Easyway out

So you are building something without structural or lines plans, stability calculations and not yet knowing what the sailplan will be. Is this right?

 

Thats why I consulting an Expert/ designer Gonzo.

 

What do you want from a designer? You already started the boat. Are you looking for someone to inspect the boat and tell you if you should stop and scrap it or if there is some way to salvage the project?

 

Burley 1 absolutly "slow ahead" is my motto!
Gonzo yes, one of the two centuries They develped more boatbuilding skills!

Here's one for you...A longdistance sailor

 

Gonzo You really couldn't find that out??? How about: "Stabillity calculation", "Waterline/deplacement", "Sailplan/ mast position" and some other usefull tip I hope!
Purhapse I tell you, I have bought and studying buildingplans of Langedrag! A Swedish wellknown circumnavigator, build with the same princip as mine = the shell first and then ad stringers and so on.. I have some on Van de stadt, and even a C.Archer kind of boat drawings! Gonzo What boat have you built and more of interest... What boat have you designed???

 

You go ahead and follow your dream Evantica.

Dont worry about other people telling you you know nothing about design , seems like you dont dare even go into a bathtub without having a boat 'designed' first by a naval architect. What a load of rubbish.

I have met with quite a few naval architects and surveyors im my work as a boat repairer and moulder and learned quite early on that SOME..... of them havent a clue what they are doing. I once met a surveyor who has been in the game for twenty years, didnt know what osmosis looked like or how to combat it.
Now before everyone jumps down my throat, Im not saying designers/surveyors arent necessary, all Im saying is that sometimes I get the feeling that all that theoretical stuff they learn at University stifles freedom of thought.

Itchy

 

Evantica,

Quite a long time ago, it was standard practice to say "OK, so we want a boat about yay long by yay wide that can fit 20 guys" and just start building.

Around the same time, it was quite common for boats to just vanish at sea and never return. It was normal and expected that sailors would be lost on most voyages of significant length.

There's a pretty good connection between these two points.

We've reached a point now where, when someone has a boat built, they can be pretty sure how it will behave, how much it will carry, how the motion will be for the crew, even how fast it'll go on what point of sail, before the keel is even laid. We can now keep all the sailors on board and safe in virtually any conditions.

People have written books that distill centuries of trial and error into a week's worth of after-work reading. One would have to be a fool not to take advantage of this modern body of knowledge when building a new boat.

That's not to say that we have to go with the latest gear, the latest in cored-composite structural engineering, the latest in collateralized non-commercial financing techniques. A lot of what's taken for granted in modern yachting is really more about convenience and/or image than necessity.

Look up George Buehler, for an example- http://georgebuehler.com/ Here's a designer who's figured out how to combine modern knowledge with old-school thrift and simplicity. He's been doing some fancier stuff lately, but look for his older wooden sailing designs- cheap as dirt, strong like bull, fast to build, and performance that, while not up to Sydney-Hobart standards, is more than adequate for many cruisers. You might find some inspiration there, some proof that others have shared your dream and followed it.

 

Itchy..About my dreams: Thats what I intend to do! I signed up on this forum for more knowledge I didn't have, to create my dream. Just to find out that some are, feels like envy, kind of special, mr:I the know everything and who the f... are you?! Just sad...But It makes me more confident that I probably be better of alone, and probably more alone at the big ocean, while some-probably most- still is on this forum telling folks what not to do, coz' they can't... Who's redicolus i wonder??? ( I'm gonna stay awhile anyhow, some of you fells like friends and you have my friendship back)

 

marshmat! you make a very good point! and you're abolutly right!
But sometimes it feels like:"theoretical stuff they learn at University stifles freedom of thought" someone wisley sead! And that my point to!
But sure, the more safe the better. But I think it scares away quite a few with all this knowledge and calculation stuff... Life should be easy and for everyone!

 

Gonzo. No hard feelings! but I want to know your boatbuilding/ designing skills?

 

I agree marshmat.
take advantage of modern resources and publications. but nothing beets the tried and tested traditions of the boat building world.
Evantica what kind of boat are we talking about? it is my belief that a designer (of any kind) should think of: "what its for" and "who its for". from that you make your ideas. it is hard to come up with a design when all your looking for is for it to float, stay upright and travel (regardless of speed) in a desired direction.
it sounds to me that you are trying to start something with no end result in mind. and from this we are unable to help or even comment on weather we think it is viable or not. i would say that it would be fine to make a day sailing dingy. but would advise aganst trying a live-aboard just yet.

JC

 

Yes, the acquisition of knowledge, and the application thereof, can scare off some people.

If you want to keep the "Life" part for a while, though.... well, that's why we developed the "knowledge and calculation" part. Skipping the "knowledge and calculation" part, more often than not, is very bad for the "life" part.

 

Burley1. (I'm building a steelboat, that I'm consulting an expert= nothing to do with this tread !) I was just interested and wanted to hear your oppinion about the ev. simplicity of building a boat and leave for the big ocean. And use coomon sense like Sven Yrvind eg. and many with him! And thanks for your consern and helpfullness, appriciate it! (begining to like this tread now...)

 

Marshmat. You're talking like a poet, and nicely so... " Life is not a quiss to be solved, just a life to be lived (sorry for spelling) and sometimes It's very dangerous to be walking on the sidewalk. even if the parralell is a bit redicoulus. But sometimes you'll have to go for it!

 

oh right.
sorry everyone! miss interoperated everything. classic dyslexic error.