building your own boat ????

[boblydon]

Sitting on my balcony here in tenerife, obviously got to much time on my hands !!!, anyway for quite a long time now i have allways wanted to build my own fishing boat from scratch, i have built a few 20 foot wilson type boats a good few years ago from a mould i bought and they turned out fine.

My new idea is to make a mould/plug from scratch for something like a 20/28 foot cat, been looking at different ideas/plans on the net...along the lines of a smaller Blyth / Cougar style, this will obviously not be a weekend job to design and build, more looking at the feasabilty and potential costs at the minute with a plan to build the mould over the next 12 months, and the boat over the following 12 months.....this will be a huge investment in time, but would make a great achivement in getting it right.......all of the fibreglass/structural work does not concern me thats the easy part, the hard bit is getting the mould right.

Materials to construct the mould i reckon will cost in the 2-3k mark, time in hours about getting it right about a million, but it would be fun and very rewarding to see and use the end product.

I am aware that i can buy a pre-made hull and finish it myself, but i like a challenge, so still in the ideas stage at the moment...so what do you's all think ??

 

[big sid]

Sounds like a DreamBoat and if you can fullfil your dream I'm sure you will be a more happier BobbytheBuilder.

 

[dizzydaz]

sounds like a cracking ambition if you got the time on your hands and the funds to manage a project like it then go ahead and fulfill your ambitions build yours self a boat to be proud of and thats going to provide many good times for the future

 

[mark]

do it!

if its a cat you are after there's an easy head start in many respects. lots of yacht design techniques go in to cat hulls.

one big plus is, and its something I've always toyed with is if you design the hulls right you could create one small mono hull mould and a bridge mould, lot less work, make 2 hulls then stick em together essentially

smaller moulds, easier to work with, less huge areas to lay up against the clock as the resin is curing etc

got several books on the subject of design if you want to research a bit more, got quite a few ebooks on the engineering of hull designs as well if you want copies

 

[Norman]

100% with you bob ... I do not have the slightest doubt you'll turn it around big style (cos I know you well) go for it mate, I look forward to the build, and any help I can be I'm more than willing ....

all the best mate.

norm

 

[boblydon]

thanks for the positive vibes, mark, we must be on the same wave length one of my main reasons for building a cat was you only have to one hull form, it's near enough the same shape for both hulls, would just have to hand them for port and starboard ( ie conection to the bridging for both hulls.

The laying of the glass should not be an issue as long as the boat is done in sections, ie do each hull separately, and the joining section separaretly, then join the lot together installing the stringers etc at the same time forming a one bond monoquoc integral framing section

Been loooking on the Bruce Roberts website for some idea's, but his cats start at 35 foot, also been looking at materials costings, resins, gelcoats chopped strand mat and woven roven should work out around 8k to construct a 24oz hull and deck.

 

[mark]

knows his onions does bruce roberts though, think I read somewhere that more of his designs have gone round the world than any other

I'll upload a load of pdf's/ebooks and PM you a link. a lot might be a bit yottie, but the hydrodynamic theories/buoyancy/stability calcs etc are just as valid. probably one or 2 of the books I got for the IIMS Marine Surveyor course might be useful as well

 

[KeithB]

Wow! sounds like a project and a half!

If you need any drawings / 3D models creating gimme a shout.

 

[boblydon]

Well, back home now and got the bug.....boat building bug that is!!!!!!, looks like now the reading, drawings etc will begin, thanks for all the info Mark, you've given me something to do on the long dark cold nights.....thanks also kieth for the kind offer of helping with the drawings.

Just another thought at this stage, if anyone else fancies doing their own similar project for themselves and NOT as a commercail venture, why dont we meet up and swop idea's etc, as we all may have different skills we can help each other, the planning / design stage ( most important ) will cost us nothing, you never know if theres a few potential builders we may even be able to keep the building costs down a bit, after all it wont take that much extra work to produce a few moulds once the design plans are produced.

Let the studying begin !!!!

 

[KeithB]

Have you seen this forum Bob:

Boat Design Forums

 

[drifter]

There's a couple of cats moored locally (one in Sunderland marina and one in Royal Quays) that were built by a small company from Jubilee trading estate, Ashington.
They own a proven mould but it is my understanding that boat building is not their core business and I've recently heard the boat building venture may not be "thriving".
I know the owner of "Barbara Anne" is very pleased with his vessel but I also know he simply commissioned the lads to manufacture the hulls, topside, engine pod etc and he sourced the neccessary components and finished the job himself.
May be worth an approach to buy the mould or cut a similar deal whereby they make the hulls to your specification and you finish it off.

 

[boblydon]

Thanks for that, i will try to find out who the company are, may save a load of time, but still have a longing to do my own, yes a load of hard work but fortunatly not in any great hurry as was allways going to be a long term project.

Thanks for the link keith, have stored it in my favorites.

Over the next few weeks i will be going around looking at different cats, hopefully speaking to the owners and taking pictures to try and formulate a plan of attack, work out the size i want etc, at least this will give me an idea of what is required to design the mould, how many pieces to make it in etc. Am really looking 21/25 foot max size.

 

[billyturbot]

best of luck,i fish a cat all the time,its a bit bigger than wot your looking at,top boats,will be good to see how she looks when you get her done

 

[mark]

the potential of smaller cats have never been fully explored I reckon

Was always the dream to build a big cat to sail around the world! best boat for it IMHO, but small powered cats, with proper, full planing hulls could be a real winner.

Each hull being properly designed to cut water rather than assuming sticking any reasonable hull shape in a pair would be good enough. years ago I was offered a pair of 18' fletcher speed boat hulls for nowt, thought about adding about 4 foot to the stern sticking em together to see what it would be like!

a smaller version of this might be nice though

 

[boblydon]

thats exactly the type of boat i would wish to recreate.....only smaller as i would want it for private use, preferably to tow using twin outboards, thus saving the marina costs

 

[mark]

something like that but about 23/24' would be a very versatile and fun thing to play with...