Riddle me this.. are boats not built like houses?

[CCrew]

I mean do the concepts of square, perpendicular, level, plumb, not apply to boats, or is it just a Bilgeliner thing?<br /><br />I have intricate measurements, massive amounts of pictures, and thought I had everything detailed to the max. But if I make pieces exactly the same as they were when they came out, no two pieces are the same from left to right.. Things like the motor surround from the factory was 1 3/4" off center, one side seat was 2" wider than the other, seats weren't level to the floor or the same height, this kind of thing. I mean we're not talking feet, but heck, if ya built a house this way none of us would buy it. <br /><br /> I hate to make it the way it was, but I'd also hate to reinvent the wheel. Am I asking too much, or are they built as a "wing it as you go" without much care to any amount of precision in the way they're built? <br /><br />Just wondering.. thanks!<br />Roger

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Riddle me this.. are boats not built like houses?

Other than parts that have to conform to hull shape, things should be square. Plumb is sort of irrelevant in a boat. If it were me, I would probably try to improve things as much as I could within reason. Also, you may find that if you pre-cut all the pieces and then reasemble, you might run into problems. When I did mine, the only measurements I concerned myself with was the hull width at the floor/sides juncture. I didn't want the hull to spread, which would have caused all sorts of problems. Everything else, I measured and cut each piece one at a time and fitted it into place, ensuring better fitment. Either way, good luck...

 

[JB]

Re: Riddle me this.. are boats not built like houses?

No, boats are not built like houses. They are built more like aircraft. <br /><br />Sounds like Bilgeliners are not even built like most boats. Boats are normally symmetrical in practice, not just in design.

 

[Strike 1]

Re: Riddle me this.. are boats not built like houses?

I feel the design of most boats are sound, it all comes down to the guy getting $10 an hour if its a great boat or not.

 

[msmorto]

Re: Riddle me this.. are boats not built like houses?

CCREW:<br />Mine was the same way, I did not take any dimentions, but I've taken all the pieces into the shop, and the right was not the same as the left, the rear seat was the same but one was tight, and the other had about 2 inch play. I remade all my pieces symetrical. <br />Mario

 

[CCrew]

Re: Riddle me this.. are boats not built like houses?

Mario,<br />Thanks, that's a sigh of relief! Have you put your engine back in yet to know for sure if there's an issue? Everything seems skewed off center to the port side, although the O/D hole is cut dead center. I have the motor sitting on a stand, mounting sure looks symettrical, so I don't see that it's an issue.. I'm figuring that I can split the difference in the dimensions and move the box to center, which will also bring the seat widths equal. Only "pucker" here is to be 100% that the engine will drop back in. I'll be darned if I want to tear it all back out! <br /><br />Thanks everyone for your replies!<br /><br />Roger

 

[msmorto]

Re: Riddle me this.. are boats not built like houses?

Roger,<br />No I do not have the engine in.<br />I'm a long way from doing that. but I did take the new rear assembly and set it in the boat and took some dim. it looks like everything will work OK. I Only have my stringer stitch in, I don't have the boat inside a heated place so I have to pick and choose the days that are in the 50's, to do GLASS WORK but I have a lot to do as far as cleaning the dash, steering cables, gone over the uper and lower units, and also the engine, I will be busy most of the winter with that. I will have some pics on the before and after of the dash.<br />Good luck.<br />Mario

 

[airman]

Re: Riddle me this.. are boats not built like houses?

My wife does canvas work and so we've been on some pretty nice stuff. Her last big project was a Ruby 75, I think it was worth about $1.5 million. The center of the widshield was about 2" out. Nothing was the same from one side to the other. In fact, we haven't found a boat that was symmetrical if you looked close enough.

 

[MFG197]

Re: Riddle me this.. are boats not built like houses?

This is good to hear, my sea ray has the same motor cover is off about 2" to starboard the motor and od are dead center but the rest of the boat is like 2" to the starbd side. the stbd jump seat in the back is tight the one on the port is a little looser. when i bought the boat and noticed that I was floored, but i guess it's pretty normal.

 

[flashback]

Re: Riddle me this.. are boats not built like houses?

I have a friend who has building boats most of his life,(50 years or so) and one of the most important thing he has ever said to me regarding design of a boat is that nothing is square, level or plumb. one of the most common mistakes folks make when building a boat is to square things up, It makes it look homemade. just take a look at the line drawings of some of the more classic designs and you can easily see what I mean. next time your at the marina, look around for the home made boat. most of the time there easy to spot if built by a home builder...symmety on the other hand, is a good thing, especially in the under water portion of the hull.

 

[msmorto]

Re: Riddle me this.. are boats not built like houses?

WE ARE NOT BUILDING BOATS! WE ARE FIXING SCREW-UPS SYMMETRY DOES COUNT

 

[CCrew]

Re: Riddle me this.. are boats not built like houses?

Great answer Mario!