Bazmak Diary of a 40ft motor boat

[bazmak]

Another blast from the past.Circa 1990
This was the last company i worked for before rettiring to OZ
The company made steel stairs and balustrade,from 2 flight fire escapes
to multi story access/escape stairs.It was all new to me but i travelled around the country site measuring and designing/drawing stairs etc The man who owned the company was into boats.He had built a narrow boat 8ft wide x 60ft long now
he wanted to build an ocean going boat to sail to barcelona for the 1992 olympics.He wanted to make it cheap and tax free thru the company.One day
he came into the drawing office and asked if anybody could draw.Everybody was more wise than me and kept quiet.Quick as a flash i said,should be easy
ive designed and built a jumbo jet.Right said he quick as flash you can come with me for the weekend to the southampton boat show and take some measurements.I took lots of photos which i measured and scaled up to his specifications. 12m long,3m wide with a draft of less than 1.5m so he could sail it down the rivers and canals to the sea.Next PART gets really interesting
See you soon Bazmak

 

[bazmak]

The drawing board shows the last few days before my retirement.Last man standing with a pencil
The drawing on the board was my last job,a 10 storey spiral stair.Spiral stairs were the only things i could draw
better and quicker than autocad.The works made them from my arrangement drawing so need for detailing
Back to 1990 and that boat.I set and levelled 3 channels to the floor and marked out 24 pitches at half metre ctres
I then had to detail all the slices and calculate all the angles and dimensions(No Autocad then)
Crossbraced frames were built up from flat bar set in position and braced.The frame was then skinned in 6mm plate
Fully welded , dressed, the keel built and finished and the whole thing turned over and set up ready for the upper structure
It was being built in an unused corner of the factory so we knew we would have to knock down a wall and build a new door

 

[robcas631]

I learned to draw first. There was no autocad back then. I like your plan of the spiral staircase. Also the boat!

 

[bazmak]

Early in the drawing stage i had to gesstimate the plimsole line.I could calculate the weight of steel fairly acurately
But the motors and fitting would have to be a calculated guess. The boss had not decided yet on 1 prop or 2.
I worked on 1.5.He eventually decided on one large volvo diesel.Cheaper than 2 smaller one but not as balanced
3 bedrooms,living,dining and galley.with 1 toilet.I had all the brochures for most of the fittings.So there was the imaginary line
As a matter of great pride when the boat was eventually floated,the plimsole line was 20mm high,and after ballast and trim was 5mm.
Weight was 12 ton calculating the volume of displacement was NOT EASY.I was very pleased with myself.Frames were built again from flat bar and positioned/braced and the skinned in 5mm plt,When the main steel floor supports were fitted to tie up the hull
all the frames and bracing were removed,except flats welded to the skin they were left as stiffeners and were lost in the insulation
between hull and wall cladding. Thats ball for now folks. BAZMAK

 

[bazmak]

The design and build of the steel hull was my remit so i was finished.The boss and his marine engineer friend completed the fitting out
with 2 carpenters for the cladding/furniture etc.His son in law spent 3 months sanding/filling and painting.The wall was knocked down and new steel doors fitted.Along came a low loader and a crane and the boats was whipped off to hull docks for floatation/ballast and trials etc before moving to the river on the outskirts of Leeds with sailing access to the open sea.I must say it looked and sailed well
I was very proud considering i had designed it from photos etc.The boss never saled her to Spain for the olympics instead sold her on
the cheap Thats the last i heard of her.ANY COMMENTS GUS THE VERY HAPPY FISHERMAN. THE END Bazmak

 

[bazmak]

Footnote,if you look to the far right of the 2nd photo up you can just see a bridge over the canal with stairs at each end
I designed and built that too.Jack of all trades master of none

 

[Herbiev]

Nice looking boat. I built a similar one in 1990. The big shock was that the hull is only 10% of the cost. The fitting out the other 90%. Forgot to do my homework. Then there's the upkeep. Sold it 5 years later.

 

[Tin Falcon]

.I must say it looked and sailed well

thats the whole battle isnt it .
tin

 

[gus]

Wish I could build my own boat to.It will be custom built to my requirements. My only fear is the hull design,the engine hp,
the gearbox ratio and the prop size and pitch must match. Friend of mine put in too big props.Another engine too small.

Gus chickened out and he cheated and bought a used Albin 28 with a brand new Peninsula 300hp diesel engine.
Hi Tin,Bazmak,Rob and Herbiev.When you guys drop by Singapore,will take you out for spin,beer and lunch.No worry.We won't get lost.I have AutoPilot,ChartPlotter on board.

 

[gus]

The drawing board shows the last few days before my retirement.Last man standing with a pencil
The drawing on the board was my last job,a 10 storey spiral stair.Spiral stairs were the only things i could draw
better and quicker than autocad.The works made them from my arrangement drawing so need for detailing
Back to 1990 and that boat.I set and levelled 3 channels to the floor and marked out 24 pitches at half metre ctres
I then had to detail all the slices and calculate all the angles and dimensions(No Autocad then)
Crossbraced frames were built up from flat bar set in position and braced.The frame was then skinned in 6mm plate
Fully welded , dressed, the keel built and finished and the whole thing turned over and set up ready for the upper structure
It was being built in an unused corner of the factory so we knew we would have to knock down a wall and build a new door

Hi Bazmak,

You are my hero. Was this your first boat built.The shop floor reminded me of the machineshop,pressure vessel fab shop and compressor assembly shop/factory I run as Operations Manager in Singapore for 32 years. Designed & Built all the pressure vessel equipment too.

 

[Tin Falcon]

Baz I am impressed. I wanted to say more this am but the clock got the better of me. I worked at a boat yard /Yacht builder for 6 years. In that time probably involved with about 10 prototypes some years we built two other years just one. Looks like that boat is at home on the canal . but can handle some open water as well.
tin

 

[robcas631]

Now that is awesome!

 

[robcas631]

A man of many talents! Have you pictures of the inside of the boat?

 

[robcas631]

Thanks for the invite Gus!

 

[bazmak]

Hi Gus, another coincidence,i was also involved in pressure vessels for a while but it didnt agree with me .Too technical
and i worry a lot.So you are a happy fisherman from Singapore.Been there a few times its a very nice place,really
enjoyed the night safari park. Yes it was my first and last boat build,fishing is no good for me though i get seasick
on a bus.Regards BAZMAK

 

[Herbiev]

Thanks Gus. I'd love it.

 

[gus]

Hi Gus, another coincidence,i was also involved in pressure vessels for a while but it didnt agree with me .Too technical
and i worry a lot.So you are a happy fisherman from Singapore.Been there a few times its a very nice place,really
enjoyed the night safari park. Yes it was my first and last boat build,fishing is no good for me though i get seasick
on a bus.Regards BAZMAK

Hi Bazmak,

Gus was a very bad sailor but he persisted and warn the battle against seasickness basis I helm the boat keep my mind occupied. On other boats,
I am OK for first 4 hours and thereafter will very bad sea sick.
This Sunday i am off to Burma Banks,Burma to do some deep sea fishing.
Sea sick pills is a must for me.

Nite Safari.
The very first six months was good and spooky with very dim lights. Later when the nocturnal creatures get used to a bit more light,they made it brighter but still comfortable to the animals.

New Attraction.
River Safari about to open.

New Botanical Garden.
Opened last year. They say it is very good. Not been there yet.

Singapore Changi International Airport.
Terminal 4 will be ready in 2017. All in will handle 81m passengers per year.

 

[gus]

Hi Gus, another coincidence,i was also involved in pressure vessels for a while but it didnt agree with me .Too technical
and i worry a lot.So you are a happy fisherman from Singapore.Been there a few times its a very nice place,really
enjoyed the night safari park. Yes it was my first and last boat build,fishing is no good for me though i get seasick
on a bus.Regards BAZMAK

Hi Bazmak,
I had no choice but to make pressure vessels to keep the small air compressor assembly plant going. Was involved in pipe work and then drawn into pressure vessels. I did have my fear of explosion. Attended a 2 week full
time ASME Pressure Vessel Design and Inspection Course. The lecturer was from Monsanto USA.It was this lecturer that opened the door for me. His advice was follow the ASME code from design,fabrication,inspection and hydrostatic test.
Steel plates and welding must conform to ASME. Welders must be tested and qualified.
Welding Procedures prepared and qualified and followed.
Radiography done.

ASME Div l receivers are actually over designed. Air receivers made to B.S.
are also over designed. Take no short cuts.Plates to full calculated thickness.
Good strong welding. Made 10,000 air receivers.None blew up.

Have witnessed a ruptured test done on a small air receiver.It took 6 x the working pressure to deform and rupture. Did 2 more to confirm.

Accidents happen with complacency.