ULTIMATE ANGLING - the Ultimate SA Fishing website
General Angling Topics => DIY Forum => Topic started by: John F on June 11, 2011, 05:47:00 PM
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This has always been my dream and lately I've been thinking about this more and more...
Anyone here has ever built a boat from zero? Doesn't matter if t is a 40 ft yacht or 2 m dinghy... something that looks like a boat, floats and you can go around on it...
Please show pics and share your story....
Thanks
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When I came to Durban I worked for Maxim Yachts. We built from 38 to a 60ft moter laucher. Right from the first drop of gelcoat to puting them in the water. The best part was taking them for their maiden voyge. The worst part was the fibr glas dust that went into places you never knew you had. I will look if I can find a photo of one.
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Cedar strip kayaks. Still in progress.... Aim to complete by end 2011.
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@Fritz, what happened to Maxim yachts?
@ PH, Nice! Please tell us more...
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PH, those kayaks look awesome!!
Image the looks I will get when I join the Knysna Canoe Club and take out one of those Moz dug-out canoes. Mmm, maybe I should make one to fish from. :hnthnt:
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PH, those kayaks look awesome!!
Image the looks I will get when I join the Knysna Canoe Club and take out one of those Moz dug-out canoes. Mmm, maybe I should make one to fish from. :hnthnt:
There is a owner of a B&B in Wilderness (forgot the name) that builds massive open Canadian strip canoes.
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I have seen one at Tait Marine a while back and they look fantastic!
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Sad story John but they closed down about 2years ago . They are excelant boats. I used to sail them to Inhaca a lot of times with the new owners to show them the ropes. Must say I mis it.
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That must have been a blast sailing up to the islands... do any fishing / trolling behind the yachts.. ?? ....... take my hat off to boat builders, not an easy task i think , takes lots of dedication and know how.
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One of our site supervisors used to work at Knysna Yacht company. A friend of mine always help them with his tow-truck when they launch their new yachts. It is very special to see them take to the water for the first time.
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@ PH, Nice! Please tell us more...
I always wanted to try this. Bruce, co-owner of Stealth, was also excited about the project and kindly gave me the plans for the Stealth Evolution.
Bruce designed the other kayak for himself for touring purposes. We decided to call it the Stealth Swift.
The Evolution after the first coat epoxy and the Swift :
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If I only knew then what I know now about fishing I would have been styling with bait. Also did some trips acros the Atlantic, sailed Durban to Capetown and vice verse and went as far as the Spice Islands up the East coast.
I used to spend hours fishing the fads all in the name of testing the water maker on the boat.
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Apart from the "small floating device", I would really like to build one of those DIY cats ... you buy the plans and build one live aboard cat on your own... like the entry level Casa Cat (http://casacat.com (http://casacat.com)) or going more serious with the Easy cats (http://www.easycatamarans.com (http://www.easycatamarans.com))... one day when I'm big!
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I always wanted to try this. Bruce, co-owner of Stealth, was also excited about the project and kindly gave me the plans for the Stealth Evolution.
Bruce designed the other kayak for himself for touring purposes. We decided to call it the Stealth Swift.
The Evolution after the first coat epoxy and the Swift :
How's the project going Pierre?
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I missed this the first time round but a couple of years ago in fact now almost a decade some people down the road from us built a yacht in their garden. Eventually they finished it and sailed off around the world. I dont know to many details I was only 11ish at the time but that is extremely impressive
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JohnF, I been thinking about abandoning the Stealth and consider the expenses as "school fees". I'm not happy with the quality. The surface is a bit bumpy and uneven.
The Swift will receive attention after the Vidal bash. I'm also considering making the deck of the Swift from decorative 3ply to cut down on labour. The modern plywood are glued with waterproof glue and should be OK. Maybe Fritz can advise on this?
One of the major problems is sanding the inside smooth and fair. Curves in both directions. Some guys use special scraping tools (many hours and lots of elbow grease) but I wish somebody could invent an orbital sander with a vonvex surface!!. It inside needs to be finished well because it will be visible through the hatches.
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I missed this the first time round but a couple of years ago in fact now almost a decade some people down the road from us built a yacht in their garden. Eventually they finished it and sailed off around the world. I dont know to many details I was only 11ish at the time but that is extremely impressive
When I was a student at TUKS in the early 70's a bunch of Engineering students built a concrete yacht next to the Hatfield Station to facilitate easy transport to the coast.
Sad story.
When transporting the boat to Dbn on the train one of the workers lost his life when passing under a bridge.
Eventually they sailed but the bow split open near the Knysna Heads and the yacht sank. One guy drowned. Of the 4 or 5 students only one guy managed to complete his studies after that. One guy ended up in a mental institution and one guy became a hippy in Pt. St Johns area. I don't know what happened to the other guys.
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Sorry to highjack PH when were you at Tuks?
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JohnF, I been thinking about abandoning the Stealth and consider the expenses as "school fees". I'm not happy with the quality. The surface is a bit bumpy and uneven.
The Swift will receive attention after the Vidal bash. I'm also considering making the deck of the Swift from decorative 3ply to cut down on labour. The modern plywood are glued with waterproof glue and should be OK. Maybe Fritz can advise on this?
One of the major problems is sanding the inside smooth and fair. Curves in both directions. Some guys use special scraping tools (many hours and lots of elbow grease) but I wish somebody could invent an orbital sander with a vonvex surface!!. It inside needs to be finished well because it will be visible through the hatches.
:-(
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Sorry to highjack PH when were you at Tuks?
From 1970 to 1975 and again 1981 to 1984
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Sorry to highjack PH when were you at Tuks?
From 1970 to 1975 and again 1981 to 1984
The year I took my first breath. :hehe:
There is an old concrete hull boat here in the lagoon and I saw that they beached it near the angling club. It looks like they are busy restoring it.
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The year I took my first breath. :hehe:
There is an old concrete hull boat here in the lagoon and I saw that they beached it near the angling club. It looks like they are busy restoring it.
Interesting!. Is it a yacht hull? Fairly big.
I hope they can. The rust must have eaten reinforcing to dust.
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What can I say Tuks engineering students are a strange bunch
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One day when I'm big and have some saved up time available, I'd like to build a boat too.
Looked at Dudley Dix's designs some years ago and still have one of their plans posted on my garage wall.
http://dixdesign.com/?gclid=CIGEhcXG56sCFQULfAodJn5XKw (http://dixdesign.com/?gclid=CIGEhcXG56sCFQULfAodJn5XKw)
Here's a nice 5 year build sailing cat:
http://dixdesign.com/43cat.htm (http://dixdesign.com/43cat.htm)
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What happened to Dudley?
Moved to America? He does not reply to my e-mails anymore :-(
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@ PH - when I got distracted, it was the last of my boat building ideas.
The price of marine ply at that time also gave me a jolt back to reality.
I should have done it, those prices have trebled.
Haven't communicated with them in probably more than 5 years.
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Some guys are using commercial ply these day because the the glue they now use for commercial ply is the same as marine ply.
BUT it is the density of the layers of wood in marine ply that still makes it superior for structural uses , like in boats.
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Yes, I thought of that too, but there is a material difference when 12mm ply that has 8 or 9 layers or just 4.
It isn't worth risking life and limb by going cheap on materials.
I'd rather spend another three weeks trying to source better prices, especially if you plan to go further than 10m offshore.
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Yes, I thought of that too, but there is a material difference when 12mm ply that has 8 or 9 layers or just 4.
It isn't worth risking life and limb by going cheap on materials.
I'd rather spend another three weeks trying to source better prices, especially if you plan to go further than 10m offshore.
:corrct:
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You can also ask Fanie for some assitance.... :clwn
http://www.faze.co.za/Little%20Tri/Little%20Tri.html (http://www.faze.co.za/Little%20Tri/Little%20Tri.html)
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You can also ask Fanie for some assitance.... :clwn
http://www.faze.co.za/Little%20Tri/Little%20Tri.html (http://www.faze.co.za/Little%20Tri/Little%20Tri.html)
Fanie knows nothing about strip kayak building. :crzy
Tried to critisize my efforts but he came 2nd :-)
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PH, it is not a sailing yacht, it is a tug look alike. It has been on the water for ages and broke its moorings a couple of years ago in a storm. They managed to get it off the bank and towed it back out. It has been a bird roosting place ever since. It is very bulky and solid and I think it will take a battleship to sink it.
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Found this blog about a guy in the US building himself a 44 ft steel boat (trawler) in his barn!!!!
Quite a detailed blog... very interesting!
http://www.conallsboatbuild.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-first-blog.html (http://www.conallsboatbuild.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-first-blog.html)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fRBeaR4Ml1Q/SlMhCKk5Q9I/AAAAAAAAAAU/fOxUEJjmyzY/s1600/TY43DAVIS.jpg)
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Just a heads up.... Conall's 44 ft trawler is complete!!!! Check his blog for an exciting build!
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Its definately no mean feet!!
My Dad and I built a 38ft roberts out of steel, we finished the hull and started the interior after 10 years :blush:
We sold her like that she is now moored in richards bay after the owner finished her.
a labour of love for sure.
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I've got a real urge to build Marissa http://www.bandbyachtdesigns.com/ec018.htm. (http://www.bandbyachtdesigns.com/ec018.htm.) I know full well how little practical or financial sense it makes but that's not what boats are about. Boats are flings that sometimes turn into love affairs and occasionally, lifetime partners.
As a kid, I helped my dad build a Mirror sailing boat. We sailed her a lot at Loch Vaal and down at our place in the E-Cape. I have a scandalously well equipped workshop and I've been a wood botherer all my working life, so it shouldn't be impossible... Eish!!! Time is the only real hurdle.
I could see Marissa becoming a lifetime partner.