Thread: Boat building classes.

Originally Posted by Patonga

I am excluding W.A. & the Territory.

Bloody typical, everybody excludes us sandgropers (sniff)

Tafe run a course on marine craft construction which may well be more than you need or want.

Depending on the type of boat you want to build, the level of finish and your skill level, you may well be able to just jump right in and start a project already. If you find yourself unsure of anything, use this forum! There is a wealth of knowledge in both the old posts and, more importantly, some of the people who contribute here - such as Par and Boatmik.

If you can't find a course locally, don't let that stop you.... the people here will make sure you aren't alone. They even help us over here in Perth!

Darce,
Thanks for the reply. I have nothing against W.A. or the Territory - good barra country. It is a bit far to go to learn how to build a boat though. My dad had a fleet of 20 hire boats, plus a 24' fishing boat & a couple of 18 footers all of which he would slip every year for maintenance and he used to build small boats when he had the time. I've spent many an afternoon holding a dolly when I was a kid & rather be otherwise occupied. But that was a lot of sunsets ago & I would just like to do a class so that I don't bite off more than I can chew. I just want to build a ply clinker dinghy first up, something that I can put on the roof of the LandRover.
Regards.

Originally Posted by Patonga

I want to build myself a small boat or 2 but think I should attend a building class before getting too carried away. How many people hold classes in the easten part of the country? I am excluding W.A. & the Territory.

I reckon your sig says it all... Just do it !!

Pick something really easy like MIK's Eureka or PDR, or one of Bolger's Instant Boat
series from HHPayson. The instructions by MIK or Payson are awesomely comprehensive. A set of PDR plans will cost you $20 & is a boat-building course
in itself.

Buy your materials from a boat-builder, the slight premium price will likely be more
than offset by technical advice, or at least that has been my experience with Flat Duck.

Cost you less than a course, you can ask your questions here, and you'll have a boat
of your own at the end. If you don't like what you've built, you will have picked up
enough info & skills to far more easily build another ! Whatever skills you didn't pick
up while building.... well, do you really need them anyway ?

This is what worked for me.
cheers
AJ

Call Newcastle TAFE at Islington, boatbuilding section. They were intending some time ago to support people building their own boat. Patonga to Islington isn't a bad run. You'll need to wait until the TAFE opens after Australia Day, of course! Rick

Some of the better plans are almost like a course in boatbuilding - so that can be a valid way to go.

It does depend on the building method you are interested in though.

Duckflat run two 10 day residentials a year where ppl can build all or part of any boat they like within reason. Or just be a classmember and get experience of helping (often real immersion in the building process) with different boats and the different methods that happen to be there;

Simpler and smaller boats might be almost finished in 10 days. An Oughtred glued lap boat will normaly have the hull planked up assuming some setup done before the start.

www.duckflatwoodenboats.com and there is normally a link on the front page of their website.

MIK

Although Capeboatworks run courses,about $500 for a 5 day dinghy/canoe one.Unfortunately they recently moved from Queanbeyan to Wollongong-that may be too far for you.That $5oo would buy plans,more boatbuilding books than you'd need and a few vital clinker tools.If you get Ian Oughtred's book,one of say his or David Payne's plans,a decent block plane and a small rebate plane for gerralds (not essential but very helpful),you'll be off and running.I suggest you get the book first and see what you think:http://www.duckflatwoodenboats.com/m...e=3-231-33.jpg
Michael's site has tons of useful information.This site has stuff on using epoxy also:
http://www.westsystem.com/ss/
If I could teach myself,anyone can-a small slinker dinghy would be a great first project.Best of luck,let us know how you get on.
Cheers,
Dave.

Dave,
"small rebate plane for gerralds" Who is this bloke? Thanks for the reply. My son gave me a book for Christmas re. ply clinker building & I have just about settled on a "Nutshell Pram' or an Iain Oughtred "Granny"
Regards.

Whoops! I mistook your name for your location - sorry! Wagga to Newcastle TAFE might not be practical!! Go for the Nutshell - maybe just a bit trickier to build but you won't get a better dinghy. Rick

Originally Posted by Boatmik

Some of the better plans are almost like a course in boatbuilding - so that can be a valid way to go.

It does depend on the building method you are interested in though.

Duckflat run two 10 day residentials a year where ppl can build all or part of any boat they like within reason. Or just be a classmember and get experience of helping (often real immersion in the building process) with different boats and the different methods that happen to be there;

Simpler and smaller boats might be almost finished in 10 days. An Oughtred glued lap boat will normaly have the hull planked up assuming some setup done before the start.

www.duckflatwoodenboats.com and there is normally a link on the front page of their website.

MIK

MIK,
Thanks for your help. I spoke to Duck Flat re. a class & that is probably the way I will go. I like the Granny and the Nutshell Pram - I just like clinker.

Regards

Originally Posted by RFNK

Whoops! I mistook your name for your location - sorry! Wagga to Newcastle TAFE might not be practical!! Go for the Nutshell - maybe just a bit trickier to build but you won't get a better dinghy. Rick

Rick,
Wish it was still Patonga. If I take on the class option it will probably be with Duck Flat.
Thanks for your input.
Regards.

Hi all. I'm new here but I've visited several times.

I've been looking for timber boat building courses too but could not find any in my area so I started one up myself.

We have just started our second short course on Timber Boat Building at Coffs Harbour TAFE and are very excited about our new venture.

The courses are short, about 8 weeks, on a Saturday morning and have so far only run in the TAFE holidays when out carpentry workshop is free. We would love to expand and run several times a year if we get more interest.

If you are interested drop me a message or call me on 02 66482474.

Cheers.

Dom Dom,
I attended the Duck Flat Wooden Boats course last spring and highly reccommend it. I built myself an Oughtred designed Granny Pram. I was very pleased with the way it turned out. You can see some photos of it if you check out my member profile. I think you just have to click on my member name.
All of the knees, seats and both transoms are red cedar. They are finished with Deks Olje #1 and finished with #2 gloss finish. This was quite easy to apply but a bit time consuming but the finish is really great.

I imagine one of the biggest plusses of booking a two week boat building course and taking annual leave to attend is you force yourself to spend eight or so hours a day on boat building in a place where significant others in your life can't interrupt you and use up at least half of your 'free' time. That and someone handy to say 'just go for it' when you're dithering over which of several possible techniques to use - at home you'll likely stop work to go on this forum to get some advice and progress will grind to a halt.

Between these two factors, I guess you can make more progress in a two week boat building course like Duckflat does than you would make in six months at home.

Ian

I'm hoping to do some sort of boat course once I get down to Tasmania (early next year).

I'll be joining the Living Boat Trust but as far as I'm aware, they don't run regular or full time courses.
Any courses run near Hobart?