At home in Rotorua New Zealand. 5 NOVEMBER '04

I recently had the honour of addressing two groups at the 2004 Mid Atlantic Small Craft Festival. With the problems of getting my office sufficiently under control to be able to leave it for three weeks I had not done a really detailed “speech” preferring to make notes to give me some direction and “wing it” when I could see what reaction I got.

I drew those notes up the day before at the spare desk at Kent Island Boat Works old premises down near the old ferry terminal at the eastern end of Kent Island the day before (I never did get my own office completely sorted before I left and writing speeches on a plane is not my best skill).

I’ve just been through the notes, expanded them and offer them here for those who did not make it to the Boat Show. I digressed from those notes so this is what the address might have been, rather than what actually happened. To those who came and listened, thank you for your attention and tolerance, and thank you for what was an engaging round of interesting questions afterward. I very much enjoyed meeting you and hope that you enjoyed my talk.

John Welsford
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1/ INTRODUCTION OF JW AND SMALL CRAFT DESIGN.

Background, GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY, MY NAME IS JOHN WELSFORD . I AM A DESIGNER OF BOATS FOR RECREATION AND COMMERCIAL USE .

I AM A NEW ZEALANDER, AND HOME FOR ME IS A LITTLE COUNTRY DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC .

THE LAND AREA OF NEW ZEALAND IS SLIGHTLY BIGGER THAN COLORADO BUT WE HAVE ONLY 4 MILLION PEOPLE.

NEW ZEALAND IS TRULY A MARITIME NATION, THE COUNTRY HAS ABOUT 50% MORE TERRITORIAL WATERS , THAT IS THE AREA WITHIN THE 200 MILE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE THAN THE USA DUE TO OUTLYING ISLANDS ON ALL SIDES OF THE MAIN LAND MASS AND NO NEIGHBOURS NEARER THAN AUSTRALIA 1200 SEA MILES AWAY.

WE ARE IN FACT THE MOST GEOGRAHICALLY ISOLATED NATION ON EARTH!

NEW ZEALAND ADMINISTERS SEVERAL PACIFIC ISLAND NATIONS TO THE NORTH OF US, SO WE HAVE EITHER WITHIN OUT WATERS, OR WITHIN OUR ADMINISTRATIVE AREA ONE OF THE LARGEST MARITIME TERRITORIES IN THE WORLD.

UNTIL THE ADVENT OF MASS AIR TRAVEL IN THE 60s THE ONLY WAY TO GET TO NZ WAS BY BOAT, AND A VERY LARGE PROPORTION OF OUR PEOPLES, INCLUDING ANCESTORS OF THE MAORI PEOPLE, CAME HERE BY BOAT.

AS EUROPEANS HAVE ONLY BEEN IN NEW ZEALAND IN NUMBERS FOR AROUND 200 YEARS, THE ROADING INFRASTRUCTURE WAS NOT BUILT UNTIL RELATIVELY RECENTLY AND SO BOATS, SMALL AND LARGE WERE USED FOR TRANSPORT, FISHING AND RECREATION.

IN THIS SMALL COUNTRY, SO CLOSE TO ITS PIONEERING ROOTS, THE “DO-IT-YOURSELF” ETHIC IS STILL VERY ALIVE AND WELL SO THE AVERAGE KIWI IS STILL QUITE PREPARED TO GET OUT THERE AND BUILD THEIR OWN BOAT.

IT IS WITHIN THIS ENVIRONMENT THAT I TOOK UP A CHALLENGE FROM A FRIEND, I’D BEEN BUSILY OPENING MY BIG MOUTH AND TELLING HIM JUST WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE SET OF PLANS THAT HE WAS PROPOSING TO BUILD HIMSELF A BOAT FROM, CLAIMING THAT “EVEN I COULD DO BETTER THAN THAT” AND HE CALLED MY BLUFF!

NOW I AM A COLLECTOR OF VINTAGE HAND WOODWORKING TOOLS, AND MY FRIEND HAD A STANLEY NUMBER 55 MOULDING PLANE, A TOOL WHICH CAN MAKE ANYTHING FROM WINDOW FRAME SECTIONS TO FINE PICTURE FRAME MOULDINGS, ALL BY HAND. AND HE OFFERED ME THAT TOOL IN EXCHANGE FOR A SET OF PLANS IF I WAS TO DRAW THEM UP!!!

WELL THAT WAS LIKE OFFERING A HUNDRED DOLLAR BILL TO A BANKRUPT AND I TORE INTO THE JOB AS SOON AS I COULD FIND A PIECE OF PAPER AND SOME DRAWING TOOLS.

NOW I WAS NOT FLYING TOTALLY BLIND HERE, AT 9 YEARS OLD I BUILT CANOES FOLDED UP FROM ROOFING IRON , I’D GRADUATED TO SOME VERY SOPHISTICATED ONES BY THE TIME MY FATHER BOUGHT ME MY FIRST MOTORCYCLE, THOSE AND GIRLS HAD DISTRACTED ME FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS BUT I’D RETURNED TO BOATS IN THE FORM OF YACHT RACING AFTER A CAREER IN MOTOR RACING AND OF COURSE HAD STUDIED THE WHYS AND WHEREFORES OF RACING YACHTS IN ORDER TO GET AROUND THE COURSE BEFORE THE OTHER GUYS.

I BUILT MY OWN BOATS, MOSTLY AROUND 20 FT OR SO, AND IT SEEMED QUITE THE USUAL THING TO DO SO. MOST OF MY CLUB MEMBERS HAD EITHER BUILT THEIR OWN BOATS OR BOUGHT OTHER AMATEUR BUILT CRAFT, AND WE ALL OF US JUST GOT ON WITH THE JOB, AND NONE OF US THOUGH ABOUT WETHER WE WERE “QUALIFIED” TO BUILD THESE THINGS OR NOT, WE JUST GOT ON WITH IT, MUCH THE SAME AS I DID WITH THAT DESIGN JOB.

THE NEW DESIGN WORKED AS ADVERTISED AND I STILL HAVE THE STANLEY PLANE, UNUSED, IT’S A LOT EASIER TO SET UP MY SHAPER AND HAVING BEEN A WOOD PROCESSING TECHNICIAN SETTING UP SAWMILLS FROM LOG BREAKDOWN SAWS TO FINGERJOINTERS AND PLANERMILLS I AM WELL USED TO WOODWORKING MACHINERY.

BUT THE BOAT WAS A SUCCESS, SO MUCH SO THAT OTHERS ASKED ME FOR PLANS. THAT WAS GREAT OF COURSE, BUT EACH ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WANTED “JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER” OR WIDER, OR A SAIL ON IT, OR A BIGGER MOTOR.

YOU GET THE IDEA? EACH CHANGE ACTUALLY MEANT A NEW DESIGN, AND SUDDENLY I WAS OFF ON A HOBBY AND A COURSE OF STUDY THAT HAS, AFTER SOME 20 ODD YEARS TURNED INTO A LIVELIHOOD THAT HAS TAKEN ME AROUND THE WORLD, HAS INTRODUCED ME TO MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE , SEEN ME WRITE TWO BOOKS, GIVEN ME ENORMOUS SATISFACTION, AND LAST YEAR SAW ME LECTURING IN YACHT DESIGN AT A LOCAL UNIVERSITY, SOMETHING THAT MY HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS WOULD HAVE DISMISSED AS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY IMPROBABLE, BUT THERE YOU GO.

NOW I STUDY HYDRODYNAMICS AND ENGINEERING WITH THE BEST OF THEM, BUILD TEST MODELS AND SAIL PROTOTYPES AND DO ALL THE OTHER THINGS NAVAL ARCHITECTURAL, BUT AS I SELL MOSTLY STOCK PLANS TO HOME BOATBUILDERS I HAVE A SPECIAL INTEREST IN THE AMATEUR BOATBUILDER . ( I BET YOU WERE BEGINNING TO WONDER WHEN I WAS GOING TO GET AROUND TO THE ADVERTISED SUBJECT, AND HERE WE ARE)

DESIGNING A BOAT FOR A PROFESSIONAL IS RELATIVELY NOT A PROBLEM, I CAN ASSUME THAT THE SAID BUILDER HAS CERTAIN SKILLS, CERTAIN TOOLS, CERTAIN KNOWLEDGE OF ADHSIVES AND MATERIALS AND CAN READ A PLAN. IN SHORT, THEY ARE A KNOW QUANTITY TO ME AS A DESIGNER .

THE HOME BOATBUILDER HOWEVER, IS A HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOUR INDEED.

TO DESIGN FOR THE HOME BOATBUILDER I NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEM AS I DO THE PROFESSIONALS, BUT IT’S A MUCH HARDER GROUP TO QUANTIFY. IN ORDER TO GET A BETTER HANDLE ON THIS PART OF MY BUSINESS, I HAVE TALKED TO MANY HOME BOATBUILDERS, MOST SUCCESSFUL IN COMPLETING THEIR PROJECTS, AND A FEW WHO WERE OVERWHELMED BY THE TASK AND GAVE UP PART WAY THROUGH.

AND THIS IS WHERE THE STORY REALLY BEGINS.

I’LL SHIFT TO THE OTHER POINT OF VIEW HERE, AND TALK ABOUT THE CHOICES THAT FACE THE AMATEUR WHO WISHES TO BUILD THEIR OWN BOAT.

IT USUALLY STARTS WITH A DREAM, TODAY MOST NEEDS ARE ABLE TO BE SATISFIED WITH A CHEQUEBOOK OR CREDIT CARD, SO ITS NOT JUST THE WANT OF A BOAT THAT DRIVES THIS DREAM, NO, ITS NOT AS EASY AS THAT.

THERE WILL BE A MENTAL PICTURE, ONE WITH A FAINT BUT REAL FEELING OF “ I WISH” ATTACHED TO IT. BUT THIS DREAM WILL GROW, USUALLY WHEN SITTING IN GRIDLOCKED TRAFFIC , OR WORKING AT A SOULLESS JOB THAT SEEMS TO HAVE NO CONNECTION WITH REALTY, OR CLIMBING THE STAIRS TO AN APARTMENT THAT HAS ONLY CEMENT AND GLAS AS A VISTA THROUGH ITS OVERLY EXPENSIVE WINDOWS.

THE DREAM MAY ORIGINATE IN THE MEMORY OF A WELL REMEMBERED WALK ALONG A BEACH WHILE A PARTICULARLY BEAUTIFUL SCHOONER SAILED PAST, ITS SAILS TINTED ROSE RED BY A SETTING SUN, IT MAY HAVE ORIGINATED IN THE PAST WHEN AS A CHILD THE DREAMER WAS TAKEN OUT ON GRANDFATHERS MOTORBOAT TO A BEACH THAT SEEMS FROM THIS DISTANCE YEARS LATER TO HAVE BEEN THE EPITOMY OF PERFECTION. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A BOOK, WRITTEN BY A WRITER WHO COULD EVOKE THE IMAGES OF GENTLE TRADEWINDS BREEZES, COCONUP PALMS AND A HINT OF BARE BREASTED MAIDENS WALKING ON PURE WHITE SANDS WHILE THE GLEAMING WHITE YACHT, CRADLED IN THE LIMPID WATERS OF A TROPICAL LAGOON BECKONS THE TRAVELLER TO THE SWEET SORROW OF A DEPARTURE TO THE NEXT IN AN ENDLESS CHAIN OF TROPICAL ATOLLS.

THE DREAM IS A VERY VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE SELECTION OF A DESIGN, FOR ANY BOAT OWNER, HOME BOATBUILDER OR MILLIONAIRE CLIENT OF A CUSTOM BOATBUILDING YARD IT DOES NOT MATTER.
THE REAL OBJECTIVE OF BUYING OR BUILDING A BOAT IS TO SATISFY THE DREAM. NEVER FORGET THAT, OR THE ITCH WILL NEVER FEEL SCRATCHED.

BUT REALITY NEEDS TO INTRUDE SOMEWHAT , THE FACT THAT THE TRADEWINDS ARE BLOWING STRAIGHT IN FROM THE OPEN OCEAN AT NEAR STORM FORCE, THE BOAT BUCKING LIKE A MAD THING AND THE FLYING WATER MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE A HATCH OPEN TO VENTILATE THE BOAT IN THE 100 DEG TEMPERATURE, THE FACT THAT YOU DAREN’T SIT UNDER A COCONUT TREE FOR FEAR THAT A FALLING NUT WILL LEAVE YOU SEROUSLY CONCUSSED OR WORSE, THAT THE BARE BREASTED MAIDEN WEIGHS 350 LBS AND IS TATTOOED FROM HEAD TO TOE AND THE REFELCTION FROM THE STARK UNRELIEVED WHITE CORAL SANDS GIVES EVEN SUNGLASS WEARERS A HEADACHE MEANS THAT SOME SERIOUS THOUGHT NEEDS TO BE GIVEN TO FINDING A WAY TO MATCH THE DREAM TO THE REALITY.

OTHER REALITIES TO BE CONSIDERED ARE THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTIN WHICH THE BAOT WIL BE USED. NOW I RATHER LIKE THE ENGLISH PILOT CUTTERS, MIDDLE 20s FEET LONG, HEAVY, DEEP AND POWERFUL THESE ARE WONDERFUL BOATS. BUT MY REALITY IS A HUGE HARBOUR OF SANDBARS,, NARROW WINDING CHANNELS AND GUSTY WINDS COMING DOWN OFF HIGH HILLS. THEY DON’T FIT!
INEED TO ADJUST MY BOAT TO SUIT MY ENVIRONMENT.

OTHER REALITIES TO CONSIDER ARE THINGS LIKE BUDGET. NO USE STARTING OFF ON A PROJECT THAT IS GOING TO TAKE QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS WHEN THE THOUGHT OF EACH MONTHS MORTGAGE PAYMENT FEELS LIKE A LOOMING DENTAL APPOINTMENT, THE CLOTH NEEDS TO BE CUT TO FIT.

AND THE BUDGET IS NOT THE ONLY RESOURCE TO BE CONSIDERED.

SPACE, A 50 FOOTER IS NOT GOING TO FIT INTO YOUR APARTMENT GARAGE! THERE ARE WAYS OF GETTING AROUND THAT AS THERE ARE SOLUTIONS TO ALL OF THE OTHER ISSUES, BUT YOU HAD BETTER FIND THOSE SOLUTION BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR CHOICE OF DESIGN!

TOOLS, NOW THAT’S AN OVERRATED ISSUE REALLY, AND I’LL TALK AT A LITTLE MORE LENGTH ON THAT NOW.

I’M A TOOL FREAK, LOVE THEM, COLLECT THEM, HAVE AT LAST COUNT 22 HAND HELD POWER TOOLS AND EIGHT FIXED MACHINES PLUS A LIFETIMES COLLECTION OF HAND TOOLS.

BUT THE TOOLS THAT I CANT DO WITHOUT WHEN BUILDING A PLYWOOD20 FOOTER WILL FIT INTO A BOX THAT I CAN CARRY IN ONE HAND, I WENT TO A “BUILDING DEPOT” A FEW DAYS AGO AND I AM SURE THAT I CAN BUY EVERY TOOL I NEED TO BUILD THAT BOAT WITH ABOUT US $250 .

THATS NOT MANY TOOLS, MEASURE, CUT, SMOOTH, DRILL AND SHAPE. ABOUT A DOZEN ITEMS, AND THE ONLY POWER TOOLS WOULD BE A JIGSAW AND A CORDLESS DRILL. THAT LATTER ONLY TO SPEED UP THE DRILLING AND DRIVING OF INNUMERABLE SCREWS SO EVEN THAT ONE IS OPTIONAL.

SO WHY DO I HAVE SO MANY OTHERS?

IT SPEEDS THINGS UP, MAKES THE BUILDING GO FASTER AND MAKES BETTER USE OF MY TIME. NOTHING MORE! THERE IS NO TASK THAT I CANNOT PERFORM WITH THAT BOX OF HAND TOOLS, AND REMEMBER THE USS CONSTITION WAS BUILT WITHOUT A SINGLE POWER TOOL, BEYOND A WATERWHEEL POWERED DEAL FRAME SAWMILL, AS WERE INNUMERABLE OTHER WOODEN VESSELS OF A SIZE AND COMPLEXITY THAT THE WORLD DOES NOT SEE TODAY. GOOD SHARP HAND TOOLS AND ELBOW GREASE!

THERE IS THOUGH A LAW OF DIMINSHING RETURNS . THE SETUP TIME FOR A SMALL ONE OFF JOB IS OFTEN LONGER THAN THE TIME NEEDED TO DO THE JOB WITH A NICE SHARP HAND TOOL SO DON’T OVERDO IT. START LIGHT ON POWER TOOLS AND ONLY BUY WHEN YOU CAN SEE A REAL GAIN, AND THEN BUY A REALLY GOOD PIECE OF MACHINERY THAT WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN.

BUT AGAIN, DON’T OVERDO IT. YOU DON’T NEED THEM, YOU MIGHT WANT THEM, BUT THAT’S A DIFFERENT THING ALTOGETHER.

SPACE, THE GARAGE IS AN OBVIOUS STARTING POINT, AND IS USUALLY A SECURE STORAGE PLACE BUT THERE ARE OF COURSE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS. THE SPOUSES CAR MAY POSSIBLY HAVE A PRIOR CLAIM HERE AND IF NOT THAT THERE ARE OTHERS IN THE HOUSHOLD WHO MAY NOT AGREE WITH YOUR CLAIM!

I DID NOTICE THOUGH WHILE SITTING THROUGH THE ENDLESS HOURS OF BOREDOM THAT MODERN AIR TRAVEL IS AND READING AN OUTDATED COPY OF POPULAR MECHANICS THAT THERE ARE REMARKABLY CHEAP READY MADE SHELTERS THAT CAN BE ERECTED IN BACKYARD A FLASH , I NOTE THAT THERE ARE RENTAL STORAGE UNITS AROUND WITH POWER POINTS AND DAYTIME ACCESS WHICH MAKE IDEAL SMALL WORKSHOPS

AND IF YOU ARE PREPARED TO MOVE AT A COUPLE OF WEEKS NOTICE, A SMALL UNOCCUPIED FACTORY IN AN OUTLYING AREA MAY, WITH SOME NEGOTIATION COME IN CHEAPER THAN YOU THINK.

THE FATHER IN LAWS BACKYARD MIGHT BE WORTH CHECKING OUT (HE’S OFTEN A GOOD SOURCE OF LABOUR AND MATERIALS AS WELL) AND I KNOW OF ONE GENT WHO MANAGED TO RENT A SPACE IN A WAREHOUSE IN RETURN FOR HOLDING THE KEY FOR WEEKEND DELIVERIES. THINK OUSIDE THE BOX AND YOU NEVER KNOW.

THERE ARE MORE SOLUTIONS TO THE SPACE THING THAN YOU MIGHT INITIALLY THINK, BUT ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS, IS TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE DREAM THAT CAN HELP TO FIT THE DREAM TO THE RESOURCE, THE 50 FOOTER MIGHT HAVE TO WAIT, AND IN THE MEANTIME THE 12 FOOTER CAN GET YOU ONTO THE WATER AND OFF TO SOME INTERESTING AND ADVENTUROUS PLACES.

SKILLS. I KNEW A RAGGED OLD GUY WHO’D HAD A LIFELONG DESIRE TO OWN A BRIGANTINE. YOU KNOW, LIKE A SCHOONER BUT FULLY SQUARE RIGGED ON THE FOREMAST.
EVERYONE ( EXCEPT THOSE WHO REALLY KNEW HIM ) LAUGHED, NO MONEY, NO SHIPYARD, NO HIGH PROFILE BACKER WITH MILLIONS, NO CHANCE ( THEY SAID)

THE LATE RALPH SEWELL HAD THOUGH A LIFETIME OF SKILLS AND A HUGE DETERMINATION. HE BUILT A SAWMILL, BOUGHT STANDING TREES AND FELLED THEM, WHILE THE LUMBER SEASONED HE BUILT A FORGE AND MADE THE FITTINGS , BUILT A PRIMITIVE WAYS ON THE MUD OF A LOCAL BAY, AGREEING TO TAKE THE FARMER WHO OWNED THE PROPERTY SAILING ONE DAY, AND FIVE YEARS LATER LAUNCHED A 70 FT BLUE WATER CAPABLE BRIGANTINE THAT SAILS THE WATERS OF MY HOME HARBOUR IN NEW ZEALAND TODAY, A SMALL SHIP WHICH HAS BEEN AS FAR AWAY AS TAHITI SOME 3500 MILES AWAY TO PROTEST THE TESTING OF ATOMIC WEAPONS, AND WHICH NOW TRAINS YOUNG FOLK IN THE ART OF ACHIEVING DREAMS.

RALPH WAS NOT PARTICULARLY SKILLED, BETTER THAN MANY SURE BUT A 75 FT SQUARE RIGER IS NO MEAN TASK. THE POINT THAT I AM TRYING TO MAKE HER, IF A LITTLE LONG WINDEDLY, IS THAT RALPHS GREATEST SKILL WAS AN ABILITY TO LEARN ON THE JOB. AND HIS GREATES ASSET WAS A VISION.

AND THAT’S WHAT SOMEONE DOING A SIMPLE PLYWOOD KAYAK FROM A KIT WILL DO, THAT’S THE SAME FOR A 12 FT SAILING DINGHY, OR A 20 FT CABIN CRUISER. NO DIFFERENT.

EXPERIENCE STARTS WHEN YOU BEGIN, YOUR OWN CAPT PETE CULLER SAID THAT,

AN EXPERT IS ONLY A BEGINNER WITH EXPERIENCE , I SAID THAT!

RETURNING TO THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THE BOAT IS TO BE USED, GO AND LOOK. CHECK OUT THE SMALL WORKING BOATS THAT WERE USED THERE, THEY EVOLVED TO SUIT THE CONDITIONS THAT PREVAILED IN THAT AREA, AND THAT’S NOT ONLY THE WEATHER IT INCLUDES THE WATERS DEPTH, SEA STATE, CURRENTS, AND IN SOME CASES TEMPERATURE. CHECK OUT THE LOCAL MARITIME MUSEUMS.

DO BEAR IN MIND THAT THE ANCESTRY OF THE ORIGINAL SETTLERS AS THEIR HISTORICAL SKILLS AND PREFERENCES WILL HAVE INFLUENCED WHAT THEY BUILT WHEN THEY ARRIVED IN THE NEW WORLD, CHECK OUT THE MATERIALS AS THE AVAILABLITY OF VERY CHEAP LUMBER IN WIDE PLANKS CHANGED THE SHAPE AND BUILDING METHODS AS WELL.

BUT HISTORY CAN GIVE YOU REAL CLUES AS TO WHAT SORT OF BOAT WILL SUIT YOUR LOCAL SAILING GROUNDS. AS A DESIGNER I OFTEN RESEARCH A CUSTOMERS LOCAL ENVIRONMENT BEFORE I START DRAWING, AND WILL GO TO THE TROUBLE OF LOOKING AROUND THE WORLD FOR SIMILAR ENVIRONMENTS TO SEE WHAT SORT OF BOATS EVOLVED IN SIMILAR CONDITIONS.

THIS MIGHT SEEM EXTREME, BUT TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WE ON NEW ZEALANDS NORTH EAST COAST HAVE A PREVAILING NOR EAST AND SOU WEST WIND PATTERN THAT REACHES 25 KNOTS ON NORMAL SUMMERS DAY. AS MUCH AS 40 KNOTS IN ONE OF THE FREQUENT LINE SQUALLS , A 12 FT TIDE AND FAST CURRENTS PLUS A SHORT STEEP CHOP OVERLYING AN OCEAN SWELL THAT IS UNDISTURBED ALL THE WAY FROM SOUTH AMERICA.
I LOOK FOR INSPIRATION AMONG THE SMALL CRAFT OF ENGLAND AND FRANCES WEST COASTS WHERE THEY HAVE HIGH PROPORTIONS OF STORM FORCE WINDS, ROUGH SEAS AND FAST CURRENTS GENERATED BY BIG TIDES, THE WORKING SMALL BOATS INDIGENOUS TO THESE AREAS WORK VERY WELL IN MY HOME SAILING AREA, AND ALTHOUGH YOU MIGHT NOT RECOGNISE THEIR ANCESTRY DUE TO MORE CONTEMPORARY STYLING, A LOT OF THE BASIC DESIGN THEORY WILL HAVE COME FROM THOSE TRADITIONAL WORKING CRAFT.

SO DO CHECK OUT WHERE IT IS YOU WANT TO USE YOUR BOAT, MAKE SURE THAT YOUR VISION AND YOUR REALITY MATCH. A DEEP DRAFT CUTTER MAY BE THE DREAM, BUT IF YOU ARE SAILING FOR TWO HOURS ON PERHAPS 10 GENTLE SUNDAY AFTERNOONS A YEAR IN WARM SHALLOW WATERS THEN PERHAPS A TRAILERABLE SMALL FLAT BOTTOMED SHARPIE OR SKIFF IS A BETTER CHOICE.

TIME MANAGEMENT IS AN ISSUE, EVERY ONE OF US HAVE MANY OTHER DEMANDS ON OUR TIME. SOME WE MEET WILLINGLY LIKE FAMILY, SOME ARE NECESSARY TO KEEP THE FAMILY FED, SOME ARE JUST THE OBLIGATIONS THAT GO WITH MODERN LIFE. BUT TO KEEP THE PROJECT GOING IT PAYS TO SCHEDULE REGULAR TIME ON THE JOB. TIME THAT OTHERS RECOGNISE THAT YOU ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR OTHER DEMANDS AND SHOULD NOT BE DRAGGED AWAY., BUT DO KEEP TIME FOR THE REST OF THE FAMILY, INVOLVE THEM WHERE YOU CAN, SHOW OFF PROGRESS AS YOU COMPLETE PARTS OF THE PROJECT, GET THE FAMILY TO HELP OUT WHICH MAKES IT THEIR PROJECT TOO, THEY WILL FORGIVE YOU SPENDING TIME OUT WHEN IT IS “THEIR” PROJECT AS WELL.

BUDGETING, CUTTING THE CLOTH TO SUITIS NOT SO HARD REALLY, THERE IS MORE SLACK THERE THAN THERE SEEMS . MOST OF US HAVE A HOBBY ON WHICH WE SPEND SMALL BUT REGULAR AMOUNTS. HOW MUCH IS THAT A WEEK? I DON’T NEED TO KNOW, AND POSSIBLY SPOUSES EITHER! TOBACCO AND BEER MONEY MIGHT BE REDIRECTED AND YOU COULD THEN JUSTIFY THAT ON HEALTH IMPROVEMENT GROUNDS!

BUILDING A SMALL BOAT AT HOME NEED NOT BE A MATTER OF SCRIMPING AND SAVING THOUSANDS TO BE SPENT IN ONE HIT . ONCE THE PLANS ARE TO HAND AND THE BEGINNINGS OF A TOOLKIT SCROUNGED BOUGHT OR BORROWED THEN YOU ONLY NEED ENOUGH MATERIALS TO KEEP YOU OCCUPIED UNTIL THE NEXT PAYDAY. NO MORE.
DO BE REALISTIC, A PROJECT THAT WILL TAKE FIFTY THOUSAND CANT BE FINANCED FROM BEER MONEY IN TWO YEARS, SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A A MATCH BETWEEN THE ALLOCATED FUNDS AND THE RATE AND DURATION OF THE BUILDING PROJECT. BUT A TWO YEAR PROJECT NEEDING A FEW DOLLARS A WEEK TO PROVIDE THE MATERIALS FOR PERHAPS FOUR OR FIVE HOURS EACH 7 WEEKEND IS NOT TO HARD TO PROVIDE FOR.

EACH PAYDAY WILL, AS BEFITS A HOBBY, SEE AN ALLOWANCE MADE FOR THE HOBBY, FOR BOATBUILDING IS A HOBBY WITH ITS OWN REWARDS AND BENEFITS. ITS GOT TO BE BETTER FOR THE MIND, THE HEALTH AND THE RELATIONSHIP THAN A COUPLE OF EVENINGS A WEEK AT MURPHIES BAR WITH THE BOYS.

BUT DON’T OVERDO IT, THE PROJECT MUST BE ACHIEVABLE, BUT LOOK AT IT ON A LONGER TERM BASIS THAN THAT ONE OFF COST. YOU CAN PUT IT ON TIME, WITH INTEREST. YOUR INTEREST!

CHOOSING YOUR DESIGN, HERE IS THE CRITICAL ONE. THE BOAT NEEDS TO SATISFY YOUR DREAM, IT NEEDS TO BE ACHIEVABLE, IN TERMS OF SKILLS, MATERIALS AVAILABILITY, TOOLS, SPACE, BUDGET AND FITTING THE AREA IN WHICH IT IS TO BE USED.

STYLING CAN SATISFY THE DREAM, A LITTLE PAINT AND IMAGINATION CAN MAKE A SMALL PLYWOOD BOAT FILL THE MENTAL PICTURE ENOUGH TO MEET THE NEED WHILE STILL BEING A PRACTICAL MATCH FOR THE RESOURCES AND THE REALITIES OF ITS USE.

HOME BOATBUILDING CAN BE AN IMMENSELY SATISFYING HOBBY, A REAL RELIEF FROM THE STRESSES AND DEMANDS OF WORK , BUT IT CAN BE DREADFULY FRUSTRATING IF YOU DON’T MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES. MAKING THOSE RIGHT DECISIONS EARLY ON WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE, AND A GOOD DESIGNER WILL HELP YOU MAKE THOSE CHOICES.

READ, GO SAILING WITH FRIENDS , THINK ABOUT THE KEY RESOURCES OF SKILLS AND DETERMINATION, BUDGET, TIME, TOOLS AND SPACE. GET A GOOD FIT WITH THE ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU PLAN TO USE IT IN, MAKE SURE IT FITS BOTH YOUR NEEDS AND YOUR DREAM, GET IT RIGHT GET ONWITH IT, AND ENJOY IT. HOME BOATBUILDING ONCE BEGUN IS USUALLY INCURABLE, ITS ADDICTIVE BUT NOT HARMFUL.

GET IT RIGHT, GET ON WITH IT, AND ENJOY IT.

THANK YOU,
JOHN WELSFORD.