Renovating an old wooden sports boat, am I mad?
Discussion
I thought that was the stern 
Doing my best. 
Transom nearly done.
Just worked out today that I need to fit some more stringers before I can cold mould, so more delays.
Fairing hard work but getting there.
I need a good, solid day or two to really get it moving again, fingers crossed I get some free time in the next couple of weeks.
Transom nearly done.
Just worked out today that I need to fit some more stringers before I can cold mould, so more delays.
Fairing hard work but getting there.
I need a good, solid day or two to really get it moving again, fingers crossed I get some free time in the next couple of weeks.
maser_spyder said:
Doing my best.
Transom nearly done.
Just worked out today that I need to fit some more stringers before I can cold mould, so more delays.
Fairing hard work but getting there.
I need a good, solid day or two to really get it moving again, fingers crossed I get some free time in the next couple of weeks.
Thanks for that, it's looking like a work of art already so your efforts are not in vain, always look forward to any update.Transom nearly done.
Just worked out today that I need to fit some more stringers before I can cold mould, so more delays.
Fairing hard work but getting there.
I need a good, solid day or two to really get it moving again, fingers crossed I get some free time in the next couple of weeks.
prand said:
maser_spyder said:
Doing my best.
Transom nearly done.
Just worked out today that I need to fit some more stringers before I can cold mould, so more delays.
Fairing hard work but getting there.
I need a good, solid day or two to really get it moving again, fingers crossed I get some free time in the next couple of weeks.
Thanks for that, it's looking like a work of art already so your efforts are not in vain, always look forward to any update.Transom nearly done.
Just worked out today that I need to fit some more stringers before I can cold mould, so more delays.
Fairing hard work but getting there.
I need a good, solid day or two to really get it moving again, fingers crossed I get some free time in the next couple of weeks.
Some advice required from the boat building elite please!
I'm about to order the mahogany.
The idea is you cold mould three layers on the bottom and two on the sides, then finish with a fourth layer of mahogany in lengthwise strips.
The bottom is painted / anti-fouled, so will never be seen as bare wood, apart from a very small section at the very front.
Most builders actually do the fourth bottom layer in ply for 90% of it, and feather in the 'real' wood for the foremost couple of feet. Like this;
The problem I've got is the ply is 3mm, and the thickest mahogany I can get is 2.6mm. Will I get away with feathering/sanding in 0.4mm between the ply and mahogany, or will it leave a nasty line?
If the latter, I won't risk it and will do the entire hull in 2.6mm mahogany despite the extra expense (it's 3 x more expensive than ply!).
The mahogany isn't actually very expensive overall, but doing the whole bottom will add a fair chunk of cash to the build, and isn't strictly necessary.
Answers on a postcard please!
I'm about to order the mahogany.
The idea is you cold mould three layers on the bottom and two on the sides, then finish with a fourth layer of mahogany in lengthwise strips.
The bottom is painted / anti-fouled, so will never be seen as bare wood, apart from a very small section at the very front.
Most builders actually do the fourth bottom layer in ply for 90% of it, and feather in the 'real' wood for the foremost couple of feet. Like this;
The problem I've got is the ply is 3mm, and the thickest mahogany I can get is 2.6mm. Will I get away with feathering/sanding in 0.4mm between the ply and mahogany, or will it leave a nasty line?
If the latter, I won't risk it and will do the entire hull in 2.6mm mahogany despite the extra expense (it's 3 x more expensive than ply!).
The mahogany isn't actually very expensive overall, but doing the whole bottom will add a fair chunk of cash to the build, and isn't strictly necessary.
Answers on a postcard please!
Huntsman said:
What is the difference in cost?
I would say that you could quite easily fair with a long board over a few inches the 0.4mm difference.
Ply around £7 per square metre.I would say that you could quite easily fair with a long board over a few inches the 0.4mm difference.
Mahogany around £20 per square metre.
That bottom section is around 7m long and 1.3m wide, so say 9 square metres allowing for wastage.
£63 to do in ply / £180 to do in mahogany.
Huntsman said:
maser_spyder said:
Ply around £7 per square metre.
Mahogany around £20 per square metre.
That bottom section is around 7m long and 1.3m wide, so say 9 square metres allowing for wastage.
£63 to do in ply / £180 to do in mahogany.
Tight arse! Do it in mahogany.Mahogany around £20 per square metre.
That bottom section is around 7m long and 1.3m wide, so say 9 square metres allowing for wastage.
£63 to do in ply / £180 to do in mahogany.
In my head, mahogany was going to be REALLY expensive, hence using it very sparingly. But it turns out, mahogany isn't all that expensive but ply really is.
It'll be a damned shame to lay it all up in mahogany and then paint over it though. Or.... If she's not ever staying in the water, do I really need to anti-foul?
What's the sort of time limit for leaving a boat in the water without antifouling?
maser_spyder said:
What's the sort of time limit for leaving a boat in the water without antifouling?
Interesting question, I would say up to a month mid summer would be fine.If say, you we're planning to launch at Easter and keep afloat until end September that antifoul would be best.
If you do it in Mahogony you can always put antifoul on if you think it becomes neccesary, and you will not have the problem of different thicknesses, if you do it in ply you have no option.
For the sake of £120 I would do it in Mahogony!
Fantastic project by the way!!
For the sake of £120 I would do it in Mahogony!
Fantastic project by the way!!
Edited by Stevemr on Wednesday 18th June 19:31
Right, I'm off to measure up for mahogany then.
I've been investigating nylon brad nails for doing the cold moulding, excellent write-ups everywhere. If you use staples to hold the planking in place, it apparently takes hours to take them all out again (although the ideas of using car seat belts or nylon strapping to pull them out easily was excellent).
If I use nylon brad nails, they just stay in place and you can file them flat if necessary. No good for the top layer as they'll be slightly visible, but perfect for the ply layers.
The nail gun itself is the thick end of £200, so that puts the extra mahogany cost in to perspective.
It's a shame I won't be around to get cracking on this over the summer, but I'd like to get it to the point of cold moulding so I can try to get the hull finished before the winter.
I've been investigating nylon brad nails for doing the cold moulding, excellent write-ups everywhere. If you use staples to hold the planking in place, it apparently takes hours to take them all out again (although the ideas of using car seat belts or nylon strapping to pull them out easily was excellent).
If I use nylon brad nails, they just stay in place and you can file them flat if necessary. No good for the top layer as they'll be slightly visible, but perfect for the ply layers.
The nail gun itself is the thick end of £200, so that puts the extra mahogany cost in to perspective.
It's a shame I won't be around to get cracking on this over the summer, but I'd like to get it to the point of cold moulding so I can try to get the hull finished before the winter.
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