Boatbuilders tale...Mollyhawk

Here's a link to an interesting tale of steel boat building (or rebuilding) in South Africa.

http://www.jilldickinschinas.com/books/how-not-to-build-a-boat/

Running a cheap welder in a bath of fresh water to increase the duty cycle, that is innovation :idea:

 

Very nice, thanks to share with us!
Regards
Richard

 

Wonderful read! Looking forward to getting the book. Thanks for the heads-up Mike.

Yes, a welder in water... That, is scary

 

Actually its not as silly as it sounds. Fresh water is a very effective insulator which many people do not know. It only conducts electricity as you introduce impurities ... free ions.

 

Well, that's just great, Mike, but you couldn't pay me enough to test this. No way, no how; on this point I'd rather remain ignorant for life.

 

Did you get the book Mike (WelderF) ?

 

...pure water, demineralised, does not conduct.......my Grandfather demonstrated this to me long ago, he threw in a 240VAC open end cable and a coin, he easily removed the coin from the pure water.......i too was amazed at the time.

 

LyndonJ,
No, I have more than enough boat-related reading material to absorb, these days. Chapelle, Kinney, Hamlin, Brewer, Colvin, etc., for the design studies. Villiers, Herreshoff, Chichester, etc., for recreation. Had a dream the other night that I was trapped in the hull of an origamiboat, with a tape measure, laser-sight, & book of formulas. I still couldn't find my way out!

Ah well, at least I get to spend part of today looking for my next boat!

Mike(w/f)

Edit: It looks as though the book isn't out yet. Too bad, it would be an interesting read.