Bodging Today

More things to make during an ongoing pandemic.  Satisfying to make and items to take to my local market.

 

Sheffield Cutlers Stool

Little One

A little taller stool

Heavy duty stool

Double decker

Learning CAD for boat design

From little acorns big trees grow. As a relative newcomer to the CAD scene, I began with a particular boat in mind. An upgrade project to follow on from the wooden runabout I already made during the first pandemic lock down. The idea had already formed by December 2019 and stemmed from a couple of pencil sketches and a small solid scale model. 

Now I need to elaborate on an upgrade with cleaner lines and a more speedy little boat that may also be build in my small garage.

Sketches may be drawn to very precise scale, formed into solid components and rendered to provide a quite realistic impression.  Also useful is the facility to view in-depth from a variety of perspectives

Not difficult to find drawing programmes for the laptop,  which vary in complexity from the simplistic to the baffling and complex. At the upper end of the scale some are available to the student or sole user-hobbyist for free, and I opted for Fusion360. It has an educational version ideal for the sketching of a small boat. The program incorporates guidance for the beginner which is useful and I found Youtube videos very helpful as well -  a few by boat builders, others by professional designers

Spray rails and a 17deg deadrise enable early planing

Sophia 11 :     Note the forward canted windscreen

 

Little boats = More exciting

 Settled fine and warm weather enable this little craft to be enjoyed to the full and what a blast it is on the water. 20 knots feels quite fast enough.  The first video shows me and Andrew planing along the coast from Teignmouth to the Parson & Clerk stack of red sandstone and along the exposed rail line that is hving to be strengthened at Dawlish by loads of ugly concrete walls. The engineering of which is quite inferior to Brunel's original masonry. At intervals of approximately 20 feet the use of rubber expansion inserts have been used all along the wall so far built. Those rubber inserts are already degraded and hanging loose all along the wall where recent storms have hit.

 

And the next video is taken the same week at Babbacombe where the crowded beach is being enjoyed .

Soon I am off to Brixham and across Torbay past the Arcadia and Queen Victoria liners moored up and polluting the atmosphere and emptied of the bow tie brigade and cocktail gowned guests.
 

And here is where the lunch box sandwiches and coffee flask are emptied. Beneath us there are plenty of Bass and Mullet swimming in the harbour.

And the very next day Matthew and I are Bass fishing and enjoying the little cove just south of Dawlish known as Shell Cove. Its only here that one is able to find the little Cowry shells sometimes used as necklaces or wristlets. 

Seals were basking on the rocks near here

Landing on the deserted beach and looking for some shade - but there was none.

Still waters edge this deserted cove

30 degrees or more of heat - It was here that a yacht carrying illegal immigrants was found in distress only eighteen months ago.  The crew are now serving time in prison.

River Dart - Totnes to Dartmouth trip

Tied up at the pontoon where we enjoy our coffee and sandwiches

The boating party

Approaching Dartmouth the yachts get bigger and new marinas appear

Dittisham where we spot Rocket the Dimbleby Yacht of the popular T/V adventure series

Keeping strictly to the 6 knot speed limit

The upper reaches approaching Totnes and the quiet Honda outboard helps keep our intrusion minimal on the peaceful scenary.

Woody Runabout - Sea Trial

 With two well built crew this little craft performs beyond expectations with it's 20 hp Honda outboard (4 stroke).

The youtube video here was taken in Labrador Bay, South Devon where there are a several cruise liners anchored with zero passengers and nowhere to go.

The sea state was only slightly choppy and with a gentle ground swell. The wind was light and the run shows us about two miles offshore, between The Ness and The Oar Stone. Just around the headland is Torbay, Torquay and Brixham.