Re: local hardwood for boatbuilding

There are a lot of hardwood suppliers in the Tagaytay, Bulacan and Nueva Ecija area. It's just a question of whether their kind of hardwood would be suitable for boat building. If you can specify the species of your interest then maybe some of the guys here can help in your search.

Re: local hardwood for boatbuilding

Good day to you Willie I thank you for your reply and assistance as I am not familiar with the local hardwood in the Philippines I am asking for advise as to what local hardwood would be recommended to build the frames and the structure for my 35 foot long fishing/sail boat I require a hardwood that is strong and has good protection against wood rot I would like to purchase the wood in a ruff cut form in the longest lengths possible if the wood is a little heavy I have no problem with that but must be workable and not split when screws are driven into the wood one there is a pilot hole to suit the screws and screws are driven into position
the region I think I will build the boat is Bicol Camarines Sur so if it is possible I can find a timber merchant in this area failing that I will have to transport the timber in from where ever I can acquire it
I thank you sincerely
Papa Bear

Re: local hardwood for boatbuilding

Ahoy, Big Bear!

I am building a boat myself. She's a strip-planked, 22ft gaff-rigged sailboat. Here's how she looks like today:

I am using ordinary lauan for the boat which is the most common and cheapest hardwood you can find. Strength is sufficient especially since I am using epoxy resign to seep through its porous grain. I am using a no-nails, all epoxy construction.

Lauan is aplenty. I get my 24 foot planks from Highland Hardware in Angono which is a town near where I live (Antipolo).

I don't know where you will be staying in the Philippines but I am sure you can easily find rough cut lauan everywhere. Usual lengths would be up to 12 feet. Longer than that, you may need to order from the larger lumberyards. You'll also have to select your wood yourself as lauan (which also is one of the wood generically called tanguile) is used for framing where cut quality is not critical.

Another option is mahogany. There is a store in Mandaluyong, Rose Industries, where we get our mahogany from. It's rough cut and, if you need a large batch, you may order. Mahogany is harder, has better grain, and easier to work with than lauan. But more expensive. Mahogany costs P65/bdft, rough cut and green. You'll need to find a large kiln to dry them and would add to the cost.

Here is a another forum you may find interesting: http://pinoyboats.org/

Like pinoyhandyman, pinoyboats is also full of friendly and eager-to-help people.

Good luck and looking forward to your project soon!

Re: local hardwood for boatbuilding

OT,

Is that a rikon bandsaw in the background?

Re: local hardwood for boatbuilding

Ahoy, Big Bear!

I am building a boat myself. She's a strip-planked, 22ft gaff-rigged sailboat. Here's how she looks like today:

I am using ordinary lauan for the boat which is the most common and cheapest hardwood you can find. Strength is sufficient especially since I am using epoxy resign to seep through its porous grain. I am using a no-nails, all epoxy construction.

Lauan is aplenty. I get my 24 foot planks from Highland Hardware in Angono which is a town near where I live (Antipolo).

I don't know where you will be staying in the Philippines but I am sure you can easily find rough cut lauan everywhere. Usual lengths would be up to 12 feet. Longer than that, you may need to order from the larger lumberyards. You'll also have to select your wood yourself as lauan (which also is one of the wood generically called tanguile) is used for framing where cut quality is not critical.

Another option is mahogany. There is a store in Mandaluyong, Rose Industries, where we get our mahogany from. It's rough cut and, if you need a large batch, you may order. Mahogany is harder, has better grain, and easier to work with than lauan. But more expensive. Mahogany costs P65/bdft, rough cut and green. You'll need to find a large kiln to dry them and would add to the cost.

Here is a another forum you may find interesting: http://pinoyboats.org/

Like pinoyhandyman, pinoyboats is also full of friendly and eager-to-help people.

Good luck and looking forward to your project soon!

hi there balarila
I thank you for your valuable information. your boat really looks beautiful can you tell me what design your boat is and are you going to fit a keel to her as she is a sail boat my boat as well is going to be a sailboat .
I have built and sailed many yacht in my life the last boat I built was a 63 ft. ketch rig sail boat with mast of wood that I built as well this time around I am going to build a 32 ft. ply wood boat and the rig I have decided to use is the Günter rig very similar to the gaff rig but much more efficient in pointing into wind a feature that after a life time of sailing around the world is of the utmost importance to me by sailing as close to the wind as possible another point is ensuring that your rig is balanced correctly other wise the boat will either try to turn to weather called weather helm the opposite is called a lee helm this can be more dangerous than weather helm so it is important to place your mast in the correct position in relation to the sail area and type I have vast experience in this type of problem and can assist if ever you need some assistance here. bearing mind the more weather helm means more rudder the more rudder the bigger the brake like driving with a cars hand brake on
I will be arriving in manila mid June then want to go to Palawan to seek some property to build a home and my boat please keep in touch
my sincere thank you
big bear

Re: local hardwood for boatbuilding

Good day to you Willie I thank you for your reply and assistance as I am not familiar with the local hardwood in the Philippines I am asking for advise as to what local hardwood would be recommended to build the frames and the structure for my 35 foot long fishing/sail boat I require a hardwood that is strong and has good protection against wood rot I would like to purchase the wood in a ruff cut form in the longest lengths possible if the wood is a little heavy I have no problem with that but must be workable and not split when screws are driven into the wood one there is a pilot hole to suit the screws and screws are driven into position
the region I think I will build the boat is Bicol Camarines Sur so if it is possible I can find a timber merchant in this area failing that I will have to transport the timber in from where ever I can acquire it
I thank you sincerely
Papa Bear

Hi Papa Bear,

A pleasant day to you my friend. I'm not sure if sourcing wood for your build is gonna be easy in the region of your choice. There is a current ban on cutting logs in the country. However I could still see wood being shipped to Manila from different sources. There is also the issue of younger trees being circulated as a result of the ban. I am an importer of special hardwood from the USA & Africa. We currently have in our stock lumber in rough processed form but with good sizes for your boat building. We normally process wood for our construction business and rarely sell them commercially. If the time comes that you can't get wood for your build I'd be willing to help lend you our stocks. Here are links to get more info on the specifications of 2 species that will work for ship builders.. http://tropix.cirad.fr/africa/DOUSSIE.pdf and http://tropix.cirad.fr/africa/IROKO.pdf
I have both of these on stock and we dry our wood between 6% - 12% MC. Just PM or email me if you need help with these stocks. Contact details are in my members profile. Have a nice day and hope to meet you when you get the chance to visit Manila.

Willy Fernando

Re: local hardwood for boatbuilding

good day Willie
I thank you for your welcome reply regarding the recommended wood to use for my boat frames sorry for the confusion about the names big bear and papa bear on this forum I am Big Bear on the pinoyboats forum I am papa bear ha ha it boils down to a tale of two bears in the end
ok regarding the correct wood and finding it I will contact you regarding where to find the correct timber and long lengths if at all possible it is interesting that you import your wood for your business this means you have a good supplier from where you get your wood from
I am familiar with iroko the other doussie I am not which of the two is the better for frames and a keel.
this is important as I believe the frame work is the foundation of the boat and its strength I would be very happy to meet with you and discus with you my wood requirements.
I thank you most sincerely Willie for throwing me a life line regarding wood and recommendations in selecting the right wood to build the right foundation for my boat in your beautiful country with 7300 islands to explore and enjoy.
thanking you sincerely for your assistance and friendship
Big Bear (Douglas Hunt)

Re: local hardwood for boatbuilding

Hi Douglas,

We might as well address each other by our first names. Since you are familiar with Iroko I'd recommend using it for your boat build. We have concessional contracts in Cameroon for this specie and will continue to harvest 50-75 year old trees till 2018. We are currently working on renewing these contracts and extend the coverage of harvest. We decided to ship them in lumber form to ease our reprocessing of these products. If you are able to review the link I posted you will find that both species are good for framing and plank use. I look forward to our meeting when you get to Manila. I will show you my facilities when we meet. Glad you like our country as much as we love it. Take care and see you soon.

Willy

Re: local hardwood for boatbuilding

hi there balarila
I thank you for your valuable information. your boat really looks beautiful can you tell me what design your boat is and are you going to fit a keel to her as she is a sail boat my boat as well is going to be a sailboat .
I have built and sailed many yacht in my life the last boat I built was a 63 ft. ketch rig sail boat with mast of wood that I built as well this time around I am going to build a 32 ft. ply wood boat and the rig I have decided to use is the Günter rig very similar to the gaff rig but much more efficient in pointing into wind a feature that after a life time of sailing around the world is of the utmost importance to me by sailing as close to the wind as possible another point is ensuring that your rig is balanced correctly other wise the boat will either try to turn to weather called weather helm the opposite is called a lee helm this can be more dangerous than weather helm so it is important to place your mast in the correct position in relation to the sail area and type I have vast experience in this type of problem and can assist if ever you need some assistance here. bearing mind the more weather helm means more rudder the more rudder the bigger the brake like driving with a cars hand brake on
I will be arriving in manila mid June then want to go to Palawan to seek some property to build a home and my boat please keep in touch
my sincere thank you
big bear

You are a far more advanced boatbuilder than I am. In fact, I am a neophyte. Learning things as I go. I do not even know how to sail yet!

I will seek out your advice when I get beyond the hull as I'm sure you'll have a wealth of knowledge to share. I too will be building a wooden mast. It will have birdsmouth joinery.

My boat is the Meaban design by Francois Vivier. Here are photos: http://vivierboats.com/albumsen/Trailerable%20cabin%20boats/meaban/index.html

I would have wanted to build a larger one but am constained by the size of my garage and I also want it to be trailerable.

I can see that Willy has responded to your questions, too. Willy is an expert in sourcing wood and will have far better quality wood than what I use.

Re: local hardwood for boatbuilding

Ding, PM sent.

Re: local hardwood for boatbuilding

thank you willy for your assistance and a new friendship in your beautiful country
yes regarding the wood I will make up a wood material schedule of my wood requirements so I can forward this to you for you to look at my needs in feet and inches so we can calculate the board feet measurements if I remember the calculation it is thickness in inches x width in inches x length in feet then dividing this calculation buy 12 to give the board foot measurement I think this is the calculation as I have not used it in 15 years since me purchasing wood for my yacht of 63 feet
another point is what is the longest length of timber I will be able to buy from you even if it means shipping it in with your next shipment that you order I will not need much at this time just enough to build my frames
for the mast I would require a light wood like spruce that is light yet extremely strong perhaps you can guide me here as well as I am sure that our friend Balarila whom is also going to require timber of this caliber
can you advise the timber for the mast boom and yard for my Günter rig sail
I would love to come to your factory facilities to spend some time with you and one day I would love to reciprocate by doing some sailing and fishing together as well in the future .
I am purchasing a 2 ton 4x4 truck from china a direct import so until I have wheels I can not give you an exact day that I can come to meet you but as soon as I receive my wheels I will make a serious effort to meet with you.
It is with great gratification to be able to meet and communicate with people from all walks of life it reminds me of my country where I was born and raised then built a yacht and went sailing around the world for 10 years then deciding to stay in brazil for 8 years but was not allowed to bring my boat into brazil due to their strict importation laws this is another long pending story that I can discuss with you one day
once again willy I thank you sincerely for your kindness and the assistance in helping a perfect stranger that will become in the future a good friend a friend is a word that does not come easy but yes you have shown me the true meaning of the word for this I thank you
my best regards
Douglas

Re: local hardwood for boatbuilding

hi there Balarila
I thank you for your reply
well I would hate to use the words that I am a more advanced boat builder than you ha ha more advanced in years yes I am sure of that fact .
I have much experience in building boats my first was a round bilge steel yacht that was designed by the famous Australian naval architect I think his name is Len Randal if I remember correctly it was many years ago so yes I have built many yachts from steel aluminum GRP and marine ply as well as aircraft micro light aircraft and gyro copters but my first passion is of coarse the sea hence me wanting to settle in your most beautiful country so yes I have done some boat building in my time but technology changes daily and to stay abreast is to enquire about knowledge from people like you and willy that have a wealth of knowledge about your different fields in your country. And are prepared to share this valuable information with people whom are not afraid to ask for assistance in your fields of expert so people like I can learn first hand about local conditions and material to use and where to find it without making severe mistakes and building a boat using the advice from a sales man that just wants to sell his product and does not mind the consequences when the boat fails when it breaks up in severe weather conditions that can prevail and when sailing long distance will prevail so yes I rely on the knowledge from people that know what they are talking about with facts lets take willy he advised me regarding 2 species of wood one I have used and know the quality of this wood and then he took the trouble to publish the data sheets of these two species he recommended so yes this is first hand advice that I take with a open mind knowing that he has given me the best information regarding my needs.
building a boat is about many decisions like will I go far offshore or will I spend my time day sailing or travel around the 7300 islands that are available to every one living in this beautiful country if this is the decision then a stronger boat is required to be able to withstand these conditions this has been my choice so it is off the utmost importance to have a boat that can withstand all types of weather without falling apart and giving me piece of mind when I do long distance sailing.
as I love fishing and sailing I have designed my own boat that will give me both functions in safety and in comfort .
another point is on my yacht I built all my roller furling for my jib and my genoa thus me being able to handle my 63 foot yacht single handed 90 % of the time when crossing oceans this is another feature we can discus should you require a roller furling to ensure your easy sail handling and fast reduction to sail area when it is required urgently especially if you are alone or sailing with people that do not know how to sail
another point is engines gearboxes and auto pilots this is an area I can guide you on as well or using wind vanes to steer your boat over long tiring distances
on my yacht I used a system that was connected to my prop shaft that supplied all my electricity needs when under sail thus keeping my batteries full and not allowing low battery cycle discharge that can reduce the life of batteries quite substantially as batteries in my day where deep cycle but they had a life of x amount of cycles so using my prop to charge my batteries was an added advantage but it reduced my speed by about 1 knot so I had to make my choice speed or efficiency I chose efficiency
I hope I have shared a little of what your going to experience real soon
and enjoy every moment of it remember it is not the size of boat that counts here but the strength of the boat that is of the utmost important a boat that when is put to the test the captain knows that he is safe due to him building his own boat and not sacrificing anything with regard to safety
I thank you and our mutual friend Willy sincerely for assisting me in my in devours
my best regards
Douglas (big bear)