i550class.org

Hi there,

Thanks for letting me join the forum. I live on the Solent and have a few boats that I cruise and race. As my kids grow up I’d love to build a boat with them. I’ve been following the i550 since the start on Sailing Anarchy. Some really nice boats around. I’ve never built a boat as I’m into rebuilding cars. However many of my friends build boats for fun or work, but all of those are Carbon and lately most are foiling. I’m hoping to glean some inspiration and an idea of where to start.
Quick question, does anyone have a rough cost of materials for the hull (stock cabin build). Wood, Epoxy, and cloth?
Thanks,
Ben

Thanks for joining us, Ben! Honest, as it's been almost 12 years since I started my project, I'd have a rough time compiling an accurate total. I bought the "kit" from Watershed and I think back then it was 2,000 USD. As for cloth, CF and epoxy, I'd throw in another 1500 USD. Maybe a bit more, but not more than 2K. We bought 5 CF rigs from C-Tech NZ and that was a deal. The NZ currency was pretty depressed agains the USD back then. I think I hit the water spending less than 6500 total. But I'd have to dig through a wad of receipts to get an accurate count. You'd save some cash by buying the plywood and cutting it out yourself, I'm sure. I was too impatient and had Watershed do mine...they sent a nice package!

Hope this helps, Cheers! --TF

Say 20 sheets 6mm Okume at (for me) $125 CAD each works out to about 1500 GB Pounds. I probably spent as much as Tim on epoxy and fabric. Unless you do a driveway pour the ballast bulb will be expensive - mine was about $2000 CAD, or 1,200 GB Pounds. But fittings, rig and sails are the big cost drivers unless you find something like a no-longer competitive I-14 to scrap for rig and fittings.

Thanks Warren and TF. That’s what I was expecting just wanted a rough estimate on how much to put to one side for the hull build. As you say there are so many ways of going about it and I’ve never built anything like this before. I’m sure there are lots of companies around here that could cut out the frames. Is there a CAD file for these?
I’ve got a few mates who have old I14 boats so a rig may be available. A friend recently completed a carbon foiling I14 which is fun.
Just reading Warrens build blog and getting my head round what’s involved. My brother has just moved into a new house following a long lockdown. Plan is to sort the workshop, buy a set of plans and get started.

Also considering building a Hadron dinghy as a softer introduction?

In my opinion, due to the characteristics of the Hadron, e.g., involving framing stations and multiple components of the hull structure, the Hadron is a much more complicated build than an i550. When I look at the photos on the Bluelightning co.uk website, I think to myself, man...not sure I could actually build that! At least not to the level of perfection shown in the photos. It would take me weeks to put together the framing stations and the strongback. Instead, I banged this together whilst listening to a football game (American Fball) one Sunday afternoon!

I think you'd be practicing on the i550 in order to build the Hadron....but I'm just biased!

(Plus, while I love singlehanding, it's nice to go out with friends and the kids occasionally! )

Adding to Tim's comment, if I were to do it again I'd probably do stitch and glue as designed rather than frame and stringer.

Watershed sells CAD files in addition to the plans. The recent Russian builds on Facebook developed a Rhyno file.