50ft strip plank sailer

[PAR]

I relatively recently put A/C in my shop and can't tell you the joys of having environmental control. I even have a single car garage sized space, where I can cook up to about 130 (55c) degrees, with very low humidity. The ability to apply slow formulations, for lots of positioning and pot life time, then the ability to get a workable cure, in just a few hours is hard to describe. Working in a clean and dry shop is a big plus too, particularly when it's 95 (35c) degrees outside with 90% humidity, which it will be for another few months down here.

If I was to take on a project like this, I'd consider building upright, instead of upside down. Rolling a 50' yacht isn't an easy nor inexpensive thing, even if you have a buddy that owns a portable 100 ton crane, like I do. It makes hanging planking a little different, but it can be worked out. I'd also purchase much of the hardware and major systems as I find them, rather than when I need them. An engine can lie on a pallet for a year or two, until it's time to install it, if you find a good deal somewhere. I'd also consider building full sections of interior and "systems" as installable units, rather than in place. These can be stored in a container or under a shed roof, until it's time to toss them in the boat. You could have a head unit, engine room, bank of batteries, galley, staterooms, etc. all ready to lower into the completed hull. This will save much up and down the ladder work, trust me. Fitting furniture into the boat, usually requires some major tools live inside the boat during the process, which is a pain in the butt, but quite common on a build of this scale. The same applies for materials, so this pre-assembled element approuch, makes a lot of sense with a limited build team.

Lastly, consider your budget a good guess at about 1/2 of what the real costs will be. The same is true of your time. You might find you can put in 8 hours, but the actual production time is 4 if you're lucky. This assumes you're reasonably skilled with tools and most importantly of all a capable problem solver. In fact, your problem solving skills will be the deciding factor. If you're the type that can look at things from different angles and perspectives, seeking a solution, you'll do well. If you're the type that needs a set of plans, searches Google and looks for instructions to clear things up, you should skip over this dream and take up basket weaving instead, as this project will present thousands of opportunities to test your problem solving skills (not even remotely kidding), in literally every facet of the build process.

 

[nzboy]

Google gives dozens of resellers in the UK. Just ask quotes, bet most of them love to sell in full barrels, thou the brands may vary. With the amounts you'll be using get general purpose epoxy for gluing and fairing and appropriate laminating epoxy for the skins, and you need only one barrel at a time, I'm sure it's not that much cheaper beyond a barrel purchase..

NZBoy, you really want to control the humidity of the timber during the entire project. Don't ask how I know

BR Teddy

In your opinion if strip planking a boat over a number of months, what temperature and humidity parameters would be acceptable and what is ideal?
Is there a danger of timber getting too dry? Although Now I understand by
looking at Toalls other thread that we are looking at a composite build with timber core. So we are not looking at wood boat with glass for abrasion and wood protection.So yes climate control is an issue .What moisture content in the core is acceptable before totally encapsulating

 

[PAR]

15% is acceptable, but most goo formulators would like to see 12% or less. There's no such thing as too dry, though really dry stock will suck up a little more.

 

[TeddyDiver]

In your opinion if strip planking a boat over a number of months, what temperature and humidity parameters would be acceptable and what is ideal?
Is there a danger of timber getting too dry? Although Now I understand by
looking at Toalls other thread that we are looking at a composite build with timber core. So we are not looking at wood boat with glass for abrasion and wood protection.So yes climate control is an issue .What moisture content in the core is acceptable before totally encapsulating

What PAR said about timber moisture content +1.
But as soon as strips are glued together even 1% change will cause a lot of shrinkage or swelling so that the previously perfectly round and smooth bilge area warps to something else, more so when the other side is allready sheated with fg and epoxy. Flat surfaces will look even worse..
For me 70% (relative) air humidity has worked out well but it depends some what's the starting moisture content of the timber ( the temperature is not so important but it affects to the speed of the drying or sweating so I prefer lower temperatures) In this environment there's a bit of drying happening still but not too much for my purposes.
What comes to epoxy I have found airhumidity below 65% there's no blush even with blush prone epoxy in a periods of few weeks. Plenty of time for laminating and protective fairing for any confined area of the boat.

BR Teddy