Self Build Boat Design Companies advice

[Wansworth]

If you do build new don’t nessaserily follow the standard fit out a nice big sofa that can be slept on or lounged on during the day might be interesting..

 

[JumbleDuck]

Can anyone recommend websites, or even better a type of sail/ cruiser for my partner and I to travel the globe with a solid vessel and a enjoyable livable space.

As others have eloquently said, if you want to sail, don't waste time building. You'll get a boat much quicker doing night shifts at the local petrol and saving the money.

That said, these forums aren't really boat building territory and there are other places where you'll get positive advice from those whose passion is building.

You might find it interesting to read up about "origami" steel boat designs. The main proponent is a bit OTT, but if steelwork is your thing it looks like a route worth investigating. Fitting out will still take vastly longer, and cost vastly more, than you might hope ... hulls is the cheap and easy bit.

 

[prv]

personally, I find the tongue and groove effect you refer to downright ugly, reminding me of bad 1960s DIY!

This is part of Morwenna's interior, which I thought was quite nice when I spent a day on her:

I'd go a couple of shades darker on the wood, and expect to have a bit more clutter visible (these are for-sale pictures with her emptied out), but it gives an idea.

Pete

 

[DownWest]

Friend built a ferro cement boat to a high standard (looked GRP) in the early 80s. Six yrs, with last one full time . That got him a rigged boat. Heavy displacement 34ft Pinky gaff ketch. But, empty inside and no engine.

I was on a Westerly Corsair today. Owner is taking a few years off and wants to do the med and possibly the Atlantic. The boat is in very good condition & cost circa £40K. No way you can build a similar boat for that money.

 

[prv]

Six yrs, with last one full time . That got him a rigged boat. Heavy displacement 34ft Pinky gaff ketch. But, empty inside and no engine.

And an interior and "systems" is probably at least 50% of the time and money in a yacht.

Pete

 

[jwilson]

You don't say if you have any saling experience, but it sounds as though not a lot.

Sail with other people first - if necessary charter a 35-40 ft boat for 1 or 2 weeks coastal cruising with a skipper.

Simply buying an existing sound boat will be both probably cheaper and certainly infinitely quicker than building from scratch. There are plenty of 1960s/70s/80s structurally sound, cosmetically tired boats around at less than a new build will cost you. The hull will probably take you 6 months near full-time: then you start the real work.

As others have said, 'Spray' designs are not actually that good sailing yachts. Slocum was a hugely experienced and highly skilled seaman, and 'Spray' was what he had, not what he might have chosen if offered a choice of a few more modern yachts.

 

[prv]

'Spray' was what he had, not what he might have chosen if offered a choice of a few more modern yachts.

+1

From what I remember she was a worked-out old inshore oyster dredger propped up in a field, bought cheap and done up slightly on a tight budget.

Pete

 

[AntarcticPilot]

+1

From what I remember she was a worked-out old inshore oyster dredger propped up in a field, bought cheap and done up slightly on a tight budget.

Pete

A bit more than slightly - he rebuilt her from the keel up. There's a line in the book "Now, it is a law in Lloyd's that the Jane repaired all out of the old until she is entirely new is still the Jane." ISTR that he actually detailed the wood he used to replace the original. The materials cost hin about $560 - equivalent to over $15,000 today.

 

[prv]

A bit more than slightly - he rebuilt her from the keel up. There's a line in the book "Now, it is a law in Lloyd's that the Jane repaired all out of the old until she is entirely new is still the Jane." ISTR that he actually detailed the wood he used to replace the original. The materials cost hin about $560 - equivalent to over $15,000 today.

You're right of course, I remember that passage now.

I think the point we're all agreed on is that the original Spray was in no way the optimum boat for the job, and the modified (consensus seems to be, made worse for sailing) 1970s versions even less so.

Pete

 

[Hadenough]

This is part of Morwenna's interior, which I thought was quite nice when I spent a day on her:

I'd go a couple of shades darker on the wood, and expect to have a bit more clutter visible (these are for-sale pictures with her emptied out), but it gives an idea.

Pete

Yes, I like that. I can't understand why so many sailors think that a boat has to resemble the inside of a coffin.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Yes, I like that. I can't understand why so many sailors think that a boat has to resemble the inside of a coffin.

ANd I don't - the white is too clinical and as I say, the tongue and grooved effect with the pine floorboards reminds me of bad 1960s DIY! Remember the Beatles' "Norwegian Wood"? Pine and tongue and groove was regarded as a bit naff even then! But tastes vary, I'm pleased to say, and it is good that someone like it. This example is well done, with excellent detailing, and I guess it required cabinet maker level skills to do it.

 

[SlowlyButSurely]

Good afternoon all,

I’m closing in on retirement from service in the Military and now the Police, and want to build my own boat and live aboard permanently and travel around the world.

I have been researching the BR Spray 36 for my needs and then I have started to read negative comments on here.

I am a total novice to boat building however, nothing will cause issues when desire is at the fore.
<apart from money>

Can anyone recommend websites, or even better a type of sail/ cruiser for my partner and I to travel the globe with a solid vessel and a enjoyable livable space.

Be kind as I will be on this forum a lot abstracting your knowledge.

Thanks

Karl

Join the "Liveaboard Steel Boats" facebook group. There's a lot of good stuff on there.

 

[doug748]

....
That said, what state of repair would someone like me with zero official skills, but 100% dedication should I be looking at.

Thanks.

A 20 to 30 year old boat in average condition will probably give you more than enough opportunity to hone your skills. I would avoid anything described as a project, anything that has a very poor or missing interior fit out, anything with a teak deck, anything composite (eg GRP hull and wood coachroof) and anything that is flat on it's backside.
If you are drawn to class that may well be in neglected condition you can often find an example where someone has made a start, new winches, sails, stove, mast or engine at least give you a bit of a springboard.
As pointed out it is a buyers market and there is no mileage in buying a wreck if, for a few pounds more, you can get the real deal.

Above all do as much sailing as you can, now. You may come to love or hate it, either way it is an important thing to know. Same with doing stuff, make yourself a useful dingy from a kit or plans and see how you get on.

https://www.clcboats.com/modules/ca...rt-pram&code=eastport-pram-rowing-sailing-kit

 

[daveyw]

If you Google "the big sailboat project" you find the story of 2 ladies who built a 43 foot Bruce Roberts. Think they did a good job. Unfortunately, the first stiff breeze seemed to have put them off sailing and now live in a cabin in the American north west. Maybe they'll sell you their boat!

 

[prv]

If you Google "the big sailboat project" you find the story of 2 ladies who built a 43 foot Bruce Roberts. Think they did a good job.

I remember reading that as they were doing it. Not a bad job in many ways, but full of the sort of ideas that people build into boats when they lack experience of actually sailing and have jumped straight to a build project. A lesser version can happen when people do have experience but come ashore for an extended period to build and don't get out sailing during that process to refresh their memory.

Pete

 

[TQA]

If you Google "the big sailboat project" you find the story of 2 ladies who built a 43 foot Bruce Roberts. Think they did a good job. Unfortunately, the first stiff breeze seemed to have put them off sailing and now live in a cabin in the American north west. Maybe they'll sell you their boat!

I watched that build with interest, they planned for 3-4 years and it took them much longer then they had a big scare on their first offshore sail and gave up on the idea of living aboard and sailing the oceans.

 

[Neeves]

Think positive

Home built cats are very fashionable in Oz.

At one point about 10/15 years ago one of the component suppliers conducted a survey - there were 500 home built cats being built in Oz - I don't know how many were finished.

Have a look at the Fusion 40 website, they supply all the mouldings in a 40' container (might be 2 containers) you bridge between the 2 containers with a big tarp, giving you somewhere to build and 2 empty containers to use as storage or workshops. Most of the work is done, well maybe most is a bit of an exaggeration! - and they will supply the interior furniture for fit out.

An alternative build, more work, is a Schionning design. They supply plans with all profiles, you cut out and glue. Or you can buy all the pieces already cut (and then glue). This method, routed pieces you glue, is quite common here.

We built two components for our Lightwave, from foam and glass, a covered helm station 'The God Pod' and transom extensions. When working from scratch, as we did, you do not build (its easy) you fair, and fair again, and again. If you buy a 'kit' much of the fairing is completed.

Many of these, Fusion, Schionnings, Grainger (ours is a commercial build of a Grainger, Google Lightwave Yachts) are on the water and sailing. There are other designs. I have crewed on 2 x Schionnings, there is a Schionning in front of me as I type and a Fusion out of sight behind some trees.

Jonathan

 

[William_H]

Well my opinion probably reiterating what others have said. The real question, is do you or will you like sailing? If yes you can't go wrong really. If no you need to know before you get in too deep. The only way to find out is to do it. Although as said charter and training courses can help. Now regarding the boat I think that GRP is the only way to go. There are a huge number of old GRP perfectly good. You just don't find that in other mediums.
Next difficult question is size. Now bigger is always more comfortable when it comes up rough or you want to live on it. However bigger is a greater commitment in costs of keeping as well as purchase. You can have a lot of pleasure in a smaller boat but a smaller boat can put you off the open ocean.
One thing for sure buy second hand, buy old solid, buy decent condition. Even the best of boats take a lot of maintenance that will keep you busy and hopefully happy. Lastly consider buying in the area you want to sail. Consider SE Asia even Oz.
good luck olewill

 

[JumbleDuck]

Yes, I like that. I can't understand why so many sailors think that a boat has to resemble the inside of a coffin.

One of the things which attracted me to my boat was the amount of white surface (American stile, Chuck Paine design) in the cabin. Life in a cigar box holds no appeal for me.

 

[lumphammer]

If you want to develop your DIY skills for boat building, start with an older boat and do the modernisation work yourself. Depending on the amount of time you have and your quality standards this could take as long as it takes to build from scratch, but having that starting point is great inspiration.

For a good how-to series have a look at "Sail Life" on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPrZL8el0ik