Thread: Advice on trailer sailer plans.

Happy new years to everyone and thanks for your replies. I built a little model of the DP from the study plans he sent so I could show my wife what the raised deck looked like, she has a hard time trying to picture things from plans.
I'm going with the DP 6.4 cold moulded. I'm just wondering what sort of budget I should be allowing for this. I've allowed 10k so far and I'm hoping that will get me most of the way, am I dreamin'? I noticed in this months Australian Amateur Boatbuilder mag that the finished cost of a Redfin 22 is $24,500. I'm assuming that that is built for you price. Well I'm hoping it is.

Endbit,
I am glad to see that you have settled on a boat to build and are sticking to your original size parameters.

In 1968 I decided to build a Hartley 16 and did all the preparatory study etc and then figured that if I was going to build a 16 footer why not go up to an 18 footer. We then studied the plans and thought well why not build a Hartley 21 trailer sailer. Having established that this was what we wanted to do we figured well what the hell and we finally built a 33ft Woollacot. She was built in carvel form with steamed planks and ribs, was ketch rigged ,and took four and half years to build. Caernarvon was launched in 1972 and we sailed her around the Auckland area until 1975 when we sold her and bought a 36 foot double ended Lidgard sloop on which we left New Zealand for a 3 year trip around the world in 1976. Caernarvon II was obviously a very slow yacht as it took us 20 years to finally get back to New Zealand in her.

I guess this is all really a cautionary tale, but I would not have changed any of it were I to do it all again.

Rhys H.

Thanks Rhys, I have that problem when I buy a computer, my wife hates me going to the computer shops. I'm a bit short on parking space to go any bigger so size was my easiest decision. The Idea of sailing around the world does sound appealing I' sure you'd have some great stories from a 20 year adventure. Wow I couldn't imagine a trip like that, about six lotto numbers short of being able to finance a trip like that also

Endbit,
On looking back I must have been out of my mind when we left. We had $400 on board when we left NZ and just assumed that we would find work on our way around the world, which in fact we did. I worked in Gladstone at a joiners shop for a season which gave us enough to sail to the Med where we arrived broke. I then managed to find shipwright work in Israel, which led to further work in Cyprus and it just kept on from there. The thing that actually kept us in food all the way was my trade background and an Australasian "can" do attitude. I did have "paper" qualifications in the building trade but finally it was the tools that ensured that we did not go hungry.
Rhys H

READ THE DISCLAIMER AT THE BOTTOM

There is a huge range of boats built by people through Duck Flat and other similar companies.

If the company has a big range of plans available - like the Ducks - the customer gets lots of choice. If the company only sells a couple of lines then they will push you towards one of them - of course.

There is a tendancy for the people selling plans to try to sell the plans for boats that they know well and have seen built already - or from designers that they know have a good track record. This works strongly to the customer's advantage - particularly for the first time builder.

The reality is - if you don't know what you want to build they will make a number of suggestions (if there are a number of boats that fit your requirements). So it is "more likely" that you will end up building something they suggest.

If you turn up to Duck Flat with a clear idea of what you want to build then it is likely that you will end up building it. They might suggest something similar that they are more familiar with, but the choice is always up to you.
_____________________________

There is a big advantage in buying a plan from a company that is also engaged in boat building on a consistent basis. They know the plans better than the designer in many cases and are usually up to date with materials and methods.
_____________________________

There is a big advantage in buying from someone who will give backup support - that you can ring or email with any queries - or if local drop round with the plans in your hand. The more experienced the person at the company - the better advice you will get.

Where someone selling plans has a long and extensive track record supporting customers during their boatbuilding process it becomes very clear that some designers are very good and some are poor - in terms of explaining the building process clearly and avoiding errors. This feeds back into what plans the plans seller will tend to offer to a customer.
_______________________

Doing a boatbuilding course is great if you want to do it. But you can gain much the same knowledge by building a boat or two yourself.

A plan seller that can answer building questions and has the practical knowledge to help, and has a commitment to getting the boat built is as effective as doing a course.

THE REALITY IS (IT WAS FOR ME TOO) IS THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR A SITUATION THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO GIVE THEMSELVES THE PERMISSION TO BUILD THE BOAT.

SOME NEED TO DO A COURSE BEFORE THEY CAN GIVE THEMSELVES PERMISSION.
SOME CAN GIVE THEMSELVES PERMISSION IF THEY FEEL THEY HAVE ENOUGH BACKUP SUPPORT FROM SOMONE ELSE.
SOME WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE THEMSELVES PERMISSION IF THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE PLANS.

best regards
Michael Storer

Disclaimer - I worked for Duck Flat between 1989 and 1993 - so know how the plan buying/selling process works - but may have inherited some bias )
I am not an employee any more but they sell my plans (as do others) and I do some design work for them from time to time

Mate get the trailer book from Glen L... great resource with plans and knowhow of putting your own trailer together from scratch

http://www.glenl.com

Originally Posted by Wild Dingo

Mate get the trailer book from Glen L... great resource with plans and knowhow of putting your own trailer together from scratch

http://www.glenl.com

Pretty sure duckflat have copies.

www.duckflatwoodenboats.com

MIK

About three years ago FXST mentioned in this forum that the Hartley TS21...'can be stretched to 24 feet by spacing the frames (Hartley approved) 2 cabin versions etc etc.' I haven't seen any mention of this excellent idea anywhere else. Can FXST contact me? [email protected]

Are you alive out there FXST?

I am trying to finish a Steve Redmond ELVER at the moment and I'm getting depresseder and depresseder about it. I suppose I'll finish it but it just is not really what I want. The stretched 21 sounds the duck's guts. I had a 16 for ten years and visited every square foot of the Gippsland Lakes. The stretched 21 sounds like the sort of spartan minimalist not-quite-live-aboard that I want.

Can any one direct me to FXST or any other source of information about the stretched TS21?

Regards,

Tom Moloney
rougholdjob

Sent u a pm Roughy
Forgot to mention there was 1 in Pt Lincoln a few years ago that did the Adelaide to Lincoln but it was the fixed keel version
Pete