Seven Seventy-Five: Carpentry

:: Manu Kai 2011::

Over the course of the winter 2009 I drempt up the idea of building a double outrigger sailing canoe to use for coastal voyaging and camping. I wanted to build it using as much driftwood and discarded materials as I could find. The outriggers floated onto Hayle beach in a winter storm and took 4 blokes to lift them! The planks of hardwood that I corporated into the cross beams also turned up on the tide. The diagonal struts were also driftwood. All plywood and pine was discarded offcuts, some of which I found on the beach.

I didnt skimp on the rigging or the lashings, however I did experiment with natural and manmade fibres.

Once completed I sailed 100 miles along the Coast of Cornwall and in the Plymouth and Falmouth Estuary.

2012 Refit

Everything has been stripped down, repainted, anti fouled and varnished and rebuilt.

In this photo the nets and seat are yet to be re attached and the standing rigging needs refastening.

Note red anti foul this time around, the water line has been raised and anti foul applied to the outriggers too. I have painted the ply which attaches the outrigger to the cross beam.

On the beach @ Fowey after a hectic sail from Plymouth in contrary winds and finishing with a 5 hour paddle to make landfall at 1.30am.

I began with a couple of logs!...

After cutting the tops off I hollowed them out using an axe and a sharpened crow bar which functioned similarly to an adze.

Initially I hollowed them out to 1" thickness, unsure of how strong they would be. Later I took them apart and fine tuned them, to a 10mm wall. I also removed the solid 'bulkheads' which are visible in the photos above. I also strip planked the front half raising the volume by 100% in the front half of the outrigger to give more bouyancy. This is evident in the photo of Manu Kai on Fowey beach.

Photos show the construction of the fore and aft beams to which the crossembers are lashed...both are hollow sections made in different ways.

Rather than building a hull I opted to use a Dart 18ft cat hull and adapt it...

I added a seat and cut openings for access hatches.

the diagonal strut is driftwood as are the dark wood in the crossbeams

The nets are old fishing nets put to good use

The photos show the detailed lashings which hold each point of connection firm

Sails were cut from old discarded yacht sails.

Photos shows initial testing of the rig and the first paddle I made from offcuts of plywood. It has a hollow shaft so that it floats and the plywood is stuck together on end, It is remarkably strong.

Once complete I dismantled it and took it for its maiden voyage!

Rigging using traditional lashing took 5 hours!

On the beach in Hayle after the first test day in perfect conditions! Sailed to Carbis bay and back. It was an awesome feeling to be gliding along on the boat that I had built!

First test Sail St Ives Bay 2010 in idyllic conditions

The crew!

After a number of improvements I relaunched her in Plymouth and sailed to Falmouth.
In total I spent a month living on the shoreline.

:: 'South Wind' 1930's Falmouth Gaff Cutter - Restoration 2010 ::

I found southwind uncared for, tied along side a quay wall, taking knocks on every tide. The outboard had been submerged and there was 16 inches of rain water in the bilges. I couldnt leave this pretty little boat to an unknown and sad fate and so resolved to restore her and find her a good home.

A new project, on the beach in the Summer Sun!

The hull was remarkably sound, all the paint and varnish needed re-doing and there were some repairs needed to the cabin roof and decks.

Interior fully repainted, new samson post fitted, wiring checked and improved, varnish stripped from interior cabin sides and I oiled the mahogany instead. Sole boards repainted. Bronze portholes polished.

Mast stripped of tired varnish and revarnished in situ.

New halyards and standing rigging fabricated and fitted. All bronze fittings cleaned and polished. New name plates made and fitted, new water line painted. Decks received multiple coats of paint to seal and deck grip for nonslip paint.

Refurbuished with a fresh coat of paint and varnish

Free climbing the mast to re-wire the VHF and Mast head light

South Wind finished. I found a good home for her and she quickly sold to an old Gaffer enthusiast.

One pretty little boat saved!

:: Wild Hope 26ft Colvic Atlanta 2007-2009 ::

Refurbished, Refitted, re-upholstered

Wild Hope was in poor shape when she came into my possession. She was dark blue, brush painted, with red interior and very dark wood. Everything was mouldy with peeling paint and varnish. I gutted her and started again. . Eventually she looked like this...I lived aboard during the refit which made it twice as difficult to accomplish. I also sailed her to the Scilly Isles, Wales and North Devon

Idyllic! Drying out on Samson in the Scilly Isles.

After gutting and removing sagging vinyl I felt lined the entire hull in the living space. The re-ply lined the bulkheads and began constructing new furniture.

The felt stopped all condensation and made the boat alot warmer.

Its not easy working on a boat while living in it!

New ply lining

New felt, new bulkhead lining and now constructing new furniture.

Repainted engine and bilges, rewired and sheathed electrics

Designed and fabricated this Charcoal Stove which burns for 3hrs once loaded, & heated the cabin well

New cabin sole, new shelving in heads just visible.

Looking aft. New companionway steps with access either side enabling seacock and fuel tap to be reached without having to remove the steps each time.

Seats and table which convert into a berth

Galley, reconstructed with additional shelving above the sink and worktop

Starboard berth looking aft.

Quarter berth and navtex

Table and 2 seats converts into a berth

Prior to first launching, Wild hope was my home in the yard.

Pipedreams 23ft Houseboat 2003-2005

In August 2003 I bought my first boat. This 23ft double diagnoal mahoganny launch. It cost 450 pounds and was a complet wreck. In December I launched her and began living aboard. It was the start of my adventure with boats. Pipedreams, so named because everyone told me 'I couldnt do it', was an awesome boat, eventually fully self-sufficient and an amazing home with so much soul.

I stripped the hull prior to cutting out rotten planking.

The cockpit as found. Twin engines removed and an outboard fitted. This space eventually became my galley and heads.

In the process of replacing the coachroof sides, one at a time.

Interior gutted and some repairs have been made. I had to replace heaps of stringers frames and planks. All of which had to rivet back in place The sea toilet was eventually removed and my bed went in its place.

Rivetting work!! Coach roof sides also begun.

Framing for my v-berth bed and hanging space shown on left of image

Early days. The boat continually evolved, I removed the seat and moved the wood burner aft to allow the bed to be extended to full length on the starboard side. The box on the left was my hanging space for clothes. I boxed in the 12v stereo and had a remote control above my bed! I made blinds for all the windows...I later raised the roof to full standing height.