First build, too much to bite off?

Hi

I have recently been intrested in building a large preformance cruiser. I have been sailing my whole life, but I have only minor experience with repairs and modifications. The extent of which is installing a wheelpiliot, and small general wood working. However I do have a good bit of experiecne with "system"(eletrical, water, motor, septic). I have found plans that I like, http://andrewsyacht.com/andrws44.htm .

I have never built a boat before let alone anything bigger than a small shack for storage. First is it possible for me and two friends with equal knowledge to build a boat of this magnitude? How much time and money should I expect to put into a build of this sort of project?

In addition is this a well designed boat? I am looking for somthing comfortable yet fast.

Any and all help is appreciated

Thx- Alex

 

Start small, find design developed for home building

It would be wise to start building a small boat, it will pay back for itself. You will be more experieced when you start building the bigger boat. This saves time and money. It also is a good way to find out if boatbuilding really is something for you.

You should buy a design especially developed for home building. Good examples of designs like this come with extensive building manuals. The design office will be better able to answer your questions. Often there is a community of people building a boat of the same design that can give you advise.

Example:

http://www.stadtdesign.com/products/vds474.htm

 

SeaSpark is right.

Pick a smaller design that uses similar construction techiques as the larger design that you want to build. It's better to have a small unfinished boat in your your garage than a big one. Also, you can experience your learning curve on a smaller scale. Better to have an "oops" on a small hull than on a big one. With two others on the project you should be able to blow through the smaller one fairly rapidly. With a little research, you might find a one design to built that could furnish some funds for the "big build." A 44'er is still a big build for even three people, but not inconceivable.

 

THanks for the help.

I have looked at their plans and considered your advice. Is the VAN DE STADT 34 http://www.stadtdesign.com/products/vds391.htm . are accomplishable goal? or still lofty. I like the lay out a lot.

Do they have a forum because I could find very little about them.

thx -Alex

 

Did you start 2 thread on the same subject?

 

34ft to start

Alex,

Think the 34ft is too big.

You still can loose a lot of money if a project like this goes wrong. It will take a long time to build and a big investment in materials, time , engine and sails.

Suggestion for something smalller:

http://www.dhkurylko-yachtdesign.com/build.htm

 

Estimated building time seems to be very aproximately 2kg/hour or half an hour per kg of boat. That should be 4000 hours for the 44 footer, Andres 44.
Material costs can be 5 to 20 USD/kg.
You can buy chopped stranded mat from China for less than 2USD/kg, but sandwich laminates with a lightweight core and biaxial cloth costs much more.

 

Desio,

Pick a design that has a minimum of systems. It sounds like you and your friends have experience in that area, so the emphasis in the smaller boat is to develope your skills in the accurate construction of a boat hull. My first hull was 16' and single-handedly, it took 2 years to complete. No systems, just a hull and sails and rigging. I'm going out on a limb here, but with three of you, a 20-25' hull, with a minimum of systems and an outboard for auxilary power could be a quick and relatively inexpensive build. If you build it right though, you'll get every $ back that you put in to it and more. A 25' hull as a first build would have been a very daunting task for me.

What ever size you go with, make sure there is agreement between you and your buddies about financial responsibilities and ownership of the boat when it is done.

 

You might look at this thread. Something like this might let you jump in with something bigger.

http://boatdesign.net/forums/showthread.php?t=11460

 

I firmly believe in what the other posters in the forum have suggested. 44 ft. 34 ft. and even 24ft. are too big for a first time boat builder with only rare exceptions. A lot can go wrong even on a 24 footer for a builder with a few builds already accomplished. When you consider how the cost and time required escalates so much quicker than the increase in overall length it would be wise to start with something under 20 foot. The Alaska suggested by SeaSpark is plenty challenging enough and will provide plenty of satisfaction when you eventually finish it.

 

Hi thanks for all of the replys.

the issue with me building a boat under 7m is that I would never use it. at least a sailboat. a 6m motor boat would work but I would never use it.

Why is a 8m sail boat much harder than a 6m boat. I have revised my plans and am now thinking fo the t870 from thopson. I doesnt have the space but looks fast and sea worth.

http://www.tboat.com/T870-design.html

will this really be that hard to build

thx alex

 

T870 build?

How do feel about making a couple of 28 foot molds first that will be later discarded before you even start the actual boat? What is your knowledge and experience with foam sandwich construction? This is only for starters; if the answers to two items above are completely positive, then I still think that you are biting off more than you can chew, but if this makes you feel uneasy please tackle something smaller, even if you do not keep it. I could be wrong but then the three of you would be somewhat exceptional to complete a project like this, being a first boat build.
In any case you need to learn and practice many of the skills you will need during the preparatory phase, and then decide if you are willing to risk a large investment in time and money. Having said all that I'm sure that it has been done before, but acheiving a good result takes a lot of patience and skill, which you will all have to learn very quickly.
Best wishes with your eventual decision.

 

The 8 m boat is 1.3 x longer and (1.3^3) = 2.4 x larger in volume than a similar 6 m boat. Complexity and difficulty both scale roughly with the displacement or volume, plus a bit extra because of the more involved systems needed to run a larger vessel.