What do I do!?

Ok, so I'm a complete noob on the boat scene. I used to help my uncle a bit when I was in my young teens on his boats (He built small speedboats and smallish Long Liner vessels). Other than that, I've been on plenty of boats but just never built anything. Over the past few years my interest in boats has grown dramatically. I have a dramatic project in my head that I want to see happen but I have absolutely NO idea where to begin. I have no idea how to create blueprints and I'm obviously not a Naval Architect. I want to eventually (This is the project I was talking about) build a Spanish styled Galleon. I'm completely in love with that style of ship and have been for years. It's a dream of mine to build one some day and I'm very very determined to see that dream come true. Other than the obvious problems of money and where to build it (Space requirements) does anyone on here have any idea where I start? How would I even begin to go about building something of that magnitude? Any help, tips or suggestions would be immensly appreciated! Thanks

 

errr not trying to be rude or anything... but you said you are a "noob" to the boat scene, and the first project you want to build is a Spanish Galleon? Might want to start with something a little smaller (a lot smaller) unless you have 100 or so friends to help you out, a small forest worth of lumber, and a large shipyard.

 

Mhmm

My head is completely up in the clouds I know. I know I'd need experience with smaller things first but how do I go about getting it? I don't want to become a naval architect or anything like that. I'd just like to get the experience involved in building. My uncles have all built their own personal yachts THEMSELVES and without any courses. Just from previous experience. I want to be like that and I tried asking them how they got so good. All they told me was "We were always able to build small boats so the big ones were easy for us". My jaw was on the floor somewhere when they told me that.

 

I disagree, a Spanish Galleon looking sort of thing could be an easy first project with the right person. On the face of it, I do agree that it's an absurd concept for a novice, but given some parameters, it's a possibility for a skilled carpenter.

Some years ago, I took a very common 24' trailerable sailing cruiser, stripped it of it's deck and interior, then refitted it with a brigantine rig. It was a mini ship for day trips with a bunch of kids. It wasn't a scale representation, nor particularly accurate as the goal was a safe, boat for kids to pull strings on.

Something like this would be moderately easy and you'd need a cooperative designer to work with you, in regard to the rig and appendage arrangements, so it would sail properly.

As far as an actual Spanish Galleon, you're nuts to consider it, unless quite wealthy and have a yard picked out that can build it for you. I'd say a small, but reasonably acute rendition of this type of vessel would be low 7 figures and easily 8 if much length was desired. If you do have this type of money, then there are several yards capable of this type of work and I'd be pleased to draw you up a fine galleon, if you so desired.

Lastly, you just can't scale down a 150' galleon to a 30' boat and expect it to float right side up. In fact, I can tell without hesitation, it will just flop over on it's side come launch day. This is because of certain absolute and unavoidable physical law realities of scaling and proportioning.

The first thing you need to do is decide on what era galleon you want, as they span a huge time frame. A specific ship would be helpful, especially if Admiralty drawings are available. The Smithsonian Institute is a good place to look for plans to these full size ships. A galleon from the 15th century is quite different then one from the 17th, so be specific.

A pirate ship is a different animal. These can be anything (any ship) of the era it sailed. Most often a pirate ship wasn't a galleon, but a pilot boat, slaver or cutter. This was because they were involved in an elicit trade and a fast vessel was necessary for survival. A galleon wasn't fast and this would hinder the ability of a pirate crew to chase down it's prey.

Any ship can be made to appear as a pirate ship, once armed with the understanding necessary for the target era. For example, the pirates pretty much died out in the early 18th century and they were using pilot schooners by then often of shoal draft, so they could avoid the British navy ships, that were hunting them down. In their hay day of the 16th and 17th centuries, they used what ever they could steal, capture or plunder, though great thought was given to which they might use, as fast was key to success.

Your family members have the skills because they earned them, just like everyone else. You just don't wake up one day and attack this new dream, you earn it. You can spend the next 10 years acquiring the skills, tools and building environment to be successful or you can pay for it up front. Paying for it means, you'll job out some tasks, possably many depending on what you can actually do. It also means a set of plans that address your specific issues, which isn't the same thing as buying a set of $100 plans from Glen-L.

 

Hmm

Thanks so much for your reply. I was hoping to get an elaborate answer from someone like you who knew what they were talking about. I would want a 17th Century style, although the 15th and 16th century models looked fantastic too. I completely understand what your saying and yes my family on my mothers side were pretty much all boat builders. My uncle Moody went from building a small speedboat to using that speedboat as a rescue boat for his yacht. Yes, he built a speedboat and went from that directly to building a Yacht but he was also a carpenter his whole life and owned a saw mill himself. But either way, building a yacht could not have been easy even though he loves to brag about how easy it was for him. ANYWAYS I'm getting off track, so back to planning. I would absolutely love to get plans for a gigantic model well over 100' long, up to 150 - 160. Or whatever the average lengths were over the course of those 3 centuries.

What do you suggest the best path is for me to take? I am only 21. I know that as I age this love for ships will stick with me (I was raised in Newfoundland) because I've been on boats my whole life. I'm heading to university or college in BC within the next year or 2. My two interests are carpentry and business. Would you suggest I take carpentry if I ever hope to build a reasonably (but still costly) priced Galleon with myself doing a bulk of work inside with other people skilled in similar trades OR go the business route and just try to pay for it? Either way, I'm making it happen. I'm so in love with these ships that it would greatly sadden myself to never own one.

I just have no idea where I should go from here in order to make it a possibility within my lifetime!

 

Do you have the budget for a 7, maybe low 8 figure build? If so, contract a design and shop around for a builder. You not going to build a 100' or larger 17th century war ship by yourself. Even if you had a fair bit of experience, you're not going to build a 100' galleon. A dozen or more skilled shipwrights will take a year or two to build one.

You do realize the ownership of a vessel like this, cost many 10's of thousands per year, right? You'll need a slip, a paid crew, routine maintenance, unexpected maintenance, etc. So, owning one of these isn't for a blue collar kind of guy.

This hasn't anything to do with sailing one of these either. You can expect a crew of 15 at least, probably better with 20, just to handle the sails and lines on a beast like this out for a day sail. If interested in a week long cruise, you'll need to double your crew, so you can have sufficient hands on deck for each watch. Some of these will come along just for the fun of it, but the rest you'll have to pay. Once your friends realize how much work it is, they'll want to get paid too.

Make lots of money and buy one of the several operating charters that are up for sale. You can dress it up to make it look like a pirate ship if you want.

 

You start with the keel...

-Tom

 

Captain Sarah built his Brigantine from re-cycled timbers, with a government grant

http://www.windewardbound.com/index.cgi?act=menu&i=50

( second photo from the top, guy in the middle with his hair up, you cant see the makeup and lipstick)

But - he is a Master 5, and has years of experience on the sea'

Build a little boat for someone ( your kids, cousin etc) and see if you have the enthusiam to continue. If you cant or dont want to start small, you are just having a dream.

 

At your age you should just get out on the water and soak in all the reality of boating. Just being out there you will find what you are seeking in a good used hull somewhere that you can restore. Once you get healthy dose of reality I promise your desires will change, and for the better. Even if you had the money to buy a 100 ft Galleon with cash she will probably be a dock queen that you never actually get to sail. PAR has a lot of good points to consider.

 

I would start here.: http://www.handcraftedmodelships.com/spannish-galleon-model-ship.php

 

.

Something like this? There weren't any plans but there was a whole blog, with photos, of the building of it.

 

Here's something of real interest...
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vi...rer-graeme-wylie/story-e6frf7kx-1225945637221

 

Very nice Kudoes to you sir.

 

The vessel in the picture, Raw Faith, sank in December. Construction was questionable at best. There was considerable discussion of it on the WoodenBoat Forum.

 

- Read books about "Spanish Galleons" and other 16th and 17th century vessels.
- Read books about boat design
- Build a model
- Consider what you like about the appearance of these boats and whether a large ship is really practical for you. What would you do with it?
- Consider alternative smaller boats.
- Acquire skills and then a job to earn money (unless you have a considerable independent income).
- Build small boats to acquire skills.