build boat in new zealand

Hi people

i am going to build my first boat i have good electrical skills and engine instalation is no problem but the glassing is. how do you build a mould from scratch it there a step by step guide you can give me? i will be posting the bad and the good work i do so everyone please give there advice. the boat is going to be about 9m 2/3m wide with a good deep v hull, the boat is a commercial boat and will be simpel but like a tank as her main perpose is to explore the coves of the coat of new zealand. i have a small boat shed that my gradfather left me we have some tools but i need to get kitted out over the next two weeks. please any advice would be good

 

the epoxy is a little more expensive ,but seems to be a little easyer to work with ,and stronger ,try it ,,,,,,,,longliner

 

more expensive then what? how is the best way to make a mould do you build it in ply first then glass it up? how do you get the hull out of the plug ? sorry i am new to this i was in the stages of learning of my granddad when he passed we did all elec motor but had no time to take me through the hull now i want to finish one for him i have the drawing but i am starting for scratch where do i start to get the mould made? thanks

 

Hi Kiwi

Most one-off amateur built boats aren't generall built that way. I would recommend looking up "cold molded" or "Stitch & Glue" boatbuilding methods. There are a number of designers (Glen-L, Jacques Mertens, Devlin) on the Internet that specialize in these methods and cater to the amateur builder. There are also some metal boatbuilding methods (Origami) that are easier & quicker to put together but require some more advanced construction methods. Building a mold for a fiberglass boat would be an expensive proposition and is usually the domain of production boat builders. You might want to look on the net for a mold to rent/buy if you really want to go that way.

Epoxies are probably the best way to go for amateur boat builders. They are more expensive but they're better at producing a waterproof hull than polyester or vinylester resins. They don't give off noxious fumes and generally don't require post curing (baking). There's plenty of literature on the net if you do some searches on epoxy for boat building.

Have a look around your area for other boat builders. See if you can find a boat building co-op in your area as well. There's a wealth of info out there but you have to do some leg work to find it. A proven design from someone who specializes in boats for amateur builders will probably save you a world of frustration and wasted materials.

FWIW

Rick

 

sorry my post was not clear, first time on this site please bear with me. i have a boat design a very good one i has been made up as a 3ft and 3m model and seem to go well in the water. now i have to build the big 9m one. i have done lots of refits on classic yachts but never a glass boat. i want to build this as a preduction boat, the mould is the hard part for me where would you start? i know you can do the split mould what are the advantages of this ? am i on the right lines

To begin, the frames of the plug are erected in an inverted position on a solid foundation. This is usually a heavy wooden frame laid on a level concrete floor. When all framing is erected, the skeleton can be strip planked or completed in any material judged suitable to achieve the shape of the vessel. At the deck edge which is in this case near the floor while the keel is some distance above it, a plywood flange is attached so that later during the moulding process, gelled FRP can be trimmed back to leave a solid laminate with a clean cut edge. It is usual to cover the plug with a layer of FRP as soon as the crude shape of the vessel is achieved to reduce distortion due to any shrinkage of the wood. This layer can then be filled where necessary with resin putty to remove the shallow indentations which will show up once the FRP skin is consolidated.

Likewise, any irregularity which spoils fairness can be removed by grinding or by hand sanding. This process of hand finishing is repeated until the foreman considers the plug smooth enough to receive a layer of hard tooling gelcoat. This especially formulated gelcoat is the beginning of the coating which will eventually give the polished surface from which the mould will be lifted. There is no shortcut at this stage, the more time that is spent hand sanding the plug with wet and dry abrasive paper, the better the plug will be. Further filling with resin putty and overspraying may be necessary before a satisfactory finish is achieved.

For a 10 m hull, five persons for a week is about the minimum time that is needed for the final preparation of the plug. This will include polishing with rubbing paste after the sequence of wet and dry paper has run its course. Polishing with a non-silicone wax to give 5–7 coats and a brilliant sheen precedes a coat of PVA release agent which is the final step before the mould itself is begun. A dust cover is useful in the final stages.

When the time comes to make the mould, the process is a reverse of plug building without the need for final finishing as this obtained by the faithful reproduction of the plug surface. Mould the thickness can be up to twice finished hull thickness. There is little point in using WR in a mould as the thickness provided by solid CSM layup gives the required dimensional stability. Once the mould has cured, reinforcing stiffening can be bonded to the outside so that external bracing is present to support the mould when released and to provide a framework for the attachment of wheels, etc., to allow it to be moved about the yard. Removal from the plug may be tortuous and cause minor damage to the mould. Any repair work should be carried out before the mould is prepared for service.


THanks

 

Hi Where abouts are you in NZ??