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PDW
5th Nov 2015, 08:54 AM
Some years ago I lost 50% of my remaining brain cells and decided to follow that by losing 100% of my remaining money. I decided to build a steel sailboat.

Attached are a few of the early photos. More may follow in due course.

Generally I don't like posting pix of work in progress because jobs like this take literally years. However, it's nearly finished and there's been quite a bit of machining etc along the way.

The start was laying down all the lines full size on painted ply, then taking off as many templates as possible.

The templates were used with the plasma cutter to cut out the various bits of steel for the keel etc. I went through a lot of cutting tips and grinding disks.

PDW

.RC.
5th Nov 2015, 03:43 PM
Is the only way to test for leaks with the welds on the first run in the water?

Mike4
5th Nov 2015, 04:48 PM
Where is the bung to drain the money out

As everyone always says a boat is a hole in the water that you pour money into.

Michael

jhovel
5th Nov 2015, 06:11 PM
I think that saying is about racing yachts. I think PDW will find a way to make an income from his boat... ;)

RayG
6th Nov 2015, 06:34 PM
Nice one PDW, I look forward to following the story, should be one of the high points of the new projects forum. :2tsup:

Ray

Consider the "like" button pressed.

Oldneweng
6th Nov 2015, 09:32 PM
I think that saying is about racing yachts. I think PDW will find a way to make an income from his boat... ;)

It is my understanding that it refers to boats in general. Racing yatchs are a case all on their own. I think they may be a hole in the water that you pour gold bullion into. Price a decent kevlar main sail or spinnaker and you may understand this.:D

Dean

simonl
28th Nov 2015, 02:26 PM
Nice.

It brings me back to my childhood. My Dada brought home some plans for a Bruce Roberts 40' Spray. It started in the shed in the backyard bending the frames with a porta power and using a big table with cement sheet (or something) painted black and the patterns scribed in the sheet.

17 years later it was finished, well not finished. I don't think you ever finish a yacht, it just goes from a building phase to a maintenance phase. It always seemed that the less you sailed it, the more maintenance it wanted. All yachts are money pits.

WRT testing welds, I don't recall my Dad testing the welds as such. More a visual inspection. Of course once it was sand blasted, zinced and epoxy painted, not much would have gotten through. Dad did leak test the fuel, water and sewer tanks by pumping a couple of psi into them and monitoring for a day. Not saying it's the correct way, my dad was not a professional boat builder, just learnt as he went.

Good luck PDW! Looke forward to more pics as you go.

Simon

eskimo
10th Dec 2015, 07:50 AM
All yachts are money pits.



All Boats!... in my experience, as are houses, wives and some sports ie pistol shooting...oh and gear for the shed

PDW
13th Dec 2015, 01:39 PM
Got a few things out of the way. Just emptied 6 fish boxes of swarf out of the shed and into the burn/rust pile. Got to finish off the drive gear for a 200HP marine diesel but all the big bits are now done.

Back to the photo mine.

Steel is heavy & awkward, first you need a gantry or 2 in different sizes......

PDW
13th Dec 2015, 01:44 PM
Then you need a grid base to build the boat on and move it about.....

Got to get back to work now, might be a while between updates. I have the HBM one day or less from being under power, the problem being to find the spare day.