danger portland race, you have to keep miles out offshore, one 40ft german yacht got stuck in it & had to be towed out, gardners

[peter radclyffe]

[peter radclyffe]

another fine yacht
http://www.lonaii.it

[peter radclyffe]

after she almost sank coming down channel from hamburg, i caulked up the 30 metre baltic trader julia at portland

[peter radclyffe]

[peter radclyffe]

i have designed a 9 metre colin archer type boat

[Lucky Luke]

i have designed a 9 metre colin archer type boat

May I ask a little question?
I hope/ suppose that the mast extends a good lot higher after the jib stay, and has another stay higher up, isn't it? I am afraid that, otherwise, there would not be enough distance between the gaff jaw (or saddle or whatever) and the upper peak halyard block.

[peter radclyffe]

hi Luke yes it does, my picture is not complete

[peter radclyffe]

I met a boatbuilder who very kindly took the time to explain the finer details of the history of 1'000’s of years of boatbuilding & charter
& the painstaking ways they took to make sure the customer is always right shafted

[peter radclyffe]

some of you have read this

Jerkish gullet or the best

Company has expensive, no experience in boatbuilding, we dont have the nessry, facultys, kipment, or person, We dont no how to make good boat, all boats we build is rubbish but we don’t care, because when you paid, whot you gonna do baht it, fool, you believe, any things wot we tell you, one born every minute, Out of 4’000 pictures we select onli 13 to show you cos rest is rubbish, we are never ready to answer the questions from customer, cos we are in whorehouse with bank manager, then we go casino, sniff drugs, where we make joke about stupid client, soon parted with cash, like ever body knows you either gedda de Turkish or de best, we don’t givva de fuk,

Gullet is very old vessel built of crap, they were used for 12’000 years by thieves, stealing all you got, olive oil, amphoras, wine, was used when we got plastered with ouzo, in extensive exploration and trading voyages we go rape and pillage, with your sheep Over the years the gullet has degenerated from was beautiful graceful swan, now is fat ugly pig of dog, finished with sand blast and cement, cracked deck, weak superstructure, hull not caulked, cos we fuggin lazy, so boat sink you buy another boat, we not stupid, we see you coming out of bank .

Most boats is built by rum bods called Stanley on the black, many years ago we study where we find best materials, we make extensive search high and low far and wide, thick and thin, then after careful deliberation and much consultation we make choice , the engine come out of front of old lorry, the wood fall of the back, we do our very best for you sir are most discerning customer, refined and prestigious in your ways, true or not we know you want hear this, you so stupid you pay we tell you your wonderful, our boats are so well known in Sweden they are called Voidatallcost, which our Swedish friends tried to translate to us but we too thick to understand much at all, the emphasis in our ranch built cabins is no air conditioning, tacky finish, leaky deck, goat in cupboard, mosquito in broken shower, none of this is in our brochure which is written by B.Cartland and any banker who lost his job, now we use his lack of moral fibre to sell you nightmare/holiday you will never be able to forget , we don’t care because next year another punter flies delayed plane.

[peter radclyffe]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKn1FuB53KU

[peter radclyffe]

svanhild

[peter radclyffe]

as a kid i read about miles smeeton who sailed the tzu hang from melbourne

[peter radclyffe]

somewhere between latifa & a colin archebr />

[Hwyl]

She looks heavy, didn't she pitchpole. I wonder what they were doing wrong.

[peter radclyffe]

she did, i'll have to read it again,
ive been finding more old papers, heres the lines for my 26 ft m f v

[peter radclyffe]

& the lofting exercise
the elm & oak on oak & elm rankin miss p

[peter radclyffe]

built at the back of hinks shipyard at weekends

[peter radclyffe]

tzu hang

[peter radclyffe]

on a day trip to france i wondered about taking my car across
then thought , better not

[peter radclyffe]

you dont mess with the worlds sexiest traffic wardens