Fifty Feet of Grey (steel)

[Robg71]

Ok, I suppose as I have just been informed, that today has just started the new part of my boating career, and gone from mindless jibber jabber to actually doing something.
Im not there to witness it, (working) but we have just started cutting steel.

to bring this roughly up to date, And to pinch a few photos from previous thread and my inane ramblings, see below.
!4 tons of the finest shipbuilding steel in holland is been munched through with a cnc controlled plasma torch. Varying from three up to six mm.

The 46 foot version you see above, is a semi displacement, single engine version for the dutch river network and coastal work.
we have attained a full rcd A rating, with Lloyds approval, for the design, and weld schedule.
The CAD drawings below show the new bang up to date window system we are going for which hopefully will give a modern twist to classic shape.
Also showing the new planing hull, with inset tunnels. 20knots cruise was my goal, with a max 26 knots.
bare hull weight at 14,000 kg.
The 46 footer I looked at was finished to an exemplary standard of steel work, and shows full well what is capable of doing. to the point where you could with a magnet just to check its not plastic.
no roller marks, no sharp edges, or prominent weld profiles. just a stunning build.

 

[rafiki_]

Good luck with this Rob, and I'm looking forward to following this thread, and watching your new boat develop. I'm assuming your 14 tonnes is a bare hull with no mechanicals? I guess she will way 20 odd tonnes ready to go?

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Hi Robg71, this looks like its going to be interesting but can you fill us in as to how you got to this point. Maybe I've missed previous threads

 

[Robg71]

we have an allowed 2 tonnes for motors, shafts stern gear etc. gives us four tonnes to play with for fit out.
looking at three cabins if possible. I struggle to sometimes get to grips with drawings, will know what we have to play with at christmas when the steel work is complete.
engines are cummins 6.7l 480 ratings. the torque figures were really good for over the hump improvements on the 5.9l
aft galley layout, bi fold doors.
single sleipner bow thruster. after talking to lots of skippers, and watching boats park up, most don't use the stern for twin screw boats, so thats been dropped. still using hydraulics though, but driven through a clutch from the main engine, not a gearbox PTO.
Actually, watching lots of people cast off, and moor up.... lots dont use there engines as they should and rely on the bow thruster... or so it seems.

ps, am I supposed to be a nervous wreck over this....

 

[rafiki_]

I would certainly be a nervous wreck in your position. Fantastic proposition. Interested in your performance predictions with a 20 tonne boat. Mine is 13 tonnes, and topped out at29 kn with twin 355 hp Cats.

 

[Robg71]

Hi Robg71, this looks like its going to be interesting but can you fill us in as to how you got to this point. Maybe I've missed previous threads

Hi Mike,
Ive been busy and not posted much, mainly as my ramblings on here really should have been classed as me thinking out loud.

I had a trip to Holland earlier this month, with a couple of boat builder from wales to talk designs etc. we all really liked what we saw. I wanted a bit of speed too, and something different. so this seemed to me to be an obvious way to go.
Initially, we struggled to get the speed from the semi displacement hull form, so we switched to full planing. My main goal was a 20 knot cruise, which I think, after using my own boat in the channel islands, was a good speed to make, without being daft, and without taking all day to get anywhere.

we studied a few other boat designs, but the steelwork from holland came out on top. the finish was simply stunning. Even though the steel work is basically kit form, its no bruce roberts.
we are hoping that this is going to be different from the norm.

there was some steel boats at SIBS as well, but I dont think they were as good looking. The aft cabin I think does not always go down well. Personally I wanted the aft deck space for fishing and diving etc.
We have had a few dis agreements in figures, and I think I threw the designer a hard ball with the speed requirement, but Its the cruise speed I was after. His figures show it should be more than capable on less engine power than we are giving it.
Which if need be we could downrate the engines, or leave em be and enjoy a good 0-60 time... (maybe not 60, but you get the idea.

 

[Robg71]

I would certainly be a nervous wreck in your position. Fantastic proposition. Interested in your performance predictions with a 20 tonne boat. Mine is 13 tonnes, and topped out at29 kn with twin 355 hp Cats.

Thats something that hopefully wont be a bone of contention later. I have sent the figures to a few places, and at best we need to add 10% to original calcs for the speed, but these engines are still producing lots more power than those figures suggest. I expect it to be the difference in theoretical and real world, mucky bum... holiday gear... beer... all adding there bit.
worst case scenario as far as I can see, if we are drastically out, is it costing me a new set of screws. we have room for 26" blades, 4 or 5 blades, giving 20% clearance to the hull.
If the tunnels work as predicted, we will be good..... touch wood..... fingers crossed....
will get cummins, and CJR props involved nearer the time. Once we are almost there, the whole thing will go on a couple of load cells for accurate weight measurements, but this is critical we try to keep it down....

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Thanks, Rob. I'm still a bit confused. You say the design is Dutch and the steel is Dutch. Why aren't you having the boat built in Holland rather than Wales? Sorry to be nosy but this sounds like an interesting project

 

[rafiki_]

Thats something that hopefully wont be a bone of contention later. I have sent the figures to a few places, and at best we need to add 10% to original calcs for the speed, but these engines are still producing lots more power than those figures suggest. I expect it to be the difference in theoretical and real world, mucky bum... holiday gear... beer... all adding there bit.
worst case scenario as far as I can see, if we are drastically out, is it costing me a new set of screws. we have room for 26" blades, 4 or 5 blades, giving 20% clearance to the hull.
If the tunnels work as predicted, we will be good..... touch wood..... fingers crossed....
will get cummins, and CJR props involved nearer the time. Once we are almost there, the whole thing will go on a couple of load cells for accurate weight measurements, but this is critical we try to keep it down....

Ok, cleverer minds than mine are working this out for you.

 

[Robg71]

cos I still like spending my pound notes over here... god knows why

The main reason, was I found a couple of chaps, who were looking for a boat to build, with vast experience, who I get on with, and get a great feeling about doing it.
Worked for themselves, and now semi retired want something to keep them mildly occupied.
In total they have built over five hundred steel boats, from there own yard in wales.
Worked for Palmer Johnson in the states, and built tugs, crew boats, fishing boats, megayachts, to crappy old flat bed barges.
I like the aspect of commercial boat building coming in to it, fresh ideas, and a different approach.
(And there nice people)
(Thankfully not welsh
(actually, one of ems dutch anyway...

 

[rbcoomer]

Fantastic stuff Rob - love the designs. I imagine we're gonna need a large tub of popcorn and a few kegs of beer watching this thread pan out!

Very excited on your behalf and can't wait for the pictures and progress reports to start! So you have a target date in mind for completion? (Sorry, cruel question I know but always good to have a benchmark... )

 

[RobWales]

"Not Welsh"....pfffft!....

 

[Robg71]

"Not Welsh"....pfffft!....

bah

sorry... couldnt resist

 

[Robg71]

Fantastic stuff Rob - love the designs. I imagine we're gonna need a large tub of popcorn and a few kegs of beer watching this thread pan out!

Very excited on your behalf and can't wait for the pictures and progress reports to start! So you have a target date in mind for completion? (Sorry, cruel question I know but always good to have a benchmark... )

Steelwork to be completed by christmas before the worst of the winter..... subject to change.... as they say at work....

for the rest of it.... its down to how much work i get as much as anything...

 

[RobWales]

Where in Wales will it be fabricated Rob?......be interested to follow progress being also involved in fabrication, though we specialise in large fab's for subsea etc..

 

[Robg71]

just outside Aberystwyth...

subsea stuff.... who for... (just my work curiosity kicking in)

 

[RobWales]

just outside Aberystwyth...

subsea stuff.... who for... (just my work curiosity kicking in)

BP, Technip, DOF, Subsea7....you name it....flat out on quad 204 west of Shetland at present, find myself spending more and more time in Aberdeen seeing as I'm the Sales Director!.....

 

[Robg71]

Dont need me to introduce you to our lot then (ss7)
im keeping out of West of shetland...too deep for my old bones. I know who to blame when the installation is **** though

 

[RobWales]

Dont need me to introduce you to our lot then (ss7)
im keeping out of West of shetland...too deep for my old bones. I know who to blame when the installation is **** though

Guessing you've ridden the lars system's we manufactured for a couple of recent DSV's, made a lot of kit for Divex on those jobs!

Anyway apologies for the thread drift, look forward to the build progressing, if you need any help with fab or machining in the future feel free to give a call.

 

[benjenbav]

The design looks really nice. Good luck with the build.