steel to wood

[kharee]

Is there a book that lays out the basics for converting a set of lines for a steel boat to wood?

I know the lines will need modifying due to weight differences. I have a couple of steel plans in my collection. Several in wood and one in plastic.

I will eventually give my books and plan collection to my high school alma mater. I am buying D.N.Goodchild plans of classic boats to study and build a collection for the school library. If plans are on the shelf some of the kids may develop an interest in boat building.

My wife suggests I build a bookcase and buy a three wheel motorcycle .

[gonzo]

Not really. You can get a set of lines and re-engineer the structure for wood. However, some shapes don't transfer well to different materials.

[PAR]

Listen to your wife.

Converting a steel build to a wooden build would be encyclopedic in nature, just to cover all the various methods and possibilities. In short it's not a practical subject.

Build conversions are a fairly common request of designers. "Can I have this design in . . . instead." The usual answer is yes and a fee related to the complexity of the conversion, which some being much more difficult then others.

In general, with smaller steel hulls, a wooden variant would be narrower and/or shallower to relieve some of the building material's burden (steel is heavy). In larger yachts the reverse may be true with a steel hull being lighter then a wooden one, so just converting a set of lines wouldn't do the job. The whole structure has to be converted.

Again, listen to your wife, also some of the plans that D. N. Goodchild offers are real crap, incomplete and not especially well suited for a the modern boater. On the other hand it can be a good recourse for building your library.

[kharee]

The plans I refer to is a steel variant of the "Tahiti", done by the guy who designs the "Rovers" and the tall ships. His name escapes me at the moment.

He made it a chine hull with transom hung rudder. I love the lines but I don't weld and accept the reality that wood is my best choice in which to build. I think his version in wood would be a better boat than Hanna's.

Since I have the full set of plans it shouldn't be to difficult for a designer to make the conversion. Another set of plans might justify the expense and effort of building that bookcase.

Like a lot of people the forum is my community college for design and building. I ask questions because I want to know certain aspects of the subject.

If I ask about three masted schooners or concrete submarines it doesn't mean I intend to build one. I want to know the answer to the question. I believe in the Socratic method of teaching and education. It's the best.

If you don't know what time it is you should ask. If I don't ask I'll never know. I have already gleamed some idea of how a conversion would be done. So now I ask the experts to point me in the"right" direction. Not that I am going to do it, but inquiring minds want to know!

[Tad]

The guy is Merritt Walter, his version of Tahiti is called Tahiti Rover and is a 32' double chine ketch. Mostly making any boat longer (leaving everything else the same)will improve it's performance.

Weston Farmer also did a improved multi-chine steel Tahiti called Tahitiana where he pulled the bow out 18" and added lots of sail area. This created a boat that's faster than a standard Tahiti. If you like answers I highly recommend Farmer's book called From My Old Boat Shop. His educational and entertaining two-part writeup on the steel conversion of Tahiti appeared in MotorBoating & Sailing of October and November 1976. I think Goodchild might have reprints of those as well.

[kharee]

Thanks Tad. That's the answer I was seeking. I'll get the book.