why not build your boat in Namibia

[ongolo]

Hi all,

I live in Namibia and have almost completed my own boat. I soon go sailing and my trusted employee of 6 years will be stranded.

It would be a perefect oppotunity to make use of Namibia for somebody who is retired or has an income and wants to build his own boat here or build boats here under contract for customers.

The climate is about 345 days sunshine and you need no shelter for your project. The town would be Arandis where the orlds largest open pit Uranium mine is located. There is a technical College there that produces more craftsmen than can be employed in the country.

For the adventerous, Namibia in Africa has much to offer and many Europeans would like to settle here but this is not normally possible, but for a project to employ people this would be no problem.

Especially for steel boat projects, the location is ideal in the desert 60km from the corrosive environment of the coast. Our people are friendly and would welcome you.

Examples of my boat can be seen at

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/bc/wer...y+boat&.view=t

everything you see is made here, gearboxes and engines are not made here but are available, so are all marine instruments. Sails can be made in Cape Town.

Life in Africa is rewarding, but I am afraid the typical "homo-office-sit-must" (penpusher) will have a problem with our life style and robust society. There are not errorists here!!!

regards W.A.Hundt (ongolo)

[archnav.de]

Hi Mrs. Hundt,

We have some friends in Namiba being farmers coming from Germany and we are professional naval architects living in Kiel (Germany). Look at our pictures under archnav. What do you think about the possibility for professional shipbuilding in Namibia? Is there the necessary infrastructure, market and transportation capacity for larger ships towards Swakopmund?

Best regards

Bernd Klehn

archnav.de
Lise-Meitner-Str. 1-7
D24223 Raisdorf
Germany

E-mail: b.klehn@archnav.de
Web: www.archnav.de

[ongolo]

Hallo,

Ok there is No market for Yachts here at the moment, but that may change soon.

What is a "larger ship"?

Transport up to 4m not problem at all. Beam up to 8m posible but requires police escorts, when the height exceeds 4.55m arrangements have to made with the power cokpany to switch the grid off. Maximum axle load is 9t, so for a 4 axle lowbed and the Horse with two axles and its own weight, the total weight limit will be 45 to 50t.

Infra structure for building exists, steel and boat building material is no problem, but anchors and instrumentation must be imported.

Welders and carpenters are a-plenty, the salry for a welder will be about 200 - 300 EU and about 5000EU for a top man. For a man cutting and grinding you will have to pay 100 to 150 EU.

For painting and sand blasting grit, blasters and high-pressure spray guns are available.

Sand blasting and priming with an inorganic zinc paint is about 10EU per square meter.

The building site would be in Arandis, dry enough so that there is hardly any corrosion, but only 60km from the coast. Launching of bigger vessels is not possible in Swakopmund but 40km further south in Walvis Bay where I am at the moment.

Depending on the type of boats you do, in Angola is a market, but there is no infra structure for a long time to come.

Hope this gives you an Idea and you can ask more detailed questions.


regards W.A.Hundt


PS. Do you know anything about a zinc paint called metagrip? made in France?

[ongolo]

hallo,

it should not read 5000eu but 500eu and 4m refers to beam. also the most comon crane available her is an 80t crane but in Walvis Bay is a 114t and a 140t Liebherr. But they cost.

regards w.a.hundt

[archnav.de]

Did you found the comments on

http://marineelectrics.org/bbs/post/1216.html

for metagrip in the internet and further information under

http://www.google.de/search?q=metagr...&start=10&sa=N

Dear Mr

I'm very interested in boatbuilding and particulary in wooden boatbuilding that's why I would like to know if you build wooden boats too, or if you know people who work in this field in Namibia.

your faithfully

jean-baptiste

delaunayjb@yahoo.fr

[ongolo]

Ho jean-baptiste,

Yes there are people who work with wooden boats, we have shipwrights, carpenters and boatbuilders here that used to build wooden fishing vessels.

They must work under supervision by somebody who knows what he wants.

Wood must be imported into this desert country, but exotic woods, such as Rhodesian Teak, Iroko and rose wood and other exotic woods from Africa are available with some planning.

However, there is a 100 year old 55ft classic here that needs to be rescued. The hull is sound but needs new bulkheads and it has been sagging, but when restored it would be priceless.

It won either an important race in 1904 or set a world record, but the new owner wnats it cut up so he can sell the 8 tons of lead (he believes there are 30 tons of lead in an 18 ton displacement boat). It is a shame.

Excellent sail makers are in Cape Town. Engines are available, the engine in the boat may be OK when overhauled, but that is not sure.

Please contact me directly on

werda555@yahoo.com

regards ongolo

[Willallison]

Hey Ongolo - completely off topic, sorry - Namibia are playing here in my home state of Tasmania in the rigby world cup in the next couple of weeks. With any luck they'll kick some Romanian butt....!

[J@K]

Hi Will
We´ve done those Romanian butt´s for you 50 times !!
Go Pumas Go ! - Sunday will be a different story, maybe some VaselineCare needed.

Jorge

[J@K]

As Will said, sorry, out of topic my last message but honestly couldn´t resist the moment
J

[ongolo]

sorry guys,

I am not interested in rigby (rugby?). I find ALL ball games stupid useless and silly.

Therefore I could not even care who plays where and when.
regards Ongolo