| STUDY NOTES FOR 12' 16' & 19' DOLPHIN | | | | factor. The solid Oregon chain plates, placed outboard |
| BOATS | | | | of the hull provide an attractive old fashioned classic |
| Important information on building your own boat! | | | | look to this very versatile little sailing craft. |
| From time to time I've been asked the question "I'd | | | | As with all the Dolphin range the hull is beamy and |
| love to own a small boat, is it hard to build one?" It's | | | | commences with a vee sectioned bow that falls |
| really surprising the looks of doubt when I answer, | | | | away to a flatter 7 degree hull bottom to provide |
| "No, no, no! If you know what to do and you're | | | | plenty of beam stability. There is no floor in this |
| willing to invest a little time you can do it easily!" The | | | | design but that is not to say that one could not be |
| next questions that usually follow are "How much | | | | easily added if required. The primary reason for not |
| time?" and "How much will it cost?" Well, generally | | | | including a floor in the original design was for access |
| speaking, that really is the "How long is a piece of | | | | to the bilge area for cleaning and to prevent water |
| string question!" and it can vary quite a bit. | | | | lying in the boat unseen, a primary cause of damage |
| People differ of course, and what may take two or | | | | in boats left unattended for a while. |
| three weekends for one may painstakingly for | | | | The boat is designed to take an outboard engine |
| others, take a couple of months. The short answer | | | | (10-12 hp approx) that could be attached to the |
| is, "It depends how fast you work, but two or three | | | | transom with an outboard bracket but it is possible |
| weekends should be average at a rough guess." In | | | | to fit an inboard if required. This necessitates the |
| 1998 the Wooden Boat Association chose a Dolphin | | | | addition of engine beds and a floor and was omitted |
| 16 to construct at the 'Down by the River Festival' at | | | | really because of the extra time and labour required |
| Brisbane. In spite of several cases of VB's the boys | | | | to install. |
| managed to build a 16' Dolphin (non sailing version) in | | | | This craft was designed with intention to provide a |
| two afternoons and present it to a lucky prizewinner. | | | | versatile easy to build 'proper little boat' for the |
| HOW MUCH? | | | | owner that would like a boat that is a 'no fuss' design |
| Once again, quite tricky, some folks will splash out on | | | | that can be built using very simple, easy build |
| camel hair paintbrushes and six pairs of throwaway | | | | techniques that really do away with excess build |
| overalls and new gloves... already they've spent thirty | | | | times. There is nothing more frustrating than hacking |
| odd dollars more than the next chap who still has his | | | | way for weeks building complicated frames that |
| fist wrapped around his dollars. For the average | | | | must interlock with sophisticated "mortise and tenon |
| homebuilder they should be able to construct this | | | | joints" and the like, requiring quite advanced |
| boat for approximately $700.00 to $1000.00, if they | | | | woodworking skills that are generally just a bit |
| don't take into account their own time. Thirty to | | | | beyond the average D.I.Y. chap. If you can use a jig |
| forty hours labour should be sufficient to complete | | | | saw, tape measure and a sanding machine and mix |
| this project to a reasonable standard. Remember, | | | | up epoxy glue, the Dolphin 19 will be an easy project |
| cost for materials vary greatly all over the country | | | | for you. Don't forget that we are only a phone call |
| and this must be taken into consideration! | | | | away and pride ourselves in our after sales 'help line' |
| WHAT SORT OF BOAT IS THIS? | | | | that is available for advice and help anytime during |
| The DOLPHIN 12 | | | | normal hours!! |
| Firstly, it's a simple composite epoxy and glass ply | | | | The Dolphin 19, with its simple, two page A1 plan and |
| boat, just under twelve feet by six feet in beam, big | | | | instruction book does away with the need for |
| enough for a couple of adults and a motor roughly up | | | | tiresome lofting and calculations normally required. It |
| to five to seven hp. It's stable, open, has a couple of | | | | really is more like a simple case of 'join the dots' |
| seats and will take inshore waters in its stride. I | | | | building that the Dolphins are becoming well known |
| prefer to think of it as an open family/fishing craft | | | | for. A hundred and fifty owners can't all be wrong!! |
| that can be used in rivers, estuaries and lakes. | | | | WHAT SORT OF CONSTRUCTION IS IT? |
| The DOLPHIN 16...POWER AND SAILING VERSIONS | | | | Basically, the 12 footer is built from three sheets and |
| This is basically the same as the 12 but is made of | | | | a half sheets of 1220 x 2440 6mm plywood and the |
| 4.5 sheets of 6mm ply and is strengthened more for | | | | 16 footer from four and a half sheets of 1220 x |
| the sailing version by way of extra glass in the | | | | 2440 6mm plywood and the 19 foot Ketch, six |
| chainplate areas and longitudinal stringers for the | | | | sheets of 1220 x 2440. They are built using a simple |
| floors. There are three rigs to choose from. The | | | | 'stitch and glue' method using epoxy resin glue |
| 'Batwing Gunter Rig', the 'Balanced Lug Sail' or the | | | | thickened with Q-Cells or Microspheres and then |
| 'Standing Lug Rig'. See diagrams. In addition, the sailing | | | | layered on the outside with a strong layer of 300 gm |
| version has a 10' x 10" keel that is ballasted by the | | | | biaxial glass cloth and epoxy resin. The instructions |
| inclusion of two 35 kilo lead ingots glassed into the | | | | contained in the plan fully detail to the last degree |
| keel during construction. Also, there is a rudder | | | | every technique that will be needed to build these |
| constructed of Oregon, coated in glass. Please note | | | | boats. The plans, known as the 'easybuild' method |
| that a simpler plywood and glass version can also be | | | | requires no complicated lofting but a very simple 'join |
| built if required. The mast is a solid Oregon piece 12' | | | | the dots' method that can be drawn directly onto |
| with an 8' spar for the standing lug rig version. | | | | the ply. For example, the whole boat (a 12) can be |
| THE DOLPHIN 19 KETCH | | | | drawn up in one afternoon and all the shapes cut out. |
| The 19 foot Ketch is the latest addition to the fleet. | | | | The finished weight, minus motor, is approximately |
| She also is a frameless boat, an extended Dolphin 16 | | | | thirty odd kilos depending on the weight of ply, |
| with a couple of additions. The dimensions are 19 | | | | epoxy and glass that you use. The transom is a |
| foot by six foot beam and she has a 20 inch | | | | single piece of ply approximately 20mm in width. Built |
| freeboard but this can be extended to 22 inches at | | | | with these composite materials, it's strong, tough, |
| the expense of the sheer line curve. There is a 5 | | | | extremely light and with care will last for years. |
| foot foredeck that leads back to the main mast. This | | | | SAILS AND SAILING GEAR |
| mast is situated immediately behind the bulkhead that | | | | All dimensions for the above gear are supplied with |
| the deck itself sits on. There is ample storage under | | | | the plan and all equipment is available from any local |
| this deck for extra flotation or gear storage as | | | | chandlers. The gear required is simple, cheap and |
| required. Entrance to this area is through the cutout | | | | easy to build for a first time builder. |
| in the bulkhead. | | | | WHAT TOOLS WILL I NEED? |
| The craft has the choice of two keel configurations, | | | | Not many. A jigsaw, clamps, an orbital sander, a drill |
| an eighteen inch keel or a twelve inch keel depth | | | | and perhaps an electric planer and a belt sander with |
| that runs approx. two thirds along the boat's length. | | | | a few assorted grade belts would be handy! |
| This is constructed from solid Oregon and provides | | | | Materials - 4 sheets ply for 12'...4.5 sheets for 16'...6 |
| the strong backbone needed for the frameless | | | | sheets ply for 19' |
| design. There is also provision for twin bilge keels that | | | | Plywood sheets 1220mm x 2440mm ply, suitable for |
| allow easy beaching and use of a slightly more | | | | boatbuilding. There are many and various makes and |
| shallow keel, around 9/10 inches. Ballast for the boat | | | | grades and I'll not enter into that can of worms, |
| is four lead ingots that are built into the keel itself | | | | suffice to say that with the use of epoxy |
| and is approximately 150 lbs in weight. It is envisaged | | | | composites you will not be restricted necessarily to |
| that the boat, ballasted, should be in the area of | | | | 'marine ply'. |
| some 450 lbs (210 kgs) unloaded. | | | | 1 piece 15mm ply 3' x 6'. |
| The rig is a twin mast Ketch configuration with a jib | | | | Approximately 6 metres 300gm bi-axial fibreglass |
| area of 19 square feet, the mainsail, 56.5 sq. feet and | | | | cloth. |
| the mizzen mast, 24 sq. feet in area. This is approx | | | | 12 litres Epoxy resin. |
| 100 sq. feet total sail area. The rig is a standing lug, | | | | Q-Cells or Microspheres. |
| boomless with a top spar approximately eight feet | | | | Various assorted widths of Hoop Pine or Meranti |
| long. A gaff rig is also possible for this boat, in fact | | | | 40mm x 10mm for rubbing strakes. |
| the first Dolphin 19 customer in South Australia has | | | | 1 roll of glass tape, approximately 4" wide. |
| opted for this rig. The craft is designed to sail with jib | | | | Copper wire or electrical ties. |
| and mizzen alone and should provide much more | | | | Several polystyrene fruit boxes. |
| room aboard in this configuration. For any prolonged | | | | Twenty or thirty 10 x 40 clipboard screws (for |
| jib/mizzen configuration a slightly larger jib area would | | | | temporary holding purposes). |
| provide better sail balance and power. | | | | 1 litre Epoxy primer. |
| The twin masts are either clear Oregon or clear | | | | 1 litre gloss enamel. |
| spruce but the spruce alternative would be fairly | | | | Several long, thin battens for curves, approximately |
| expensive! They are planed round from four inch | | | | 15' |
| square stock and are quick to make if an electric | | | | Materials required for the sails and sailing gear will be |
| planer is used. They are soaked in epoxy and then | | | | listed in the plans and can be varied if required upon |
| finished in anti ultra violet varnish to prevent 'milking' | | | | advice from your rigger or sail maker. |
| of the epoxy. An unusual feature of this design is the | | | | The price of the plans can be found on the website |
| twin galvanized wire stays on each mast. This gives a | | | | listed below. |
| traditional look but also adds a significant safety | | | | |