Well I've bought a Liveaboard - Roberts 42

[tomski]

After a few unsuccessful viewings of various yachts it seems I bought a one that is a) within my budget b) big enough for liveaboard and c) has a style of its own...

She's a Bruce Roberts 42, definitely a diy build (as evident from the very strong but very average looking welding) and a total project but the good news is that its all there, has a newish engine + bits and pieces..

So starting a blog site soon so will let you know how it goes...but for now, research and build a plan of attack

 

[Robih]

Good luck with the project...

....don't know the boat at all so will be interested to see your blog when it's online.

rob

 

[sarabande]

Lots of them built and giving good service around the world. A good choice, and a brave one. Hope you have lots of spare time - good luck and have fun.

 

[tomski]

the Bruce Roberts is very well known in Australia/NZ part of the world so I'm comfortable with the design, she's well known and proven with thousands of owners around the world...

As to the project, well as you say, its brave but I am an optimist ....oh and I've created the blog site...here is the link...

http://enkiyacht.wordpress.com/

Will officially start on her from weekend after next so have a look through every now and then

 

[phanakapan]

Congratulations! Nearly went for a Bruce Roberts ourselves.Your'e braver than us- we bought steel too but not quite so much of a project. However, our boat was also 'individual' therefore within our (lowish) budget, which meant we could liveaboard and go cruising sooner rather than later or never. Enjoy!

 

[Reverend Ludd]

Congratulations and best wishes

 

[PaulJ]

'Good choice of design..... even better choice of material! I hope it takes you less than the eight years it took me...... Good luck and fair winds

 

[tomski]

Thank you all for the encouraging words

8 years? Did you also buy a project? I surely hope I do it sooner then lol...my plan is only 6 months but then I will be getting external help with dedicated work for a couple of weeks at a time...hopefully sufficient but no dramas if it gets extended by a few months though my goal is to set off before next summer

 

[PaulJ]

Thank you all for the encouraging words

8 years? Did you also buy a project?

No I didn't buy a "project" as such, it was a scratch build. I had the bare hull built by a yard in Gt. Yarmouth and it took me that long to fit it out and finish it off..... but I did have a day job as well for much of that time. My advice would be to take your original estimate and then at least double it! And lots of people set off intending to finish it on the way but believe me, what isn't done by the time you leave, will never get done!

 

[tomski]

Fair enough Paul...well I'm starting on my journey, going there again on Tuesday to go through the work list and taking it from there...I'm sure its going to be a long one but I am 'seizing the moment'

 

[HinewaisMan]

Good choice! Our Roberts 45ft ketch has bought us from Aus to the UK so far. Only another 20,000 miles to get home!

 

[Jassira]

Congratualtion, I've owned a BR53 for the last 10 years, great boat, but it helps if enjoy painting

check out the owners group

http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/brucerobertsyachtowners/?prop=eupdate

 

[Bobobolinsky]

Well done, but fit out one cabin to live in and then move onboard. After that things go much faster.

 

[Talulah]

We built a Roberts 34 from scratch in fibreglass. Took five years.
Year 1: Hull mold
Year 2: Hull.
Year 3: Rudder, Internal bulkheads, lead keel, floor supports, coatch roof
Year 4: Teak deck. Engine. General fit out
Year 5: Mast, more deck work and internals.
followed by launch.

My father always enjoyed the making of the boat, not so much the sailing.

 

[lufc71]

...as evident from the very strong but very average looking welding...

In the trade, this is called 'Gorilla Welding'. er...ugly but strong

If it looks even worse, we say it is welded to the RAF standard. er...Rough As F***

 

[tomski]

LOL...that's about the right description for welding...incidently what could be a way to improve its looks? grinding I'm guessing is not an option as that will weaken the weld....some sort of filler? Not that I'm bothered in any way but if there is a more or less inexepnsive (ie cheap) way of improving the look then the missus would be very happy no doubt...

 

[Bobobolinsky]

You can fair the hull with epoxy resin and balloons, but it really needs a lot of work to do that

 

[tomski]

Thats what I thought..well I've plenty of work to sort out and its always functionality/feasbility ahead of cosmetics for me so will probably stay as is...but thought I do the right thing and ask the question

 

[lufc71]

...incidently what could be a way to improve its looks? grinding I'm guessing is not an option as that will weaken the weld....

Yes, grinding would improve the looks, and no, it will not weaken it (unless you go mad and remove a lot of material ). In fact, the opposite is usually true. Careful grinding can improve the weld by removing sharp contour changes (stress raises) and therefore reduce it's susceptibility to fatigue cracking.

 

[tomski]

Well thats good news then...I have thought about griding a little anyway to take out the sharp edges so to speak.....given the other effort is a bit cost/time prohibitive...

my next question is deck paint...she desperately needs a blast with the old (very powerfull) jet wash to scrape off the old flaking paint, then grind/gun any rust spots and weld if necessary and finally paint...

So heard about a couple of approaches...one is zinc epoxy based primer then a filler and non slip surface or another of just painting with 'anti rust' base primer then a top coat or painting with two pack epoxy ...

not sure which way to swing really on this...need to plan for deck and hull...heard that the zinc based approach can be a dangerous one...