Caledonia Yawl build downunder

[neil.henderson]

I thought I'd start a new thread which will hopefully track the build of my next (4th) wooden boat. I was going to build a Somes Sound 12 1/2 which to me is one of the most beautiful boats I could/will ever build but have always hankered after a yawl and love Iain's designs having spent much of my childhood in NW Scotland during holidays.
So, I've bought the plans, bought the ply, some Queensland Kauri (for the stems) and bundles of pine which I use for the mould frames. Work is progressing well and I think I may be beginning to get the hang of making decent mould frames. I use dowels to hold the pieces of the mould together and each joint is glued using Selleys exterior glue. I have acquired a Carbatec 14" bandsaw which makes cutting the moulds so much easier and more accurate.
I have ripped the QLD Kauir and have made the template to bend it around for the stems/aprons. We are unfortunately in lockdown here so I can't pop round to my friends to steam the timber - may need to make a wood steamer....................

Anyway here are some photos, I will try to post more as I go.
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[Andrew Donald]

Re: Caledonia Yawl build downundebr />
I’m jealous of your outdoor workshop Neil. Must be really refreshing having the sawdust just blow away instead of collecting on everything.

Following

[neil.henderson]

Re: Caledonia Yawl build downundebr />

I’m jealous of your outdoor workshop Neil. Must be really refreshing having the sawdust just blow away instead of collecting on everything.

Following

True - till you notice the diamond back python up in the rafters !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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[Larks]

Re: Caledonia Yawl build downundebr />
keeps the rats away .........and wakes you up every now and then....

[Andrew Donald]

Re: Caledonia Yawl build downundebr />
Nice photo. Having a lockup shed doesn’t make any difference. Lifted roller door to see a tail hanging from lip of door. Lucky it was only a little one, red belly black. That did wake me up. Are there termite snakes available?

[Steve TN 15]

Re: Caledonia Yawl build downundebr />
Yeah, I like the look of the CY too so I'll follow along

[Max F]

Re: Caledonia Yawl build downundebr />
Me too
Having snakes in boatbuilding places seems to me a very australian manner...
Have fun building
Cheers
Max

[neil.henderson]

Re: Caledonia Yawl build downundebr />
Some more recent progress as it is springtime here and starting to warm up which is really nice after what seemed to be a cold winter though I daresay the statistics differ........ I made a steam box today using cheap (they call it 'structural ply') & I sure as heck wouldn't build a structure out of it, nasty stuff with very rough surface and plenty of voids - but its made the box. I have bought a wallpaper steamer to provide the steam
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so now I will be able to steam the timber for the 4 stems.

Have also made a rudder blade and a centreboard which are marked out for trimming to foil shapes - both are made from Brunyzeel ply as will the hull.
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And I remembered to draw the lines across the board pivot point so that when i drill (25mm) a large hole and fill with epoxy before redrilling for the pivot pin, I will be able to remark the pivot point accurately. Think this tip came from Greg Rossel :-)
Hope to try out the steam box tomorrow.

Stay safe Regards Neil

[KenStocker]

Re: Caledonia Yawl build downundebr />
I'm with Max, this has got to be an Aussie thing. The only thing I want to see slithering is the extension cord as I pull it across the floor.

Ken

[KenStocker]

Re: Caledonia Yawl build downundebr />
Neil, you are just crankin' out the boats! How many have you built?

Ken

[PeterWidders]

Re: Caledonia Yawl build downundebr />
Hi Neil,

Looking very good and will be following along.

You may already be on top of this one ...suggest putting some dowels into the steam box so that you can form a rack for the timbers to sit on and get steam circulating all around them. I have used dowels in the past as they make it easy to slide the timbers in and out of the box.

[neil.henderson]

Re: Caledonia Yawl build downundebr />

Neil, you are just crankin' out the boats! How many have you built?

Ken

This CY will be my 4th boat build. I really enjoy trying new challenges and finding out all the new tricks and tips that make the build easier and improve its quality. I know I am hopeless if I'm not busy - so I keep busy :-) I used to tell new managers that they needed to watch out if I got bored at work because I would leave within a few months if I didn't get busy/challenged! (some managers did not appreciate this advice, even if it was true)

Regards Neil

[Dr. Strangelove]

Re: Caledonia Yawl build downundebr />

True - till you notice the diamond back python up in the rafters !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Guessing the name of the boat will be "Diamond Back"? That little fella could be the boat's mascot, keep the rats away and casual folks trying to step aboard in the marina.

[Edward Pearson]

Re: Caledonia Yawl build downundebr />

'
Neil nice work. Bruynzeel! You're spoiling her...the parallel edged foiling marks...you'd be better with a 'constant quarter chord' mark as the foil chord width changes down the foil. If you work from a template typically a non planing boat would have a four digit naca foil (usually 0010 centerboard/ 0012 rudder - but if you measure your chord width and plywood board thickness you can see exactly what your ratio is and pick the NACA four series for that ratio) you can see exactly where the thickest point is on the NACA shape co-ordinates - about 25% of chord thickness point and mark that line down the board proportionately below the keel line. The thickness should reduce proportionately too as the chord width decreases - that's a fair bit of work but the ply lines should help. I'd put a hardwood tip on it too - partly for abrasion but also to put a glue line accross the end grain which will seal how far water gets if the coatings and tip get breached. The end grain of the ply could wick water a long way then you've got swelling etc and a sticky board. Centerboards aren't removed very often in a boats life as it's a bit of a job lining up back in.

[neil.henderson]

Re: Caledonia Yawl build downundebr />
A few more photos of recent progress. Now have a weighted centreboard, a rudder blade and the beginnings of a Norwegian tiller. The centreboard is weighted with 6.5kg of flashing lead bought from Bunnings and then cut + bashed to fit. Geoff Kerr of OCH reckons 12-15 lbs of lead should be enough & I'll be at the upper end of that range so it should be ok I hope. Board has been wrapped in dynel cloth + epoxy. Today I have coated the upper part of the board in epoxy (unthickened) so that it has something to rub against inside the centreboard case. The Norwegian tiller arm is made from Dutch Beech which I had leftover from the build of Bella - it has a beautiful clear grain but is hard to work so my belt sander (!) hardly makes any progress against it at all but I thought I should go with something tough and strong s I'd prefer to avoid steering breakdowns during heavy squalls!
We are still in lockdown here (over 104 days now) but the lockdown starts to ease next Monday which is great. Getting hold of timber has become really difficult but I have a load of Hoop pine and QLD Kauri coming down early next week so I can start to visualise the keelson + make my 4 (inner + outer) stems from the QLD Kauri which seems to steam quite well. Staill waiting from the I-frame floor joists which my strongback will be made from but that's due mid-Oct so progress is on the near horizon.

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Hope you are all well..... .............Regards Neil

Oh, and the whales are moving South
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