3 blokes, 3 days, £300 - First draft of Centaur Well design

[dylanwinter]

I would appreciate your input

http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/scuttlebutt/centaur-well-three-blokes-three-days-300/

 

[boguing]

I may be missing something. If you are keeping the two longitudinal bulkheads that formed the 'engine room' I don't see the need for the wings. Forming the well from those and two transverse b/heads will be more than strong enough.

 

[dylanwinter]

I may be missing something. If you are keeping the two longitudinal bulkheads that formed the 'engine room' I don't see the need for the wings. Forming the well from those and two transverse b/heads will be more than strong enough.

I think you are right

and if anything goes it will be them

I was a bit converned about the vectoring forces

belt and braces at the moment

d

 

[Sailingsaves]

Great website.

I would only say don't bother with the VERY expensive Robbins timber _ great if you are building a plywood boat _ but for a well if you are laminating the ply anyway, just use marine grade ply sourced locally.

Now going back to find out why you are changing boat again. I thought the boat after the Slug was you keeper.

All the best

I think you are right

and if anything goes it will be them

I was a bit converned about the vectoring forces

belt and braces at the moment

d

 

[Bru]

If you;re going to do this thing then for the love of God don't put softwood in the structure! It isn't going to cost you a significant additional outlay to whistle up some hardwood (and preferably proper marine ply) from Robbins et al

Don't bodge it, do the job properly if do it you must

PS. I wish my French (now virtually non-existent) was up to reading that Tribull website! I can'd decide whether they're plain crazy or just plain mad!

 

[dylanwinter]

Great website.

I would only say don't bother with the VERY expensive Robbins timber _ great if you are building a plywood boat _ but for a well if you are laminating the ply anyway, just use marine grade ply sourced locally.

Now going back to find out why you are changing boat again. I thought the boat after the Slug was you keeper.

All the best

Katie L is the last boat I shall ever own

perfect

but this coming summer is pretty special

http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/blogs/centaur-butchery/

 

[dylanwinter]

If you;re going to do this thing then for the love of God don't put softwood in the structure! It isn't going to cost you a significant additional outlay to whistle up some hardwood (and preferably proper marine ply) from Robbins et al

Don't bodge it, do the job properly if do it you must

PS. I wish my French (now virtually non-existent) was up to reading that Tribull website! I can'd decide whether they're plain crazy or just plain mad!

mad or not the french people (frech canadians I beleive) sailed that old centaur a lot further than most of us ever will

I have not decided yet on what to use for materials - not on size

it only has to last a for 18 months

I have built two dinghies using exterior grade ply and pine for the stringers

I know that they are not in contact with the water all the time

all of the structure will be accessible and visible

the inner surfaces of the well will be completely sheathed

and

this is a prototype

maybe never to repeated

maybe others will follow - who knows

D

 

[Bru]

it only has to last a for 18 months

D

And then what?

 

[dylanwinter]

And then what?

does anyone know the scrap value of a centaur?

must be a lot of aluminium, stainless steel and cast iron in it.

and if it does work surprisingly well then it would only take a day to tear it out and replace it with better timber

D

 

[Tidewaiter2]

Now,it may be Emperors new clothes, but what is wrong with a long shaft o/bd hung on a bracket on the transom, possibly one of those designs on rails that you raise and lower the bracket+ o/bd on, into and out of the sea?
Also the old engine space can then be used for the extra fuel cans & electric bike needed to cycle to the nearest petrol station to the harbour.

I speak as one who had o/bds for far longer than our current inboard diesel, and lugged cans/cadged lifts from Wales to Ireland to Holland to Danmark to Sweden. Getting anything other than diesel can be a right pain- even the YC Mer du Nord in Dunkerque have stood down their petrol pump this year
I think the service stations have all sold up for housing/planning regs reasons and migrated to the edges of towns in most of Europe, and it seems to be a growing trend in UK too.
Worth thinking about- o/bds can be very juicy punching a tide/head wind.

 

[Georgio]

Dylan,
When buying your marine ply from Robins (yes it is expensive but worth it), get them to supply a suitable length of Doug Fir, they may even have some offcuts you can have cheap..

Don't use softwood from B&Q it will not last

 

[prv]

Don't use softwood from B&Q it will not last

It doesn't have to last.

Although, if he paints it thoroughly with some of that free resin he's getting, it should last fairly well. Westernman hasn't sunk yet.

What about all those trendy garden decks built from B&Q pressure-treated softwood and left out in the British weather for years?

Restoring a classic wooden yacht with anything from B&Q would indeed be a heinous crime, but that's not what we're dealing with here.

Pete

 

[tyce]

Apologies for being blunt, but why don't you just sell the hunter if it no longer suits your needs and keep the centaur.
Have you also figured in costs like standing rigging etc?
Sorry if this has all been covered.

 

[prv]

Apologies for being blunt, but why don't you just sell the hunter if it no longer suits your needs and keep the centaur.

Because the Hunter does suit most of his needs, just not the year or two around Northern Scotland. He's planning to switch back to Katie L when he comes back down the other side, and dispose of the Centaur.

Pete

 

[chrisbitz]

Because the Hunter does suit most of his needs, just not the year or two around Northern Scotland. He's planning to switch back to Katie L when he comes back down the other side, and dispose of the Centaur.

Pete

yeah but....

I wouldn't bet any money on him not falling in love with the Centaur in 18 months time.

 

[VicS]

I would appreciate your input

http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/scuttlebutt/centaur-well-three-blokes-three-days-300/

I appreciate not accurately drawn to scale but you sketches indicate a conflict between the rudder shaft and tiller and the engine.
Or are you planning to ditch the normal rudder in favour of a transom hung rudder?

 

[aquaplane]

I have read the sailing directions for the Pentland Firth and can see why someone would want a chunky boat for up there.

I understand The Minch can be lively too.

The North Channel deserves some respect.

The overfalls round the IoM sound scary and the Irish Sea is no picnic.

The tides round North Wales seem to slosh round at a fair old clip.

I would stick with the chunky boat untill you get round past The Lizard at least.

 

[tyce]

Because the Hunter does suit most of his needs, just not the year or two around Northern Scotland. He's planning to switch back to Katie L when he comes back down the other side, and dispose of the Centaur.

Pete

Still don't get it, the Centaur by his own admission is a better, bigger and safer boat which will cost less than the Hunter, so keep it?
I am guessing he just does not want to admit that the Hunter is not everything he hoped for and it's time to chop it for a Centaur.

 

[dylanwinter]

I appreciate not accurately drawn to scale but you sketches indicate a conflict between the rudder shaft and tiller and the engine.
Or are you planning to ditch the normal rudder in favour of a transom hung rudder?

I beleive that the outboard will be far enough forward to escape interfereing with the rudder

especailly if I get a skegless Centaur - which happen to be the older ones

I may need to modify the tiller

at the moment it has an S shaped tiller

I have two options

chopping off the end of the prop housing to cheat the outboard forwards

or

re-laminating a tiller that have a different curve and clear the engine cowling

or

extending the top of the rudder shaft by six inches


or

throwing in the towell as the whole thing being a thoroughly bad idea

and that could still happen


as for falling in love with a tatty Centaur and selling my lovely Katie L

possible - but unlikely

I love my shallow sailing and ability to trail the boat and she is perfect for single handing, the GHunter $Rig is a wonderful thing

 

[Blueboatman]

Once you have done a bit of laminating you will realise just how easy it all is, I promise you that.. The most skilled bit is to get a beautiful smooth finish and to keep it light, neither of which actually matter at all here I would say..
So..
Your drawing shows the propellor in two positions in side and end elevation..
The prop wants to be in clear water. Period.......
....Work backwards from the permissable 'transom height' for mounting the motor in order to get the exhaust backpressure correct, then decide whether you need to lower the motor or grind the inboard motors nacell away and laminate a flat section oh hull to get good thruflow of water quietly and without cavitation or grumble... ( you have an excellent boatbuilding team on hand so don't sweat it...) Is my advice...
Moving the rudder or sleeving the existing shaft, welding and making it taller and running it thru a new plastic tube glassed in is easier than it sounds too..

Honest Injun! But to me, alone, I would be looking at 4 weekends work in a temperature controlled environment.