Renovating an old wooden sports boat, am I mad?

Renovating an old wooden sports boat, am I mad?

Author
Discussion

Kneetrembler

2,069 posts

201 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2013
quotequote all
Looking forward to following what sounds like a fantastic and interesting project.

All the very best with the start.

OneDs

1,628 posts

175 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2013
quotequote all
maser_spyder said:
I've prepped a bit of space in the workshop....

The plans I'm getting are 'full size', so no lofting required. But, I've thought of an easier way of doing this.... I have access to a large printer that will print directly on to vinyl. If I had PDF copies of the plans, I could print the frames on to clear vinyl, stick this to the timber, and cut around directly. Still using the template/router method, but a lot quicker than tracing. I'm pretty sure the supplier wouldn't let the plans loose in PDF format though, otherwise they'd be digitally traced and set up for CNC, an IP nightmare. So, I could scan the plans myself, but I only have an A4 scanner, not QUITE big enough. wink

Anyway, lots to be thinking about, looking forward to yet another winter project!
Are you going to build your frames from laminates? that way you can layout a jig on the MDF and use your full size plans to place the inner and outer clamp points. You could then use the frames for the strong back directly to create the moulds for the hull for strip & cold moulding or ply planking.

Cutting them or steam bending them from solid wood does not provide as strong a frame for the hull.

Anyway good luck, you might be interested in this forum http://forum.woodenboat.com/


Simpo Two

85,148 posts

264 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2013
quotequote all
maser_spyder said:
The plans I'm getting are 'full size', so no lofting required. But, I've thought of an easier way of doing this.... I have access to a large printer that will print directly on to vinyl. If I had PDF copies of the plans, I could print the frames on to clear vinyl, stick this to the timber, and cut around directly.
No need to use vinyl, just print onto paper, stick it on (lightly) and cut round thelines.

It's exactly what I did when building a CMB from plans kindly sent by Thornycroft.

tr7v8

7,185 posts

227 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2013
quotequote all
RichB said:
Huntsman said:
You want a Fairey Huntsman or Huntress. I'll do the rbuild for you at £30/hr. Mine
Fantastic! I built a balsa wood model of that very boat when I was about 10. It was about 3' long, the plans were in Meccano Magazine. The basic hull was for a racer called Brave Moppie then you could add a superstructure to various designs and I chose the Huntsman biggrin

Brings back memories!
I have the plans down loaded if anyone wants them ping me a mail. It is around 20ish inches I'd guess not 3ft,

RichB

51,432 posts

283 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2013
quotequote all
Seemed bigger when I was only 10 biggrin do you have the subsequent plans for the different superstructures? They were in a following month's magazine.

tr7v8

7,185 posts

227 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2013
quotequote all
RichB said:
Seemed bigger when I was only 10 biggrin do you have the subsequent plans for the different superstructures? They were in a following month's magazine.
Not the plan just the article on the superstructures

mickrick

3,700 posts

172 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2013
quotequote all
maser_spyder said:
I've prepped a bit of space in the workshop....

Checked out West Systems epoxy.

Checked out Cedar (thanks Mickrick!), which looks nice. BUT, there's SO much work to do in just making the frames and cold moulding, it'll be a long time before I have to think about planking/deck, so not a decision that would have to be made any time soon.

The plan is to make the frames from Douglas Fir. Cut out templates on thin MDF. Rough-cut the real frame on a bandsaw, then use a router (with a pattern bit) with the template to finish the frames off perfectly.

The plans I'm getting are 'full size', so no lofting required. But, I've thought of an easier way of doing this.... I have access to a large printer that will print directly on to vinyl. If I had PDF copies of the plans, I could print the frames on to clear vinyl, stick this to the timber, and cut around directly. Still using the template/router method, but a lot quicker than tracing. I'm pretty sure the supplier wouldn't let the plans loose in PDF format though, otherwise they'd be digitally traced and set up for CNC, an IP nightmare. So, I could scan the plans myself, but I only have an A4 scanner, not QUITE big enough. wink

Anyway, lots to be thinking about, looking forward to yet another winter project!
Looking forward to this!
Which plans are you considering?

maser_spyder

Original Poster:

6,356 posts

181 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2013
quotequote all
mickrick said:
Looking forward to this!
Which plans are you considering?
23' barrel-back 30s style runabout. 8 seats, inboard engine.

They say mahogany and ply, but I'm thinking something more accessible in the UK for the frames (Douglas Fir?), and possibly cedar or mahogany for the planking and deck.

http://www.boatdesigns.com/Belle-Isle/products/724...

About to push the button on the plans tonight....

Looking for a local supplier of the timber too. It's all well and good having the best deal or the best supplier, but that's no good if they're the other end of the country. Luckily, I'm in the best part of the world for boaty bits so this shouldn't be a problem. Planning to price up the frames and stringers and bits over the next few days and get them on order, along with a bandsaw and pattern router bit. Might look at a router table too, that looks like a good, easy way of making frames from a pattern piece.

Looking forward to this now!

Perec

26,271 posts

221 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2013
quotequote all
maser_spyder said:
mickrick said:
Looking forward to this!
Which plans are you considering?
23' barrel-back 30s style runabout. 8 seats, inboard engine.

They say mahogany and ply, but I'm thinking something more accessible in the UK for the frames (Douglas Fir?), and possibly cedar or mahogany for the planking and deck.

http://www.boatdesigns.com/Belle-Isle/products/724...

About to push the button on the plans tonight....

Looking for a local supplier of the timber too. It's all well and good having the best deal or the best supplier, but that's no good if they're the other end of the country. Luckily, I'm in the best part of the world for boaty bits so this shouldn't be a problem. Planning to price up the frames and stringers and bits over the next few days and get them on order, along with a bandsaw and pattern router bit. Might look at a router table too, that looks like a good, easy way of making frames from a pattern piece.

Looking forward to this now!
I'll be impressed if you pull this off.

mickrick

3,700 posts

172 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2013
quotequote all
Looks lovely cloud9

RichB

51,432 posts

283 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2013
quotequote all
Paddy_N_Murphy said:
PH Fail: ENGINE !!!! or ENGINES !!!!!
Indeed, I was looking at this design last night and noticed it takes a V6/V8 engine. What are you intending to put in it? scratchchin

Hooli

32,278 posts

199 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2013
quotequote all
tr7v8 said:
RichB said:
Huntsman said:
You want a Fairey Huntsman or Huntress. I'll do the rbuild for you at £30/hr. Mine
Fantastic! I built a balsa wood model of that very boat when I was about 10. It was about 3' long, the plans were in Meccano Magazine. The basic hull was for a racer called Brave Moppie then you could add a superstructure to various designs and I chose the Huntsman biggrin

Brings back memories!
I have the plans down loaded if anyone wants them ping me a mail. It is around 20ish inches I'd guess not 3ft,
I think I had one converted to electric when I was a kid. It'd gone rotten though & needed a rebuild, I got as far as taking it apart hehe

maser_spyder

Original Poster:

6,356 posts

181 months

Thursday 24th October 2013
quotequote all
Paddy_N_Murphy said:
PH Fail:






ENGINE !!!!

or ENGINES !!!!!
hehe

So, I should just cut out a bit of ply, stick a couple of barrels either side with some super-strong-sticky-glue and mount a V12 to the middle?

Whatever engine eventually goes in, it'll be a nice one for sure. I'm not going to spend 600 hours making a boat and then put a sewing machine motor in it. wink

maser_spyder

Original Poster:

6,356 posts

181 months

Thursday 24th October 2013
quotequote all
RichB said:
Indeed, I was looking at this design last night and noticed it takes a V6/V8 engine. What are you intending to put in it? scratchchin
Realistically, unless something magnificent comes up, it'll be a 350 or 377 MAG or similar. That's a 300 / 320 HP V8, 5.7 / 6.2L. Something like that, around 6L V8 300-ish ponies.

Has to be petrol I think, no point saving money building one myself and then going for a noisy bus engine.

Huntsman

8,028 posts

249 months

Thursday 24th October 2013
quotequote all
maser_spyder said:
Has to be petrol I think, no point saving money building one myself and then going for a noisy bus engine.
Get with the program....

Current Cummins QSB 6.7 is 550hp and 1250 ft/lbs

650hp rating coming next year.

mickrick

3,700 posts

172 months

Thursday 24th October 2013
quotequote all
Yanmar 6LP. Keep it light.

mickrick

3,700 posts

172 months

Thursday 24th October 2013
quotequote all
maser_spyder said:
I've prepped a bit of space in the workshop....

Checked out West Systems epoxy.

Checked out Cedar (thanks Mickrick!), which looks nice. BUT, there's SO much work to do in just making the frames and cold moulding, it'll be a long time before I have to think about planking/deck, so not a decision that would have to be made any time soon.

The plan is to make the frames from Douglas Fir. Cut out templates on thin MDF. Rough-cut the real frame on a bandsaw, then use a router (with a pattern bit) with the template to finish the frames off perfectly.

The plans I'm getting are 'full size', so no lofting required. But, I've thought of an easier way of doing this.... I have access to a large printer that will print directly on to vinyl. If I had PDF copies of the plans, I could print the frames on to clear vinyl, stick this to the timber, and cut around directly. Still using the template/router method, but a lot quicker than tracing. I'm pretty sure the supplier wouldn't let the plans loose in PDF format though, otherwise they'd be digitally traced and set up for CNC, an IP nightmare. So, I could scan the plans myself, but I only have an A4 scanner, not QUITE big enough. wink

Anyway, lots to be thinking about, looking forward to yet another winter project!
If the plans give you table of offsets lofting is easy. You only need to do half the frame, then flip it for the other half.
Just lay the paper on your board, and trace it through by knocking the point of a nail through your lofting line.
Are you laminating the frames? If so you don´t need to cut the board, just screw blocks on to clamp your laminates to.
Use brown shiny parcel tape on your forms to stop epoxy sticking to them.

maser_spyder

Original Poster:

6,356 posts

181 months

Thursday 24th October 2013
quotequote all
Stop talking engines, too much else to do first!

Plans ordered last night, gonna make some calls about timber, and clear a workbench ready for frames....

RichB

51,432 posts

283 months

Thursday 24th October 2013
quotequote all
Huntsman said:
maser_spyder said:
Has to be petrol I think, no point saving money building one myself and then going for a noisy bus engine.
Get with the program....
Current Cummins QSB 6.7 is 550hp and 1250 ft/lbs
650hp rating coming next year.
I know nothing about boat engines but can you not use something automotive? It would sound so much nicer to say it had a Maserati engine. For example; could you get the engine from written off Maserati 4200 Coupe? V8, 385 hp etc. scratchchin

OneDs

1,628 posts

175 months

Thursday 24th October 2013
quotequote all
This should be amazing, engine wise go with a tried and tested marine engine, don't try and bodge a car engine in to it, unless there are specific ready made tried and tested kits to turn it into marine version.

http://www.glen-l.com/weblettr/webletters-7/wl56-m...