Islander - Seagoer

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by kolosanka, May 6, 2010.

  1. boat fan
    Joined: Sep 2008
    Posts: 717
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    Location: Australia

    boat fan Senior Member


    I have a lot of respect for you and your abilities Daniel.
    One look at your work tells the story , but things are not always as simple as they seem.

    Here in South Australia , there is simply no way that I could build that boat as shown in that photo for the same amount of money that it would cost in plywood on frame no way , never , not here.

    About the only wood that is affordable here is Pinus Radiata or as Californians know it as Monteray Pine.And its total rubbish that has no place on a boat.

    The good stuff here , such as Jarrah , Blue Gum , Celery top Pine , Huon Pine ,( good luck ) , even Hoop Pine is so stupidly priced here that top grade marine ply would come in at less than half price .I know this Daniel , because I actually did the pricing not that long ago.

    I think if I built that boat , as that photo shows it would take me longer by the time it was fastened and caulked.

    Regardless my friend , I still very much like your boats , and respect your skills as a designer and shipwright.I`m always interested in what you have to say.
     
  2. dskira

    dskira Previous Member

    First thanks for the kind words.
    Yes I know what you mean about timber pricing.
    I suppose I should had make the remark that I was talking about Maine and East Coast of the US.
    We have good choice, some are overprice, but the good native one is fairly priced and abundant.
    I suppose we are the lucky one here.
    I agree that when the timber is hard to find and very expensive, the plywood with or without epoxy is a good solution. At least you don't have surprise when your receive the plywood.
    As for the framing, yes you can go with more spacing and longitudinal framing.
    As for the deck, plywood is very good, beam spaced accordingly.
    Well, what ever the material and the method, what we want is to built a boat to go sailing. After all the method to achieve that goal is linked to what material is available quickly and cheaply.
     
  3. Tanton
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    Location: Newport RI

    Tanton Senior Member

    Looking at the framing, planking and apparently the difficulty of getting proper solid wood, you might want to consider a construction in steel.
     
  4. pdwiley
    Joined: Jun 2008
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    Location: Hobart

    pdwiley Senior Member

    Move. I did.

    I have a fair stack of 150 x 50 blue gum, air dried for 7 or 8 years now. I cut them using a Lucas mill that I hired along with the owner. Also nearly 3 cubic metres of silver wattle mainly in 200 x 30, 2.4m long.

    I'm about to cut a bunch more because there are blue gums, peppermints and big silver wattles in my driveway too close to my power line and they have to go. One already did, along with the power line, hence my certain knowledge that they are too close.....

    Anyway if you go to a hardware store, yes, timber can be very, very expensive. Find a local with a Lucas mill and do a deal with him for timber. You'll need to figure out some form of kiln system if you don't want to wait years of course.

    However, I see nothing wrong with using plywood if you like wood & epoxy. It works fine, there are lots of good boats out there. Just pick a design that suits the material.

    Surrounded (more or less) with timber, I built from steel which I freighted down from Sydney because it was a hell of a lot cheaper there than from the local steel merchants. I like steel so I bought a design from a designer who specialised in that material and it's all gone well.

    The Benford 37.5' DONNA design looks like a gem to build in ply. A friend has the 34' one and loves it. He sailed it down here for the last wooden boat festival.

    PDW
     
  5. boat fan
    Joined: Sep 2008
    Posts: 717
    Likes: 17, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 435
    Location: Australia

    boat fan Senior Member

    Well , Mr Wiley , that`s good advice for some.

    Personal circumstances don`t always allow options like moving etc , but for some people its quite appropriate.

    Personally , I have gone another direction , and an entirely different boat ,and yes , its plywood. For me it just made far more sense.

    I posted that Benford dory because I thought that it was " more bang for the buck " when compared to the Islander / Seagoer .I was half expecting to get shouted down for suggesting it actually , and was quite ( pleasantly ) surprised by the positive / favourable comments made about that humble little boat.

    That Donna design is ultra simple and an awful lot of boat for the money.
    I think more of these type of boats may be built as times get tougher.

    Thank you for posting.

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  6. pdwiley
    Joined: Jun 2008
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    Location: Hobart

    pdwiley Senior Member

    If you have read Annie Hill's books on where they took BADGER, a 34' Benford dory, you'd have to be pretty arrogant to dismiss them out of hand.

    As I've said, were I to build another boat in a material other than steel, the DONNA design would be very high up on my short list. The man I know who's built a 34' one loves it and sails it quite happily single-handed.

    So, if that's what you're building, more power to you. I'm pretty sure that if built properly, you'll also love it and be able to go pretty much anywhere you want.

    PDW
     
  7. Angélique
    Joined: Feb 2009
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    Location: Belgium ⇄ The Netherlands

    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    :) . . . OK Daniel . . . :)

    Cheers,
    Angélique
     

  8. dlblandjr
    Joined: Aug 2012
    Posts: 4
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    Location: Grafton ,Il.

    dlblandjr New Member

    Blowing 70 knots?!?

    Wow? Well I shall have to take your word there mate, I most assuredly shan't be coastal sailing in any 70 knot breeses!
     
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