Building a Boat Using the Bourne Method

The purpose of this blog site is to take a look at my alternative method of boat design and building that I have used to produce both a 27 and a 40 foot yacht. These boats have been tested over a thirty year period and are both still in constant use.

This blog will be charting the complete build of a brand new boat using the tried and tested Bourne method.

The boat to be fully documented here is going to be a 19' motor vessel small enough to be containered anywhere in the world. The idea here is to give you the reader a full description of the ease with which you can produce a simple steel frame and foam hull which can be used on a vast variety of vessels. This is the secret to the Bourne Method of Boat Design!

Add this to your favorites and visit often for the latest updates on my new vessel.

For further information you can contact me through the comments section of the blog or email Peter Bourne at;

bourneboats@gmail.com

And remember as this is a blog that after the fully built boat pictures the posts will appear most recent first so for the starting shots of the build you will have to use the archive list on the right to start at the beginning. Thanks and enjoy reading.

Trudy

Trudy was my first build and is now going strong at 30 years old. She has crossed Bass Strait 8 times, including one memorable occasion when returning home from Wynyard she self steered for 27 hours with the tiller lashed and no one in the cockpit.( Too Wet, ) She had sailed 10 miles off the rum line to windward, and headed for the western entrance instead of Cape Woolamai.

Trudy

She is a comforatble four birth boat that is simple to sail alone or with a small group.

La Cage

'La Cage' . She is my second self built yacht which is a 40 foot vessel and has been on the water in constant use for over 5 years.

A fine example of a complete vessel designed and built using the method to be documented right here.

Here we can see the head liner in the wheel house being glued in and other ply panels progressing.  Only seven Hours for carpet and ply so far. It is as close as you will get to instant boat building.

Here we can see the front window area in front of wheel house where the mesh has been left out. Small drill holes mark the corners. These are taped over from the inside to stop foam from penetrating. When the area is later foamed and fibre-glassed the window area can be cut out.

The merbiu hatchway. This will be covered with thin ply flush with the top, so that after foaming and sanding the area will be completely fibre-glassed over before the the aperture is cut out.

Showing the starboard side ready to take last piece of carpet.  It is hard to believe how quick this is coming together!

Some 3mm ply attached to inside of wheel house

This picture shows the carpet glued and tacked to head liner battens.  When glue is dried the hatchway hole was cut out with a Stanley knife. Props helping to hold carpet. Carpet was cut to align with battens. These can be moved slightly which is convenient.