A New Build Wooden Broads Cruiser

[AndyTBoater]

That all looks brilliant. Keep up the good work

And just so I can get some (reflected) glory out of this, I would like to point out that I have actually used one of the brooms that are in the background. 

[ExSurveyor]

40 minutes ago, AndyTBoater said:

That all looks brilliant. Keep up the good work

And just so I can get some (reflected) glory out of this, I would like to point out that I have actually used one of the brooms that are in the background. 

Trigger is hiding among us 😁

[FairTmiddlin]

5 hours ago, AndyTBoater said:

That all looks brilliant. Keep up the good work

And just so I can get some (reflected) glory out of this, I would like to point out that I have actually used one of the brooms that are in the background. 

Sweeping or boat type?

[JanetAnne]

On 02/02/2024 at 14:16, FairTmiddlin said:

Sweeping or boat type?

Sweeping. Not sure anyone would trust him with a boat...

[JanetAnne]

With our keel now completed we need to add the final part of the shaft log. I shall skip over the actual process as its basically the same as the lower part but here it is all lined up and bolted in place. A final trial fit of the tube and relevant nice shiny bronze bits and we are done.

Photos still not right... if someone can resize them it'd be really helpful

[JanetAnne]

[JanetAnne]

Aha, finally sussed it. 

Photos back to proper sizes I hope... 

Being cut out

Checked for fit

Nice and true here

Shiny fittings

final assembly

looking good

and bolted together

Hopefully these have come out ok this time

[JanetAnne]

Now where was I, now the pictures are sorted? Ah yes, turning our world upside down.

Vaughan's picture on page one shows their new build under construction and, more importantly, shows all the frames being held in place and supported from the roof of the building. Keeping everything in place during construction is vital to producing a nice straight boat but, sadly, in our building, the roof is about 70ft away which doesn't lend itself to offering any sort of useful help. Our only realistic alternative is to build the hull upside down and use the floor to support everything.

To lay the keel it needs to by fixed to something called a 'strongback'. The strongback holds the keel absolutely straight, plumb and ready to accept the components that go to make up the hull.

Back in the day Brooke Marine had its own railway system for moving ships and parts around the yard. All that's left of that system is the rails still concreted into the floors. You're unlikely to find a stronger strongback and so construction began.

Firstly fixing points were welded to the rail tracks.

Next we call on the overhead crane to lift what has a become 34'6" long chunk of solid oak

First onto it's side

And then up

and into position ready to be supported on a frame.

 

From here it all got a bit busy and so there are no piccys until we were able to take a break, by which time we had this

 

[JanetAnne]

I've now put those piccys in the right order three times... 

[JanetAnne]

With our keel nicely held in all the right places and after a cuppa, to allow the stress levels to return to normal, it was time to move onto the next stage.

Wooden boats have frames stationed at intervals along their length. These frames dictate the shape of the hull.

First we draw out the frames, one by one, full size on our lofting boards and then construct each frame exactly to the full size drawing, laying each piece out to ensure accuracy.

Starting at the pointy end....

And then moving back one frame at a time

Getting near the transom now. You can see the way the hull shape changes as we go

The oak we have been supplied has been absolutely excellent but even then you still have to be aware of any bits not up to standard

Eventually we end up with a full set ready to be united with our suspended keel

Let the fun begin

[JanetAnne]

Frame No1, well frame A to be precise

Working backwards each frame is teased into position

And secured to our existing strong back framework

And the shape starts to appear

All the way to the transom

As each frame is positioned a careful eye is kept on our plumb-bobs to make sure nothing moves or twists out of alignment

So far so good!

[JanetAnne]

Next stage is to introduce more bracing to hold the frames as rigidly as possible. You don't want to be launching a boat that is longer one side than the other (and yes, there are a few out there!)

I may have likened our finished structure to the Gt Yarmouth wooden roller coaster we had so much wood inside 

I've also been asked about our overhead crane. It's an amazing piece of kit, one of four originally installed when the yard was built and kept going through a combination of parts raided from the other out of service cranes and Robins sheer determination. 

In its heyday there was a man in the cab full time but now it's operated remotely from the workshop floor. We'd be lost without it and......

three days ago....... Robin broke it 

Oops, can someone clever turn the first and third pictures the right way up please (Mr Grendel sir) 

[grendel]

well I tried, but they stubbornly refuse to be inserted the correct orientation (they rotate 180 degrees from what yours currently shows

ok i had to change the file type to get them the right way up (and the name)

[MargeandParge]

The skill and progress is stunning 

Thanks for showing us all, your write ups are great to read and understand. 

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[sillybilly]

Brilliant!

This is a fantastic project and I look forward to following your progress 

I've repaired many wooden boats some very extensively but never built one from scratch but always had the desire 

Thanks for sharing

best regards