Thread: PD Racer costings Melb.Australia

Originally Posted by bravoh

Started building my duck Aug.09,mainly because of boredom as I have just about quit my sport of the last 35 years,competetive as a target Pistol shooter,I am now 80 years and the restrictions are getting odorous in this country.
I saw the pdr website and thought why not.
Researched materials and bought the ply and timber for chines glue ,stainless screws hatches ,fittings etc, and started but only a few hours here and there,waiting for resin and glue to cure takes up time but have finished the hull,resined,undercoated,painted, made rudder,oars,built mast,fitted rowlocks,cleats.and now am preparing to make the lateen sail out of polytarpThe hull is registered as pdr#361 called the "Tardis" (Bigger on the inside than she looks from the outside.
The PDR website says that the cost of the boat is only going to be about$300 and thats not quite true, the ply cost me $160,screws $50, glue and resins$150,timber$80,fittings hatches cleats bolts rowlocks timber for oars, stops, mast$100 and paint and marine varnish plus brushes and little incidentials $120.
To date thats $660 the sail and ropes still to come.
The hull weighs in at 42.5 Kilos,I used 6 mm hardwood ply at $40 per sheet and am sure that I can cartop it without trouble.
Not quite sure what I'll do with her but will at least try her on the water at least once.
But the cost for the average home builder is a lot more than suggested by the original designers and semi professionals on the PD Racer website.
NOT whinging just pointing out the realities[email protected]

What a great project for you Bravoh! The Duck is an excellent choice.

While that $300 figure may well be out of date, it's probably not far wrong. The idea of the Duck design and class rules is that it is possible to get it on the water made entirely from cheaper low cost or recycled materials. With a little effort it seems entirely probable that it could be done. However, the cost of epoxy is quite high so to meet budget some smarts are needed in where it is used. The only item where I would not scrimp too much is the bottom of the boat, as this takes the crew's weight and keeps the bums dry. For the rest, cheaper ply can be used.

There are very few screws needed if epoxy is used solely to make the joints and remove the screws for reuse in other parts of the construction. Many quite decent masts are made for around $20, and cheap house enamel paints can sometimes be bought cheaply from paint shops as long as you're not too fussy about the colour (mismatched batches etc).

Bunnings have some quite serviceable braided 9mm nylon rope at $10 for 30m.

But I hear you, a nice looking Duck made from all new materials will definitely cost you more than $300.

By the way, TARDIS is a cracker of a name! Nice thinking

Thanks for your interest in my post.
Yes it would be easy to use cheap materials and compromise the safety of the duck,but as I have a number of small grandchildren I felt that wheras my loss is of little consequence the slightest possibility of putting them in danger even with airboxes and life jackets outwayed the saving of a few bucks.
After I've had a play on the water I'll pass Tardis on to them knowing that she is built to stand up to more than one or two seasons.Cheap and thin ply,2nd qualitypaints and ordinary varnishes would offend me as I would put the same effort whether using cheap as against quality..I dont have a lot of leftover materials when I do a job so using old materials was'nt viable,I did open a half used tin of paint but it was compromised.Good oil paint is up to $50 per litre and so is a marine varnish.
Well thats my reasoning and I am not regreting the cost as it really is peanuts for a bloody good training boat for the kids
I wish I knew how to send images but cant work that out although I could with ordinary email,perhaps someone will take me through it step by step.
My regards BRAVOH

Howdy - congratulations on the duck progress!

If you were looking at the pdracer.com website ... it is kinda oriented around North American prices for stuff. Some have got plywood for as little as $10-15/sheet - usually using about four and all the timber for around $100 or so.

When I was in the USA recently, Chuck from Duckworks, took me to Home Depot - one of the big box stores.

Here are some photos ... just so you know what it is like there.

Hemfir - 8 x 2" x 12ft - yap, that says $15.98. You can choose one without too many knots.


This one is self explanatory


This is Western Red Cedar. Just one knot in the board.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/boatmik

So I think you have done very well indeed to only end up with double the price. It is still a very cheap boat.

On the OZ site we say the price will probably end up between about $350 (if you are really good at scrounging a lot of the solid timber - up to about $1200 if you buy everything off the shelf and get a premade sail. You still have to build it at either of those prices.

Would love to see some pics!

Cheers so much

Originally Posted by bravoh

Thanks for your interest in my post.
Yes it would be easy to use cheap materials and compromise the safety of the duck,but as I have a number of small grandchildren I felt that wheras my loss is of little consequence the slightest possibility of putting them in danger even with airboxes and life jackets outwayed the saving of a few bucks.
After I've had a play on the water I'll pass Tardis on to them knowing that she is built to stand up to more than one or two seasons.Cheap and thin ply,2nd qualitypaints and ordinary varnishes would offend me as I would put the same effort whether using cheap as against quality..I dont have a lot of leftover materials when I do a job so using old materials was'nt viable,I did open a half used tin of paint but it was compromised.Good oil paint is up to $50 per litre and so is a marine varnish.
Well thats my reasoning and I am not regreting the cost as it really is peanuts for a bloody good training boat for the kids
I wish I knew how to send images but cant work that out although I could with ordinary email,perhaps someone will take me through it step by step.
My regards BRAVOH

Some fair points Bravo, such as not wanting to use inferior paint, but cheap doesn't have to mean unsafe. Just cheap!

Some pics would be great some day

I have tried to send pics.but cant work it out,if you send me your email address either Wooden Eye or Boatmik I will send pics as attachment,I KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
[email protected]

regards to all bravoh

G/Day Bravoh .
Good job mate , setting up a quality PDR for the grandkids .
I'm doing the same , most of my PDR was built under the watchful eye of MIK and the boatbuilders from "Duck Flat" wooden boats boatbuilding school , ah , maybe 3 years ago , but my excuse for not having it finished yet is the lack of proper building facilities.
I did do some under the plum tree , so its not far to go now , but a new shed will then mean I've got no more excuses , and I'll see her finished .
And , it will be for the grandkids too.
I'm east of Portland , are you in Melbourne proper ?.
Regards Rob J.

Originally Posted by bravoh

I have tried to send pics.but cant work it out,if you send me your email address either Wooden Eye or Boatmik I will send pics as attachment,I KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
[email protected]

regards to all bravoh

OK Bravoh, the good news is that if you can send pics by email you can attach them here

When you open the "Reply to Thread" editing window, select the paperclip icon. This will open a pop-up screen called "Manage attachments" containing a series of "Choose file" buttons. Click these and browse to the location of your image file that you want to attach. For each image file, click on one "Choose file" button. When done click on the "Upload" button.

Finally, click the "submit reply" button.

That's it! Good luck

Give that a shot, it is pretty similar to adding attachments to an email.

but if you have probs give me a yell [email protected]

MIK

Attachment 123194

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Attachment 123196

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Attachment 123199

There you go, new skill learned this w/e!

Thanks for sharing your PDR pics with us

Hey ... you put them up already. Just dropped by to see about putting up the ones you sent me!

Bravo! Bravoh.

MIK

My thanks to boatmik & wooden eye coaching me thru the art of transmissions of pics,at one stage I was ready to give up.
Made sail and boom/yard for a lateen rig,dont know what I'm doing half the time but logic and the internet are a great teacher.
sussed out a small lake at Lilydale at the W/E not large but will give me a start before I get dangerous.Next thing is a trolley to move it around as I will probably cartop.
Picked up a 10" wheel trolly,pneaumatic tyres and ballbearing at Cheap Auto for $20
good possibilities,even if boat weighs only 42 kilos is better than struggling particulary if on your own,well back to the fray

regards to all Bravoh