Books on fitting out a yacht

[howardm]

Hi Guys,

I just bought a dinky little yacht for practicing before I get the S&S Swan 38.

Here she is
http://www.western-horizon.co.uk/boa...hp?boat_id=139

She needs a bit of finishing off inside.
I am looking for recommendations of books and/or websites for ideas and sound advice. I have googled a bit and come up with nothing.

thanks
Howard

[BATAAN]

So what's missing and what do you mean by finishing off other than putting things back together?

[michael pierzga]

Gee...looks like a great boat ! Needs a bit of houskeeping.. new cabin sole and a bit of interior refresh. Not sure if there is a "book" on this. Try googling a book called.. from a bare hull or googling Bruce Bingham ? I think those are correct. .

Sometimes its easier to check out other simliar boats for ideas and adopt the ones you like. For instance...check out cabin sole detalis or headliner methods.

When refitting an interior its best to remove everything....give the inside a good scrub down, powerwash ... then electrify and brightly illuminate the interior.... then plan your mission.

Building a little PVC tube supported, plastic heat shrink work station under the boat is good.

Also good is erecting a scaffold platform work station, near waterline, on one side or aft.

Really backbreaking to climb up and down ladders a million times.

And since it rains up your way...some protection for the companionway hatch while you work.

[Landlubber]

...nice little boat ya got there, have fun. Try the book by Nigel Calder...Boatowners Mechanical and electrical manual...the best book for a boater ever.

...and Michael has it right, have a gander at other interiors for clever ideas, we do it all the time, copy each other, from magazines to actual boats, Chinese R&D (Research and Duplicate)

[howardm]

Well.....wish I hadn't thrown out all my Prictical Boat Owner Magazines.!
I already have the Calder book.

[michael pierzga]

Well youre probably going to be ripping out old wires and upgrading the electric system...This is good information, old but relevant

http://www.smer.fi/docut/12volthandbook.pdf

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by howardm

I already have the Calder book.

That's a good starter (presuming it's Boatowners mechanical and electrical manual).
my 5c: Marine Diesel handbook also from Nigel, Gerr's Boat mechanical systems handbook and maybe John Vigors The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat..

[cwyckham]

Hi Howard,

+1 for Nigel Calder's Mechanical and Electrical Manual and Marine Diesel Handbook. Both are excellent and very detailed.

I'd also add Don Casey's Complete Sailboat Maintenance Manual. It is well illustrated and very detailed on some of the simple things that Nigel leaves out. Don really starts from scratch, assuming no real prior knowledge, then builds up to a pretty high level. It also includes a lot of things other than mechanical and electrical items, and it looks like you'll have some structural and refinishing work you'll want to do.

The book is actually a compilation of a number of his separate books: Inspecting the aging sailboat, sailboat hull and deck repair, sailboat refinishing, sailboat electrics simplified, troubleshooting marine diesels, and canvaswork and sail repair.

Don has also written This Old Boat which is supposed to be excellent. I haven't read it, but it's worth looking up as it's basically about doing precisely what you want to do: Taking a roughish fiberglass boat and fixing it up.

Good luck on your project(s)!

Chris

[howardm]

Hi guys,
She finally made it to my drive.
Here's some pictures the al wifey took on a rare sunny scottish day.!

http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w...em/sadler%2027

Has anyone got pointers to a Yacht Trailer to "reverse engineer".?
The yacht is 4 tonnes and so needs a trailer with air brakes.
I looked at converting a step frame or drop neck the same as she was delivered on.
Although I have plenty of room to store her, my access is too tight for even a 30 foot trailer.

thanks
Howard

[daiquiri]

Regarding your initial question, I can recommend "Boat Interior Construction" by Michael Naujok: http://www.amazon.com/Boat-Interior-.../dp/1574091530
Very neatly written step-by-step manual with lots of explanatory photos.
Cheers

[Eric Sponberg]

For style and finish, you can get copies of Ferenc Mate's books, "The World's Best Sailboats", volumes 1 and 2. Here is a link through Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Worlds-Best-Sa.../dp/0920256112.

Eric

[outside the box]

Originally Posted by howardm

Hi Guys,

I just bought a dinky little yacht for practicing before I get the S&S Swan 38.

Here she is
http://www.western-horizon.co.uk/boa...hp?boat_id=139

She needs a bit of finishing off inside.
I am looking for recommendations of books and/or websites for ideas and sound advice. I have googled a bit and come up with nothing.

thanks
Howard

Hi Howard

A couple of books that might help

From a bare hull
By Ferenc Mate
ISBN 0-920256-00-7

Fitting out below decks
By Alan Lucas
ISBN 0-7255-0656-3

See how you go if you have no luck PM me your postal address and I will send them to you as I am finished with them now so you may aswell benefit from them.
Regards
Craig
NZ

[MichBoater22]

Check out the book "Boatbuilding: A Complete Handbook of Wooden Boat Construction", there is a lot of helpful information in there even if your boat isnt wooden.

[FAST FRED]

Frankly I would do as little as possible add the required soft stuff and go cruising for a year or so.

The boat was built by experience folks for a purpose , and I would expect you purchased her to use in a similar purpose.

The interior probably is the result of decades of building and operating similar boats.

Find out what does work , and what does not before the 12lb sledge hammer and chainsaw tune up.

Repairing broken stuff like a seized winch , or a bilge is fine to stay safe ,as is outside painting.

But a "total Refit" must be based on knowledge, you first have to gather.

FF

[philSweet]

I agree with FF 100%. As an interesting exercise make a list of the top 10 things you think you want to fix/add/change and don't do any of them ( if you're really a masochist, add a budget and timeframe to the list). Fix only the stuff you cannot fix in the water- then launch her. Then track the things that you actually do as you do them. I predict there will be 0 correlation between the two lists. Nothing changes your priorities like a night in a wet bunk , a jambed jib furler, or actually having to open up your wallet and spend your hard earned money. It is very difficult to predict the extent to which any given quirk will irritate you or if you will simply adapt yourself to it.

If this is truly a stepping stone to a larger boat, why waste your time doing an extensive refit? I went the same route a few years ago. I bought a beater Cal 28 and sailed the crap out of it for 4 years before trading up to a Catalina 38. In four years I spent a grand total of $200 on the Cal and took a $3000 dollar loss on a hurried sale to make space for the Catalina. The time you spend sailing your first(?) keel boat will be more valuable than the time you spend sprucing it up. Consider that when your Swan 38 finds you, you may be obliged to unload the 27 under unfavorable circumstances. What ever you do- best wishes.