The Optimist dinghy kit

We have done a lot of these kits, the first order from the KYC sent us on the way very well as they gave us an order for eight kit sets to start with.

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/designs/optimist/index.htm

The Wood-Epoxy design is still built to the original class rules but certain changes were made to make the design lighter and even stronger than the 'GRP' design at a fraction of the price. With adding the additional thin epoxy saturation to the hull it keeps the boat's surface from drawing in moisture that could add weight.

We supply all the materials that are on the table in the first picture, plus the epoxy, glass tape and fillers kit if required.

Each kit is supplied with a 14 page A4 builders guide with pictures of each step of the assembly process.

Its easy, honest!

Roy

Joinery wood working hand tools

All of the quality tools that are on the work bench can often be found as used items in jumbles and auctions.

Click on the image to enlarge it.

With todays easy access to so called power tools many wood working tasks are done with machines.

They are less suited for the type of work in the picture,the job is to rebate the teak (plantation grown) grate to enable it to fit on the new okoume / epoxy shower tray.

This type of work can be very satisfying ,it is not difficult work and saves the high cost of the power tools and the related cutters, its a whole lot safer too (smile)

Power tools such as a belt sander do have their place of course.

Roy

Bombaloza scull CNC panel set

This design by Dave Hartwanger is becoming well known now?

Click on the image to enlarge it.

The panel on the floor is the 18mm  pine ply builders jig. There are then three 4mm okoume marine plywood panels that form the hull of the scull.

At under R7000 with Vat.  We supply the epoxy and glass tapes, filler powders also, this is an excellent buy,.

Plans are R500 which is payable to the designer.

Light weight Okoume marine plywood

There is a very good reason that our dinghy and boat kits are mainly made from Okoume marine plywood to BS1088 grade, weight.

Check this shower water catch tray, even with its epoxy fillets in the corners and a coating of epoy to seal the surface, the weight is still only 800 grams!

There will be a second application of epoxy, then there will be epoxy primer in white, followed by white Interthane 900 top coat.

Imagine the weight saved when building an entire yacht?

It was some 500 kgs on a Dix 43 when compared to WBP exterior hardwood plywood.

With an 18mm BSP bronze pipe fitting bonded in place with an epoxy paste, the assembly was then coated with two coats of Intergard 269 epoxy based twin pack primer.Interthane 990 top coat will be applied next.

Wait 24 hrs between applying the primer and the top coat.

With the new shower tray installed and connected to a Whale Gulper 220 pump thats connected to a sea cock, we now have one of  the most pleasing and efficient shower pump outs.

Roy

Dudley Dix at the Port Townsend Festival

I regret that I will (again) miss this event, those of you in America may want to make a turn there though.

Wooden Boat Festival 2015

The 2015 edition of the Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend, Washington, happens 11-13 September. Organised by the Northwest Maritime Center, it is their premier event of the year, attracting hundreds of wooden boats of all description, a wide array of exhibits and with 120 speaker sessions on boating subjects.

The Port Townsend wooden boat festival 2015

This event will take place on the USA, West Coast.

Dudley Dix will fly out there this wedensday,

www.dixdesign.com

He will be doing presentations and also have his own design booth?


http://nwmaritime.org/events/wooden-boat-festival/

Cape Henry 21 kit packing and shipping

We were asked by Jose in Spain can we supply and ship a Cape Henry 21 kit with the plans to him?

The reply was positive and that we have shipped materials and kits of many types to thirty four, or is it thirty five countries.

 Can we ship a Cape Henry 21 kit to Spain?

We sent one to Seattle, USA,  http://ckdboats.blogspot.co.za/2012/07/cape-henry-21-yacht-kit-packing.html

Charles and Nigel packing Freds Cape Henry 21 kit.

Fred is in Seattle, USA and he is busy building his boat kit now.

We also supplied the steel drop keel, CNC cut and profiled to shape.

Regards

Roy

www.ckdboats

Cape Town

South Africa

27-21-790-3859

i550 wood epoxy boat build

The nick name given to this project was Dont mention white Elephants.

As we are in Africa the connection seems to fit?

Now on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/DontMentionWhiteElephants

The boat was built using a CNC plywood kit that we supplied. It looks fast,even standing still.

Roy

Plywood boat kits, a shower tray in wood epoxy

Using plywood to build your next dinghy or yacht has a hidden advantage, there is a close to zero wastage factor, this assumes you recycle the offcuts?

Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

This was asked by a blog viewer when I was cutting out the 6mm thick okoume marine ply window trims, my reply was that the offcuts will be used at some stage to make some other part of the boat?

The picture shows a fairly complex shower water drain tray, it has different dimensions all round and while the top faces are level, the lower section twists to follow the shape of the boat.

The steel panel pins will be removed and then back filled with epoxy paste, making in effect an epoxy nail. With the plywood then being epoxy paste glued together and with an epoxy fillet in all of the corners, fasteners are not required and when complete it will be a fully waterproof and light weight epoxy composite.

So was the ply in the tray for free, no of course it was not but it does give a far better return on the so called waste factor when you build your boat.

This will never be a kit but we can offer the correct grade of okoume marine plywood to BS1088, plus epoxy pastes and saturation epoxies required.

Summer arrives in Hout Bay

 A mail today from England mentions heaters and colder weather to come?

This is in Chapmans bay and looking back towards Hout Bay.

The boat is a Dix 43 center cockpit and built with a wood/epoxy construction.

We of course have now seen the worst of our winter and the days are that much longer.

This boat can almost leave the boats fridge on 24/7 now, that one solar panel does the work fine in summer.

We have better winters than the English summers?

How nice is that.

Roy

Hillman Imp Californian, a daily driver

This eventually happened but only after a years working on the car, not all day I must add but often it was at weeks at a time.

Click on the images to enlarge them

The car is an export model and was built in 1967 at Scotlands Rootes Scotland, Linwood plant. It came off the line February 3rd 1967. Said to be one of only sixty known to still survive, some tell me its fifty five?

The idea is that this will remain my own classic car but we know how things can change and other projects come along.

The cars original interior was copied to the best ability of true craftsmen.

The engine was opened and inspected, then  rebuilt by myself a few years back but has done few miles 

since. A large selection of Imp spares are normally in stock.

This is yesterdays picture as I had just fitted the engine cover lock plate.

This is a matching numbers car, the engine still uses the original pistons and crank bearings it left the factory with. The engine was fitted with the Sunbeam Sport cylinder head and twin Stromberg carburetors some time back. The oil cooler is part of the Sport Imp option, the all alloy Mocal type was used instead of the Rootes wire brush version.

The car is a joy to drive, the rebuild program is far from complete but the car is licenced and is roadworthy.

How easy was this?

I have a forum that has 62 pages of the rebuild on it if you really want to know!

Selective restorations of your own car may also be possible.

Roy

Mariquita news

Another picture of the boats rebuild.

The wood is African Mahogany, Khaya is the name normally used.

Click on the image to enlarge it.

Dear Roy,

do you still have one of the copies of the Book of the Traditional Boat Association you wrote about in your blog?

In case yes, would you mind to airmail one to me, please?

We have a signed copy in stock, one will be posted soon.

Roy

Mariquita is being restored again.

It was myself that was first invited to restore this boat by Mike Daly, I had the premises and right in town too.

I did a written breakdown of what such work would entail, Mike gave the job to Eric Bongers and as you know it was he who did that restoration.

The boat was taken to Europe a few years back, a second and more complete restoration was discussed and from what the image shows it is happening.

Nice story or what!

Roy

Boat window cover trims

This job has been on the things to do list some time, when it started the idea was to do them in alloy and then have anodised?

The alloy would require a CNC shop, plus the high cost to materials and out works, then a workshop drawing or template?

Click on the picture to enlarge it.

The setting out takes three times longer than the actual cutting out, as once the bench jig is set up the Makita router soon cuts the shapes quickly.

The 6mm okoume plywood is a five ply, so its quite strong and once it has the special and very thin epoxy saturation applied it will gain in strength.

With Intergard epoxy primer then Interthane 990 white PU top coats sprayed on the epoxy, the trims will last at least as long as the boat they will be fitted to.

How easy was this? well a whole lot easier than I expected (smiles)

The day went well and final sizing, radius of the edges and corners, plus drilling the screw holes went ahead much to my joy.

The picture shows the starboard window trims dry fitted with just two screws each, the idea being to see how they fitted and of course how they look (more smiles)

A week later and we had perfect fitting weather and fitted the first four of six today.

We can make to your size given the dimensions or the correct templates, we supply the screws and the right fastening sealant also if required.

Roy

Hillman Imp Californian seen at the Bay Harbour Market

The car is now part restored and very driveable.

Click on the image to enlarge it.

The car dates back to February 3rd 1967 when it came off the Rootes Scotland Car Co assembly line.

It is thought that as few as 55 to 60 are left world wide?

My Sunday driver and a lot of fun, the car attracts favourable comments where ever I take it.

Roy