Coquina buid in Oz

[m2c1Iw]

For some time I've admired the Coquina builds here and thought it time to post the progress on mine.

I purchased the plans along with the excellent photo set from Doug Hylan in 2008 however building did not start until twelve months ago and now the hull is ready for paint.

The hog, transom and sheerstrakes are mahogany with celery top pine keel, stem and knee along with Joubert ply the spars will be hoop pine.

Hope to splash in about a years time.

Link to the photo set. http://www.flickr.com/photos/5005785...7627067341283/

Mike

[JayInOz]

Nice work Mike! Did you have any trouble sourcing those timbers? JayInOz

[PeterSibley]

Lovely Mike , a credit to you !

[ShagRock]

Nice work.. your Flickr set is topnotch too!

[andrewpatrol]

Gday Mike, at first I thought your boat was carvel planked in this photo until I read on, seriously curvaceous lines there.
I have a small query regarding the plywood that you used, I am about six months off buying some 12mm for a Grey Seal that I'm building here in Melbourne (Aus).
What brand and where did you purchase from, also what are your thoughts on the quality, flatness of sheets, thickness of the face veneers etc.

Regards Andrew

[m2c1Iw]

Thanks Gentlemen the build has been a joy thanks to Dougs detailed plans and the many photos of John Brooks showing details of the many tasks. I also have Johns excellent book as a reference for this amateur builder.

Nice work Mike! Did you have any trouble sourcing those timbers? JayInOz

For the celery top and some huon pine I'll use on the fit out I was lucky enough to come in contact with an ex Taswegion who has a shed full and was good enough to part with some. The mahogany came at great expense from the only specialist timber yard here it's Brazilian and the stock they have is the last luckily I found a few 6 metre x 250 x 75 lengths in the pile.

Gday Mike, at first I thought your boat was carvel planked in this photo until I read on, seriously curvaceous lines there.
I have a small query regarding the plywood that you used, I am about six months off buying some 12mm for a Grey Seal that I'm building here in Melbourne (Aus).
What brand and where did you purchase from, also what are your thoughts on the quality, flatness of sheets, thickness of the face veneers etc.

Regards Andrew

The Joubert ply is excellent in every respect I precoated it with tinted epoxy hence the strange colour. Talk to Andrew at Denman Marine the freight is surprisingly affordable. No connection just a happy customer.

[PeterSibley]

Nice work.. your Flickr set is topnotch too!

It is , I've just gone through it . What ply thickness are you using Mike ?

[m2c1Iw]

6mm as drawn Peter the plans also cover traditional planking at 5/16"

[Jayhawk]

Inspiring.

I'm sure many more of us are thinking of building a Coquina now

[Reynard38]

Beautiful work. Good to see more Coquinas being built. I like the selection of woods.

[Sailor]

Any progress?

[Larks]

Yes, good call Sailor. What's the story Mike?

[m2c1Iw]

Not much to show it's been cold and I've been slack.

Hull is primed but then I went on to making the spars so the shop needs a good clean out before the painting can proceed. I'll update when I've taken some more pics been a bit slack on that front to.




The lumps of wood are now shaped and waiting for fittings. The birdsmouth main mast requires a bit more shaping with a long board as I got a bit carried away with the belt sanding method and ended up with some shallow spots.

I've been trying to source copper nails to fasten the gaff and boom jaws they are getting very hard to find.

[RFNK]

As above Mike - looks terrific!! How many copper nails and what size do you need? I have some fairly large ones but not many.
Rick

[P.L.Lenihan]

Most alluring bit of work and finish there! I think I may be drooling a bit.


Cheers!


Peter

[m2c1Iw]

As above Mike - looks terrific!! How many copper nails and what size do you need? I have some fairly large ones but not many.
Rick

Thanks Rick, I needed 6, 8 and 10ga X 2 to 5" long. After contacting every chandler in Adelaide I discovered only one stocks them then driving all the way across town only to find they were out of stock I finally ordered some off Boatcraft even they are out of some sizes. Seems like the demand for copper nails is waning must be the dreaded poxs fault.

Most alluring bit of work and finish there! I think I may be drooling a bit.

Thanks Peter, you will be pleased to note I have sandpaper hands you know no skin left and I did on occasion resort to the expensive sandpaper.

[P.L.Lenihan]

Thanks Peter, you will be pleased to note I have sandpaper hands you know no skin left and I did on occasion resort to the expensive sandpaper.

Oh dear Mike, good on ya but whatever you do, don't let that harvester of fush and breaker of wimmins hearts John B read about this or he'll likely begin getting those fainting spells , again.


Cheers!


Peter

[Larks]

Mike, are you aware of these guys on ebay?:

http://shop.ebay.com.au/markos20767/...id=p4340.l2562

[PeterSibley]

Mike, are you aware of these guys on ebay?:

http://shop.ebay.com.au/markos20767/...id=p4340.l2562

That seller is good , I've bought quite few screws from him ...all correct and good quality .

[m2c1Iw]

Ta for that, I found that seller after ordering off Boatcraft I only need a few so it was a toss up quantity vs cost. Still need some copper tacks so I'll give him a try.

[m2c1Iw]

Beautiful work. Good to see more Coquinas being built. I like the selection of woods.

Thanks the wood (much more than the workmanship) may make the boat quite valuable in years to come as the environmental party "Greens" have been successful in passing legislation to lock up vast areas of forest in Tasmania. Meaning the local wooden boat building industry will not have ready access to the quality logs needed for the craft what is available can only increase in price.
Celery Top Pine is one of the nicest woods to work with more like a hardwood and stable next to Huon and King Billy Pine they are the premium boat building timbers in Australia. I've used the Mahogany because you just can't beat the charm of a nice piece of well varnished Mahogany I'm still tossing up as to the thwarts they will be either Huon or Mahogany.

Following your build with interest BTW not much hope of me catching up at the rate you are going.

Mike

[m2c1Iw]

Hull is painted





and the spars are finished and in the process of being varnished



Mike

[PeterSibley]

Absolutely beautiful Mike !

[Sailor]

2nd that!

[WilyBCool]

Woo Hoo! Damn, wish I was there with you jones-ing for a ride!

[m2c1Iw]

After much delay today I managed to corral some helpers to turn the hull. All went well so it's on to some more woodwork.


Mike

[PeterSibley]

Very ,very sweet Mike !

[P.L.Lenihan]

Holy Sweet Banana!!! What a delicious bit of work and finally out in the bright light of day!! Exquisite bit of work Mike.You must be very very proud. I know I would be!!


Cheers!


Peter

[Sayla]

Wow, that's a beautiful looking thing - good job

Could you tell me which white paint you chose for the hull, and for that matter, which clear coat?
I'm building a lapstrake Acorn 10' with lug sail for my young son
To keep the weight right down for car-topping I have used a cedar transom and some internal bits, and hence a more tan/cedar sheer strake - but no white paint chosen as yet

Without pi&&ing in your pocket...that boat of yours looks awesome. It's my favourite style and colouring for small boats.

sayla

[Gerarddm]

Every Coquina I've seen photos of is gorgeous, clearly because the owners took the pains to properly interpret this classic lovely design. Yours is just great, good on ya. I could only hope to build one, and as nice, someday.

[Sailor]

Nice.

[m2c1Iw]

Very ,very sweet Mike !

Thanks Peter, getting there slowly.

Holy Sweet Banana!!! What a delicious bit of work and finally out in the bright light of day!! Exquisite bit of work Mike.You must be very very proud. I know I would be!!



Cheers!


Peter

And thank you too Peter. Bright is right I instructed the Commodore on how to video the performance but some how the camera needed sunglasses the result was not good.

[m2c1Iw]

Could you tell me which white paint you chose for the hull, and for that matter, which clear coat?
I'm building a lapstrake Acorn 10' with lug sail for my young son
To keep the weight right down for car-topping I have used a cedar transom and some internal bits, and hence a more tan/cedar sheer strake - but no white paint chosen as yet

Without pi&&ing in your pocket...that boat of yours looks awesome. It's my favourite style and colouring for small boats.

sayla

G'day sayla,
The paint is Norglass enamel and the varnish is Le Tonkinois, yep can't beat good old white plus I reakon it shows off the lapstrakes better than a colour. I tossed up about the wood but eventually talked myself into Mahogany and blow the expense it just looks right IMHO.

Thanks for your comments and good luck with the build hope the stuff up fairies stay away, so far they have only visited a couple of times here.

[m2c1Iw]

Every Coquina I've seen photos of is gorgeous, clearly because the owners took the pains to properly interpret this classic lovely design. Yours is just great, good on ya. I could only hope to build one, and as nice, someday.

Nice.

Again thanks, it is a pleasure to build as one can't help but stand back often to admire the hull form. The plans and photo set that Doug Hylan supply are so detailed I think anyone can build one with some patience.

Cheers
Mike

[Sailor]

I got my dad Doug's plans last year for xmas.. he's still not started... I guess I might have to get him some wood for xmas this year.....

[Larks]

She is absolutely drop dead gorgeous Mike!!!!!!........But really mate:




........using her as a pot for your bougainvillea??

[m2c1Iw]

........using her as a pot for your bougainvillea??

What...........doesn't everyone, that's why epoxy was invented to stop rot in planter boxes?

[RFNK]

Wow! Fantastic Mike - really magnificent boat!! I think you should launch it with the bougainvilleas in it, with the rig too. Sort of an Indian wedding look! You've done a great job!
Rick

[m2c1Iw]

Thanks Rick I must admit when taking the photos I didn't pick up on the background too interested in the boat I guess.

Well work has proceeded with inwales fitted.



Bulkhead dry fitted



Breasthook fabricated



Frames steamed



Next the centrecase

Cheers
Mike

[PeterSibley]

Mike, did you take any photos of the planking process and how you templated their shapes ?

[m2c1Iw]

Peter,
Doug includes a plank layout sheet with the planks all beautifully nested so they can be cut from standard scarfed sheets of ply. I found the dimensions to be remarkably accurate so after transfering the layout to the ply simple to rough cut then mark up on the mould ticks using this little aid, not my idea I pinched it from Breeze who posted his build here. The only issue I had was getting the garboard lap looking right at the bow basically my lack of experience made me hesitate about how fair the lines were.
Hmm I've checked my pics and it seems I've overlooked taking any pics of cutting out the planks anyway as I said after marking out on the mould I pinned the two planks together with battens then used a router to cut the hopefully fair lines.

[Duncan Gibbs]

Absolutely beautiful Mike!

[PeterSibley]

Thanks Mike. A boat I will start this year is a Selway Fisher JIM, an 18 foot canoe yawl. The design is for stitch and glue rather than for glued lap so I expect a little more work modifying the shapes he has given to allow for laps.
Consequently I might have to pick up the plank shapes myself .

Someone once posted a rather neat method using two battens with hot glued 'braces' that formed a 'truss like' template for the plank shape (I'm not describing that well!). I think I need to look at it again.

[Yeadon]

Frames steamed

Lovely boat!

I'm curious about the construction logic employed in framing this boat. In my limited experience with traditional lapstrake boats, I've seen full frames steamed in from gunnel to gunnel. Each frame is fastened in at the gunnel, then again at each lapline, at the keelson/hog, and then back up again the same way to the far gunnel. It creates a nice unified structure.

But here, you have partial frames that span six planks apiece, and they don't look to be tied in to the hog in any way. How does this particular design make up for the lack of full frames? A combination of sidedecks, thwarts and bulkheads?

[m2c1Iw]

Thanks Mike. A boat I will start this year is a Selway Fisher JIM, an 18 foot canoe yawl. The design is for stitch and glue rather than for glued lap so I expect a little more work modifying the shapes he has given to allow for laps.
Consequently I might have to pick up the plank shapes myself .

Someone once posted a rather neat method using two battens with hot glued 'braces' that formed a 'truss like' template for the plank shape (I'm not describing that well!). I think I need to look at it again.

Is it built over molds? I did contemplate lining off and spiling but the pattens for the molds are so accurate it was not really necessary which is a good thing for a novice especially trying to build it in a fairly confined space it is difficult to get to sight things from far enough away. It sounds like it will be a required skill for your build, patience and practice as they say.

Re patterns and that truss like system I'll be doing that next for the sole skirt board and I probably will get the opportunity to practice spiling on the rest of the sole boards, another learning session.

[m2c1Iw]

Lovely boat!

I'm curious about the construction logic employed in framing this boat. In my limited experience with traditional lapstrake boats, I've seen full frames steamed in from gunnel to gunnel. Each frame is fastened in at the gunnel, then again at each lapline, at the keelson/hog, and then back up again the same way to the far gunnel. It creates a nice unified structure.

But here, you have partial frames that span six planks apiece, and they don't look to be tied in to the hog in any way. How does this particular design make up for the lack of full frames? A combination of sidedecks, thwarts and bulkheads?

I'm far from qualified to provide any technical info but my understanding is on glued lap frames or ribs are not required for the structure to hold together. In this case the frames are really only to support the sole beams, they will be tied by the floors (next job). For the traditional version full frames locked to the hog via floors are specified. Other builders here have fitted full frames for the more traditional look.

Cheers
Mike

[Yeadon]

Ah, it's plywood? I hadn't considered that. So the laps are glued? Or is it traditional lumber?

[m2c1Iw]

Ah, it's plywood? I hadn't considered that. So the laps are glued? Or is it traditional lumber?

Yes glued lapstrake 1/4" ply I pre coated the sheets with tinted epoxy hence the strange colour, something I would not do on another build too much trouble given the number of edges that still need sealing a good system for stitch and glue but a pain on glued lap.

[Reynard38]

Mike it's looking really nice. Did you get your hardware from Reineck? If so did it all come together?
We've had some great weather here lately, I'm anxious to get mine out on the water.
Those shearstrakes look fabulous. Is that the "Celery top" you mentioned earlier?

[Portland]

A great thread Mike , both here and on the Aussie WBF .
I have nothing to add , just good work all round.
Regards Rob J.