Jahazi: The first steps (2004-2005)

Introduction

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea"
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

With that in mind one may think that anybody with a passion for the sea can build an ocean going yacht. But be warned! It is not something that can be taken lightly. It takes time and dedication.This project was started in 2004 with the purchase of plans for the Didi 34. Although almost finished, it is still ongoing.

Sunday, 1 August 2004

The first steps (2004-2005)

The building plans arrived April 2004. The first step was to transfer the bulkhead measurements to the marine ply panels and to cut the bulkheads. I had to construct a working table large enough to hold the largest bulkhead, something that was absolutely worthwhile. Working on a floor surface is a backbreaking experience. So, my first suggestion to prospective boat builders would be to construct a working table.
Some bulkheads are 9 mm thick while others are of 12 mm thickness. The larger bulkheads are bigger than a standard 1.2 x 2.4 plywood panel. Therefore a woodworking technique that needs to be learned right at the start, is the scarfing of plywood.
Cutting the bulkheads is easy if one makes use of a router with a 6 mm bit. The strait lines can be cut using a straight edge as guide while the curves can be cut using the router's own guide with center pin. I found it very difficult to cut nice smooth and straight lines with a jigsaw, even after a number of years practice. On the other hand, the router produces a very smooth and accurate cut.
By the end of 2005 all 9 bulkheads were finished and ready for setup. It took 374 man hours to get to this stage.