Boulevard of broken dreams.

Discussion in 'All Things Boats & Boating' started by comfisherman, Aug 26, 2022.

  1. comfisherman
    Joined: Apr 2009
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    comfisherman Senior Member

    Wasn't sure where to put this, but all things considered here seemed apt.

    I've been in and around boats and boatbuidling since I was a child. I've seen many more uncompleted "brilliant" new designs left for dead than finished. Going to start logging them.

    Not saying new innovation cannot be done, but humans have been to sea in some form or another as long or longer than written word. Keep that in the back of your mind when designing that new ground breaking thing....

    This was started in 81....
     

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  2. jehardiman
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    jehardiman Senior Member

    I think few people realize how many miles of welding, sawing, and wiring are in even a small boat. You have to approach it as a full time job, even if you are building it on the side.
     
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  3. DogCavalry
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    DogCavalry Senior Member

    I realize. Two years and ten months along. Be another year before she's done, although we plan to launch next week.
     
  4. comfisherman
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    comfisherman Senior Member

    Well it seems like every couple of weeks someone drifts in on a cloud of unicorn farts with a brilliant idea they dreamed up carving on soap in the bathtub. They post said physics defying napkin sketch and the lot of us appear to dogpile as the destroyers of dreams. Speaking on behalf of myself the goal isn't to destroy anyone's dream of getting on the water. But I'd like to bookend the experience with some hard realities. Namely physics aren't getting reinvented soon, and boats are expensive because they take a lot of time and money to make well....

    The story behind the pic, and older gent started fishing in retirement and dreamed up a new idea for a better platform. He got about as far as you see... then health issues. Then ten years later he died, wife payed storage till she died and then kid tried to sell it as parts until 2020 when he died and now the yard owns some scrap aluminum.

    In my younger days I worked seasonally at a decent size yard that had a prior owner who was tolerant of lots of dreamers. Similar stories like the above made me some decent money cutting them up with saws and loaders and hauling them off to the dump.

    I've sawed up and hauled off a lot of "dreams".
     
  5. wet feet
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    wet feet Senior Member

    This thread is overdue in my opinion.As has been said,every few days another daydreamer comes along with a "brilliant" and novel idea and often reacts badly when reality is pointed out.Quite why an absolute beginner should believe himself able to do a better job then those with decades of design and building experience is something that puzzles me.It also seems to come as a surprise when the cost of the project is a great deal higher then the back of an envelope estimates.I have nothing against daydreaming,I do my share of it too,but if you have a good idea for a boat and don't discuss it with an experienced designer and builder then a range of pitfalls is waiting to snare you.

    The other activity that seems to attract the species is buying a fixer upper to either restore or improve.I've known a couple of boatyard owners who had infestations of decrepit and unfinished projects.These days it is a lot harder to dispose of them,back then a good fire removed most of the problem and there was s decent amount of scrap copper and bronze to pick up after.Slicing up a GRP hull with a diamond saw is a lot more labour intensive.On the other hand some of the sections do yield useful hardware to be sold on to seekers of cheap spare parts.
     
  6. philSweet
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    philSweet Senior Member

    I know of two physicists who built themselves yachts. Both boats were very traditional designs. One was wood and the the other was originally a wood design converted to 'glass. I thought that was odd at the time.
     

  7. comfisherman
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    comfisherman Senior Member

    Whilst it's been moved, I still think the most important design aspect is to have it firmly rooted in some level of reality.

    I had a heavy background in boat repair and building albeit steel and aluminum. Did a few big projects in glass with help of glass guys and numerous small glass projects solo. My first glass boat fit out was a bear with tons of learning and screw ups. And that's with umpteen years experience and a shed full of expensive tools only the irs knows the actual value of.

    Moral of the story.... start realistic and have a happy build.
     
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