Thread: MSD Rowboat at Duckflat - highly modified.

Sure is easy on the eye.

I didn't get any photos of it, but DF were doing a big vacuum bagging job - making a sheet of 28 ft long plywood about an inch thick for a Mundoo bare hull they are starting next week. It is only going to be a hull shell and is going to NSW to be fitted out by the owner.

They've moved on since last week. David (?) does beautiful work doesn't he Mik.

Richard

I think it is OK, actually I really think it is overdone. The stem and bow area look all wrong (even for a traditional boat look) and the double knees midship is overkill. The aft seat is nifty for passengers. I'm curious, did you get a good sheer picture, Michael. I am critical of not the fact that they modified things, but they could have done it more nicely (esp. the bow/stem) and without adding a million pounds (use cedar for gods sake!!). A lot of times schools modify a design to make it more "curriculum" friendly but end up ruining the spirit of the design.

Clint

Howdy,

The builder is in some of the pics ... Darren.

Clint, I wasn't happy with the changes in particular as the original boat is much cleaner and lighter.

The timber species is related to the Australian Red Cedar (Toona Australis) but comes from overseas. It is pretty light, about the same as WRC but without the splitting and wandering grain.

hehe ... you don't know about OZ timbers yet Clint. We are jealous about your lightweight ones, but wonder why everything has to come in white and yellow There are not many white or yellow timbers in OZ - a wild assortments of reds, rich yellow/pinks, purples, chocolates, blue greys and the grain patterns would drive you wild - radial sprays, tangential splodges, fish tails, and fiddleback everywhere. But most of it is quite heavy.

Toona is one of our few low density woods, but was logged unsustainably and the "cedar" forests were wiped out in a century. You see a lot of it in antique furniture and no small amount of it was used for racing boats. Most of the Sydney Harbour 18ft skiffs were that rich red cedar.





The knees are an essential part of the structure, the whole thing was very flexible before they went in. The problem was that there was a specification from the owner and Ducks were trying to fit in. Also I was not confident the boat would be stiff enough until yesterday. It was the knees that made it all work structurally allow the seat to locate that angle.

Stem looks fine to me.

Most of it has been a matter of resolving the owner's requirements.

Not the way I would have done it either ... but much happier than I was a week ago ... and I think that the technical requirements have been met reasonably nicely and the boat is quite interesting in its own right.

Originally Posted by Boatmik

The builder is in some of the pics ... Darren.

Darren (knew I had the name wrong).

It was fascinating watching him work, something to aspire to.

Richard

I'm sure it'll grow on me....like Australian Red Cedar. Sounds like nice woods you all have. I'll get to know them at some point because I'm going to work in Tasmania at some point. I am set on it...maybe a year there, a year in Norway doing faerings and maybe China. But the year in Oz will be fun! Some day...when the kids are a little older.

ANyway, I didn't make the connection that the frames were not there midships...but two sets of knees per side! Still seems like a lot to me but I've had a few beers now and maybe won't think about it toooooooooooooo much

Originally Posted by Boatmik

The timber species is related to the Australian Red Cedar (Toona Australis) but comes from overseas. It is pretty light, about the same as WRC but without the splitting and wandering grain.

Mik that Red cedar is nice I'd like to use it for floors does it stand up just oiled. Interesting the supply is now from OS where abouts does it come from.

I tend to agree that the changes while very nicely done don't really blend well with the design but each to their own, I'm sure the owner will be rapt.

Mike

Originally Posted by Compass Project

I'm sure it'll grow on me....like Australian Red Cedar. Sounds like nice woods you all have. I'll get to know them at some point because I'm going to work in Tasmania at some point. I am set on it...maybe a year there, a year in Norway doing faerings and maybe China. But the year in Oz will be fun! Some day...when the kids are a little older.

ANyway, I didn't make the connection that the frames were not there midships...but two sets of knees per side! Still seems like a lot to me but I've had a few beers now and maybe won't think about it toooooooooooooo much

Clint .... you should hear Darren, he is happy with progress and the result so far (and that I am happy now). I think he said that if he gets the chance for the next one it will be a really, really good!

MIK

I like it a bunch, especially the scoops at the ends of all the fore-and-aft pieces. He's gone a nice job and made it his own.

It may be growing on me.

Good news, my program (where we built the 1st MSD with students) has received the funding we need to make it a go! (With only 2 weeks til school!)

Some more pics. The boat is almost finished.

Darren has done a good job of finding enough stiffness in the structure without the airboxes. It looked pretty scary a couple of months ago.






(note the "orange boat) the white keelboat in the background that I modded a couple of years ago - it might be for sale soon.



Best wishes
MIK

Well they did a good job. I like the "as drawn" version much better. I think a yachty, really fabulous build to the plans would be great fun, getting the sheer nailed down, etc. etc. Maybe a commission will come.

MIK, if you can get some detail shots, stuff like the little chamfer ending to the rails and other details. And is that a painted covestripe/pinstripe? Thanks for posting.

I will see what I can dig up. I took a fair few pics but only put some up on flickr.

The name and cove stripe was painted by one of the few people left that can do that sort of thing. Does look really classy compared to vinyl ones.