building vs buying...

805gregg · Jul 17, 2013

Some people are boaters, they buy boats and fix and go, some are builders they build and don't really go, the others are dreamers, they dream about the perfect boat and never do anything but dream, decide which you are and go for it. I built my Bristol Channel Cutter in 18 months in a boatyard that an older gentleman had built a 60+ concrete boat, right down to the salt and pepper shakers, he was a boat builder not really a boater, which are you

tugboat · Jul 17, 2013

805gregg said: ↑

Some people are boaters, they buy boats and fix and go, some are builders they build and don't really go, the others are dreamers, they dream about the perfect boat and never do anything but dream, decide which you are and go for it. I built my Bristol Channel Cutter in 18 months in a boatyard that an older gentleman had built a 60+ concrete boat, right down to the salt and pepper shakers, he was a boat builder not really a boater, which are you
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I am definitely the boater...good inspiration. Thanks Would like to know more about the guy doing the cement boat.

. I have been watching this guy on YouTube build a 74 ft steel origami vessel. Now this guy is a builder.
HE is tool rich for sure and I admire his fortitude and ingenuity. He has taught himself everything that he needed and probably has spent the costs of having his hull built just in tooling. but he is fulfilled. I question what he is going to do when its done. For me I just want to get on the water but I'm boat proud- meaning I fall in love with a particular design.
I've built 7 boats now and the joy for me is standing on the deck of my boat being close to the water...travelling etc.

how about you?. Its a good question..

Mr Efficiency · Jul 17, 2013

pdwiley said: ↑

Wrong. Sorry but you simply are wrong.

When was the last commercial steam locomotive built and if steam is better than diesel-electric, why don't trains have steam plants?

Here in Australia we have some of the biggest coal deposits on the planet, we export billions of dollars worth hauled over custom-built railways owned by the mining companies. They can use whatever they like, coal to power the trains is effectively free and they have 100% control over what rolling stock they buy & run.

Guess what, there isn't a single steam powered locomotive running on any mine railway anywhere in the country. That tells me someone has done the figures and diesel-electric is more efficient.

I spent a lot of time on oceanographic research vessels. Some of our voyages were constrained by range and we could carry 2 megalitres of fuel oil. Nobody is building big steam driven shipping because it's more efficient, because it's not.

You want to run a steam plant because you want to run a steam plant, fine. I have friends who build live steam locos and others who want to build steam powered launches. I don't try to talk them out of it, might build one myself one of these days. However it seems that you have no plant on hand, you don't have the tooling or skills to build one of any practical size and I expect the purchase price, with boiler etc etc is going to considerably exceed the price of a decent diesel engine.

Look, I'm not going to spend a lot of my time doing research on the net etc to disabuse you, this is shaping up the same way as did the ferrocement arguments. You make blanket statements based on how you wish things to be and eventually the reality of engineering materials sinks in and you come to realise you're wrong.

So basically do what you like but I can't be bothered reading & commenting on fanciful claims about the efficiency or otherwise of steam plants and engaging in endless argument while reality dawns slowly on you.

As for that tug, if you can get the price down a bit and the hull isn't a metal sieve held together by paint, buy it and get on with the refit. You'll never build cheaper.

PDW
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The hiss of steam is captivating, but as you say, uneconomic. Under the carbon tax regimes of today, it has no hope.

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building vs buying...

805gregg Junior Member

tugboat Previous Member

Mr Efficiency Senior Member

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