Where would you build a boat in the UK?

Discussion in 'All Things Boats & Boating' started by mattnedgus, Sep 12, 2007.

  1. safewalrus
    Joined: Feb 2005
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    Location: Cornwall, England

    safewalrus Ancient Marriner

    Isn't 'proanaut' illegal these days or am I thinking of something else begining with P
     
  2. keith66
    Joined: Sep 2007
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    Location: Essex UK

    keith66 Senior Member

    Proanaut, Person who has had the mind altering experience of sailing a full on flying Proa and ridden the outrigger at speed. Atlantic proas dont count in my book!
     
  3. szkutnik
    Joined: Nov 2006
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    Location: Europe-Poland

    szkutnik Junior Member

    For 2000 pounds /month you can get well equipped workshop and two professional boat builders.
    + Small apartment if you would to stay for longer and work with as.
    More workers also available
    My workshop is In Poland near Warszawa so you have weary cheep airplane connection.

    Marek Dziedzic www:yacht-building.pl
     
  4. safewalrus
    Joined: Feb 2005
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    Location: Cornwall, England

    safewalrus Ancient Marriner

    As most of the Polish are now working in the construction Industry in England awaiting chance to get on the dole and freeload from the British Taxpayer I can't see where you get your extra workers from?
     
  5. Frosty

    Frosty Previous Member

    AND,-- 2000 pounds per month aint cheap --is it? Even if you do get a bit of space in a workshop and some free digs.

    If they are getting that much they would'nt be in Uk looking for work.

    Ok I should'nt criticize without offering alternatives.

    On the hard in Thailand is approx 300-400baht per day 40-50 foot--(5 pounds).

    unskilled labour is 300-500 baht per day. skilled approx 800 baht( 11 pounds)

    Negotiation is of coarse possible for longer terms.
     
  6. mattnedgus
    Joined: Aug 2007
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    Location: UK

    mattnedgus Junior Member

    Reply en masse

    Thanks all, it's much appreciated! There's so many replies I don't know where to start... At the beginning maybe... :)


    Trevlyns: That sounds a good price - I think a little cheaper than I expected (though my ideas for price were just based on rip-off-Britain tendencies to overcharge. It gives me more hope that there will be somewhere to build it here (and that not everyone in the UK is greedy :-D )!

    As for Monohulls and Catamarans - I would love to build a Catamaran just because of the extra space and stability it provides. But (and in answer to Landlubber also) I am hoping to build a boat I could live aboard for at least few months out of the year - longer if possible. This drove me towards the view that whilst a Catamaran is a 'nice' idea, a full keeled monohull is probably going to be more robust and easier to fix (I'm thinking in the case of hitting logs etc). It would be nice to have one of each - one towed behind the other maybe :-D but 1's going to be more than enough for now!

    Are you keeping a website blog of your build perchance?


    Frosty: Yeah, I have been considering later moving somewhere abroad like Brazil (although it doesnt have to be) for a year or two, where things are cheaper than the UK whilst I build it, then sail it back here. This could be an option after finishing my PhD. It gives me plenty of time to build up some wood working skills and make the arrangements. It would be nice however to build sooner rather than later and as much as possible as safewalrus mentioned.

    Nottingham is about a 40/45 minute drive from Sheffield. I should be commuting daily, but it's cheaper to only go when necessary (more pennies saved towards a boat). My reason for possibly needing to move will be when I am required to be there daily to build and test the rig for my project.

    In reply to your last comment, you'd be looking at £150 a month approximately for space, and then £330 a month for skilled labour? Would you recommend considering employing labour longer-term or just get it in as and when necessary (for the odd lift)?


    RHP: I've also considered buying a small plot of land in the UK. There is actually some for sale locally (rural at the moment, although expected to obtain domestic housing planning permissions in around 2011) that could fit the bill for building a boat on here and now. The only problem is not being able to secure whatever I built there from those little vandals.


    Landlubber: I really want to get it out on the open(ish) sea and get travelling. There are many places I'd like to visit without crossing the Atlantic, although it might be nice to visit places over there too someday! I suppose once I'd started, I wouldn't want to stop!

    Therefore I was thinking about something that would withstand a bit of bad weather, self righting (so it goes 'with' the forces of nature, rather than tries to resist - as in the case of a catamaran), capable of carrying 'some' load (maybe towing a smaller yacht or canoes) and so on.

    Again 'ideally' (things are forever changing) I would like to use it year round and live aboard whilst travelling for as long as the finances could hold out!


    Szkutnik: I was in Germany a few weeks ago. As I flew over I was amazed by how much forest there is still around. Passing on the train, there were logs lying everywhere! It occurred to me that (materials-wise) Europe might be a good place to build, but unfortunately, I am looking to work to a much smaller budget hence looking towards doing most of the work myself.


    safewalrus: You're not a fan of Sheffield United then? I must admit, I've never really been overly into football generally, so I was never too fussed about those or Wednesday. Are you sure I'd fit the build inbetween the posts, and would they provide electricity and WC's do you think? I could make enquiries...


    And on a design note:

    I've been reading one of George Buehlers books and he seems to have quite a down to earth approach to building which I think is good. I'd probably look towards using one of his designs, unless anyone can recommend better?

    (Wharram catamarans would (I think) be my design of choice if I was to go the multihull route).
     
  7. safewalrus
    Joined: Feb 2005
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    Location: Cornwall, England

    safewalrus Ancient Marriner

    Matt

    you seem to have the right idea - live onboard needs to be sturdy to the point of rediculous (excuse spelling). Cats may be fast but they can't carry much, and not a lot of space inside -Ok for the tropics but in Northern European waters you'll need to get inside in the warmth quite a lot!

    All these exotic places sound great but you need money to complete the dream, and you need to earn that somehow, where you are now is a good place to start - if you keep saying what if, and wait for you'll never get started - a lot are like that! Here and now is a good place to start, but in this country under cover it has to be! Nothing worse than standing in the cold and rain for days waiting to start with money for rent and time off going down the plug hole at speed, and it does!

    Buehlers is one good way to go - you don't have to build to his design but his principals are what matters; most definately!

    As to Blades ground for the building place, no trouble with the toilets, (the way they play)!! But there's a few may get upset! Seems a better idea than the present use but there again 22 men kicking a bag of wind around a field is not me! (like the bloke in black tho' that could be fun!)
     
  8. Trevlyns
    Joined: Oct 2006
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    Trevlyns Senior Citizen/Member

    Certainly am, Keith! Be great to link up with you, I'll drop you a private e-mail in the morning - just been banned from the living room by my teenage daughter and her mates :rolleyes:
     
  9. szkutnik
    Joined: Nov 2006
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    Location: Europe-Poland

    szkutnik Junior Member

    1. I am not a bricklayer
    2. In Poland live 38 million people.
    3. 30% of boat in Europe is build in Poland.
    You don't know that???
    Regards
     
  10. hmattos
    Joined: Jun 2004
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    Location: Devon UK

    hmattos Senior Member

    We build boats for a business in Cornwall, GRP fast RIBs - see www.explorermarine.co.uk - and I would endorse much of what has been said.
    The main thing is to get the job done, and there are two ways of doing that - you either pay a team to do it or you do it mainly yourself.
    Pay a team and you would be as well off buying a readymade boat from a factory which do it all the time.
    Do it yourself and you will never get it finished unless you can do at least some work on it every day, or at least MOST days.
    So that means keep the boat NEAR.
    I drive for 10 to 20 mins to some of my workshops, and the other one is at home. This means I can do a few hours every day and still be " at home" with the family for meals and family time.
    Boat shipping is not too expensive - budget around £1.50 per round trip mile to get the boat to the sea when it is finished - but make sure you build it near where you live, or else it will never be done.

    P.S. I have two friends who tried to live on two boats in the boat yard while they were building them - both have taken more than five years and one has now given up. Living on the boat makes it too hard to get on with jobs!
    Good Luck

    Hugh Mattos
    Chartered engineer
    www.explorermarine.co.uk
     
  11. safewalrus
    Joined: Feb 2005
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    Location: Cornwall, England

    safewalrus Ancient Marriner

    Hugh what the hell do you drive? 20 minutes from Cullompton to Wadebridge! Hell I'm impressed (takes 7 minutes to get over the bloody ferry or do you go round by the bridge?)
     
  12. hmattos
    Joined: Jun 2004
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    Location: Devon UK

    hmattos Senior Member

    Safewalrus You are clearly a man of the south coast road. I actually go via Delabole Davidstow Launcestom Okehampton Exeter. Which takes 90 to 120 mins depending upon what I am drivimng and who else is about. However, I have a place to stay about 5 miles from the Cornwall Workshops - and near the boat testing waters at Rock, and I can also stay, and the offices are in Cullompton where we have smaller workshops where we do the small mouldings, consoles, seats etc and all the soft trim and the admin.

    It means that one can work seven days a week AND see the family.
    Come over and see me sometime while we have some light and I will give you a boat demo...
    Regards
    Hugh Mattos
     
  13. safewalrus
    Joined: Feb 2005
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    Location: Cornwall, England

    safewalrus Ancient Marriner

    Might just take you up on that Hugh!

    Can see the good points of that route, less emmets for a start, makes for a quicker route - whilst I can't gainsay your choice of workshop sites (beautiful country etc) the locations seem a little ...well wierd getting all the bits and pieces together seems a logistic headache, bit like having the pantry on the first floor next to the bathroom so to speak! (and in anyother county the toilet at the bottom of the yard, but that's normal for us bain't it)
     
  14. Pericles
    Joined: Sep 2006
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    Location: Heights of High Wycombe, not far from River Thames

    Pericles Senior Member

    Hello Mattnedgus and welcome.

    Try looking for a place that welcomes DIY like http://www.ironwharf.co.uk/.

    I considered moving to Faversham until I realised it's Chav Town writ large.:rolleyes:

    How about renting a barn from a farmer? They are always looking to maximise cash flow.

    Good luck with your plans.

    Pericles
     

  15. mattnedgus
    Joined: Aug 2007
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    Location: UK

    mattnedgus Junior Member

    Pericles,

    Thanks for the input. Renting a barn or some space on a farm had occurred to me too - I'm keeping my eyes open in case I see anything 'spare' locally that I could borrow whilst I build...

    Hugh & safewalrus,

    We were camping near Wadebrige (actually Harlyn Bay, but it's not a million miles away) this summer - it's a random point I know, but still one I thought I'd make :)

    I thought it'd be nice to build a small 14' Catamaran just for those bays next year... but again it comes down to space to build.
     
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