SOR based on a construction method

I'm contemplating building a boat for the purpose of learning cold molding before I launch into a 30 or 40 footer. Obviously, this is coming into the design spiral bass-ackwards, but it's where I am. I'm not really sure what I need a boat in the 16-20 foot range for, aside from the experience of building it.

So, I don't know where I'm going with this. Just looking for design ideas I suppose.

Thoughts?

 

You could try building a Uffa Fox design all the early boats were cold molded and some still have class associations so theres a good chance you could on sell your boat hull when finished.

http://www.uffafox.com

 

Top learn cold molding, you don't need to build a boat. Try laminating thin veneers around a basketball or maybe a baby's cradle. You'll learn all you need to know.

 

Paul Gartside has a few . His center console outboard powered skiff looks good and would have resale value.

A small yacht tender would be another obvious choice.. Build the inside dimensions of the tender to the exact outside shape of a proposed 30 ft sailboats wheelhouse cabin. Then design your future 30 footer to sail with this tender fit overtop of her cabin .

 

I've actually got a design for that which I call my Short, Fat Tender design, or SFT for short. I'm just concerned about the idea of jumping from a 10' tender to a 30' powerboat.

For the latter I'm currently toying with a modification of the Selway Fisher Ijssel 30 design with a outboard propulsion, a small pilothouse aft and an enclosed head at the bow. The idea here is a miniature kayak tender that will haul a few yaks for day trips, as well as give me some experience with powerboat systems.

 

All you need is a starter cold moulded project...Hmmmmmm

Something complex to learn, useful or sellable

 

If you're looking to learn from the building method, it's unlikely you'll have something valuable enough to resell. You'll have mistakes and screw ups, that are part of the learning process, which will likely devalue anything you elect to study, in regard to the building method. Make a compound curve jig, lay on some veneers, learn the difficulties of fitting adjacent planks, the delicate nature of the first few layers, fastening techniques, preventing excess ooze through, etc. You lose little more then some veneer scraps, some goo and a bit of MDF or 1x2's jig and some drywall screws. Make the compound curve jig reasonably complex, with easy and tight radiuses, reverse curves, etc. so you can truly see the good and bad things about the method.

 

Wasn't someone contemplating doing an H 28 overlayment? why don't you volunteer for three days? I agree with PAR, once the hull is done, you then have to spend twice as much time and money fitting out a boat you don't need. I'd find and old canoe for $20 and use it as a mold and call it good. You can always use another canoe. My other thought was a Jet 14. They were hot molded back in the day. They run a Snipe rig, easy to get info and parts. build a hull that can be finished up with cheap off the shelf parts. Catalina 14.2 also. Might find a complete boat for $700. Replace the hull with yours and bolt on the bits and pieces. Maybe "loaner" plugs available for 505, 470, etc., but would cost more to fit out.

 

Talk to Corley about his Kraken 25 project or build another kayak. Try the micro-Bootlegger from CLCboats.com of Nick Shades Guillemot site. That is really a decked canoe and significantly different that your recent kayak so it might be useful to you if you keep it. Mostly generous curves which would be easier to cold mold.

 

In my opinion its nice to build a boat even if its to hull shell stage without bulkheads deck or any other fitout most people have a dreadful and unnecessary fear of building hulls and are happy to do everything else, look at a lot of the restorations around it would be easier to build a new boat than what people go through to save an old hull shell. Build your hull on a mobile base in such a way that you can complete the hull shell and sell it at that stage for someone else to fitout.

 

I was talking about this with a friend of mine and he said he wants a 20 ish foot pulling boat suitable for multi-day trips. That reminded me that I have drawings for a 24' Coast Guard surf boat that may be just the ticket. I believe they were originally strip planked boats, so cold molding isn't a huge modification. I wish I could post them, but they're on another computer and I can't quickly find them online.