Meet "Damarri" !

[PaulJ]

Re: Meet \"Damarri\" !

Once again, thanks for all the kind comments. Lemain, yes we do have such plans... there are a few "admin" problems (like selling the house) to sort out but all being well, we hope to set off later this year. I don't know about "round the world", the first objective is the Caribbean and if we take to the life we will carry on round but if we don't, we will probably come back across and into the Med..... we'll see! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Racylady, the name stems from a great holiday we had in Oz a few years ago. As unashamed tourists we "did" the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park just ouside Cairns and amongst much else that we saw, the Tjapukai have a wonderful story of the Creation. This is lifted from their website.........
[ QUOTE ]

"The legend reflects the Djabugay people’s beliefs concerning the duality of the universe. In the beginning of the story, a cassowary egg forms, growing to a size of 2 metres. Bolts of lightening appear and form around the egg, forcing it to break apart.

Out of the egg come the twin elements that create the universe - the Wet (Damarri) and the Dry (Guyala) .............."


[/ QUOTE ]
Thereafter, everything in the universe is made up from "The Wet" and "The Dry" and since this boat represents the wet side of our lives..... "Damarri" it is! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Also, it was the only name we thought of that hadn't already been used. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Blup and Aeolus, I look forward to meeting you guys at Soveriegn Harbour, do please drop by and introduce yourselves. If all goes well we should be there around the last week of this month and the first week or two of June, in the yard to start with and I don't yet know where in the Marina. We will be there for as long as it takes to get her sorted out and then we will be sailing up to Pin Mill on the East Coast where I have a swinging mooring on the Orwell.

Paul.

 

[boatmike]

Re: Meet \"Damarri\" !

To achieve that standard of fairness with 4mm plate and no filler is excellent. You certainly chose the right yard! Many boats of that size come out of the yard looking like a hungry horse!

 

[jonjo]

Re: Meet \"Damarri\" !

That photo has changed my opinion of steel yachts. Hope the trees will let her go after 7 years, crane hire?

What sail area do you plan to hoist?

 

[angelsson]

Re: Meet \"Damarri\" !

Hi,
Like to add my congratulations and best wishes to you both on a job very well done, she looks superb and as others have said a credit to you and all your hard work.
Not taking time into account, or that you have a personalised it for your requirements, did you find it economically viable against buying a boat of similar size and quality.
Regards
Mike

 

[PaulJ]

Re: Meet \"Damarri\" !

Sails? She is cutter rigged, the Main is 39 sq mtrs, Yankee is 35 sq mtrs and the staysail is 14 sq mtrs giving a total of 88 sq.mtrs. There is aslo a "running sail" which is similar to but a bit bigger than the Yankee, about 45sq mtrs and also a cruising chute.... I don't know how many sq meters that is but when laid out in the garden it looks HUGE! It is a heavy boat so I think the sail areas are probably a bit conservative but speed is not the name of this particular game..... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Trees/crane.... Yes that is a bit of a worry! The trees have grown a bit and we are close to the limit of what a 60 ton crane can lift at that distance..... and a bigger crane won't physically fit on my driveway! The crane company assure me there will be "no problem" but I don't think that will stop me being a bit nervous as it passes over the end of my house...... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Paul.

 

[PaulJ]

Re: Meet \"Damarri\" !

Economics? To be honest, I really haven't kept a very close eye on the total cost of the project. Once you have started a project like this there is no going back. Suffice it to say that the basic price of the bare hull is about 1/4-1/3 of the total cost. I don't know what this boat would be worth on the open market...... I have no intention of selling it.... EVER ! In fact I will probably be buried in it like a Viking! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif What I can say is that as I look at the prices on boats at the boat show I can't help wondering how they do it so cheap!

Paul.

 

[Ships_Cat]

Re: Meet \"Damarri\" !

Looks a real credit to you Paul and an enormous amount of work. The ultimate allocades are when people pass by and ask what the boat is built of.

As you demonstrate, there is no need for steel (or aluminium) boats to look anything other than as fair and well finished as a custom boat of any other material.

We went to steel also, but not as keen on the building part as you so was built in a yard for us from start to finish - yard hours were around 4,000 for a 40 foot boat, so an indication of your own commitment.

John

 

[PaulJ]

Re: Meet \"Damarri\" !

Thanks John, that is interesting. I had absolutely no idea how many hours I had spent... 4,000 hrs works out at 500 8hr days and that is by professionals who presumably knew what they were were doing.

I spent large amounts of time just sitting and staring (and drinking coffee!) whilst trying to work out how I was going to do this or that. Then there were the mistakes and cock-ups which had to be redone.
It is amazing the amount of time spent just "sourcing" materials and fittings, where possible I used proprietry fittings but in many places I had to make fittings, brackets etc.... and it all takes time. Oh and I also had a life to live though full credit must be given to Mrs.J for keeping the show running while I have been working on the boat.

It has been a steep learning curve and I am sure that the next boat (no chance!) could be built in a lot less time. I must have spent a lot more "man hours" on this than a professional yard would have, simply because many of my hours were a lot less productive than theirs would have been.

To anybody who is thinking of doing something similar I would say examine your motives very carefully. If you really want to build your own boat then go for it, it is VERY satisfying and at the end of it you have the boat you always wanted but it is a HUGE commitment. If you are simply trying to save money then forget it. It would probably cost less to buy a second-hand boat and do it up and that would take a lot less commitment in time.... when you could be out sailing or earning money!

Paul.

 

[Das_Boot]

Re: Meet \"Damarri\" !

I believe there is nothing more beautifull than a properly built round bilged steel hull it is a work of art rather than a trade.
Mine is out of the water at the moment getting a complete refit I am also thinking of going with Jotun and would like to ask why you used Jotun aluminium as your primer. I was thinking of using Jotun universal. Can you let me know your thoughts on this. I would also like to know how you prepared the steel. I am having mine wet blasted to bare steel and am worrying wether it will remove all residues. Thanks in anticipation.

 

[PaulJ]

Re: Meet \"Damarri\" !

Bruce,

The reason I used Jotun 87 "Aluminium" first was because that is what Jotun recommended.

The bare steel plates were blasted and primed with an epoxy primer (don't know what that was) before construction commenced. Welds and ground areas were then re-primed at intervals as they went along.

We were fortunate in that the Jotun rep. used to visit the yard where Damarri was built on a fairly regular basis on "other business" so he was able to advise us. '87 Aluminium is designed as the first coat and can either go onto a primer or straight onto bare steel. It is very high in solids and provides a good thick coat for stripe coating and also as the base for subsequent coats. As it comes in the tin, it is pretty thick and for odd touching up jobs I have used it like that. However when the whole hull was done it was sprayed on and I imagine (though I am not sure) that it must have been thinned a bit. Nonetheless, just one coat of '87Aluminium sprayed on and one sprayed coat of the standard '87 coloured epoxy was all that was needed to build up the required film thickness..... I'm afraid I can't remember how many microns that was.

The Jotun "system" is that you then put their two-pack polyurethane topcoat straight onto the epoxy. i.e. the epoxy doubles as an undercoat which is why it is available in such a wide variety of colours..... The top coat of epoxy is the same colour as the polyurethane topcoat that you are going to use. There are overcoating times to consider but basically it really is that simple.

The '87Aluminium is very "surface tolerant" and they even say that you can get away with minor surface rust..... though I tried not to put that one to the test! It can also be used in temperatures down to +5 degrees.

I have made a few postings over the years which have sung the praises of this Jotun system. I must stress that I have nothing to do with the company but I just think it is an excellent product and when you find something that is really good, you try to tell others about it don't you?! Incidently, a couple of my friends have also used it and been completely happy with it.

My initial coating was done nearly eight years ago now so I guess things could have moved on in that time. I have never heard of "Jotun Universal" but I suggest you give Jotun a ring and ask their advice.....

Good luck,

Paul.

 

[Das_Boot]

Re: Meet \"Damarri\" !

Thanks Paul Jotun Universal is a primer for bare metal Fe or or non fe. I will be ringing them tomorrow. I will be spraying the boat with an airless spray. If my boat ends up looking as good as yours I will be very pleased.