Hull History

Last update November 20, 2002

J Boat Class

Shamrock V

The Creation of a new Mold

The Birthing of a Daughter

The Kjamrock Hull

at

DB Yachts

There are multiple pages: Page 2,

Hull History

This is a photo essay of the nine month building project to sail new Shamrock Vs at the J boat Nationals in Mystic Seaport, CT in August of 2002. Scaled 1/16" drawings were ordered from Rene Serrao in Nova Scotia of the 118 foot 1930 Shamrock V. These were transferred to the 29 frames of the hull for the laying of the keel. It was then planked to form the plug hull. The hull was highly finished and a mold created. A daughter hull was made from the mold and three sections of ballast poured. A rudder was hand built and finished. After checks and adjustments, a production hull was produced and the boat built. The plug hull was then gutted, refinished inside and prepared for sailing. Few have been down this road.

Bob Kjellberg's boat is the Mother and sail number 48. She has a 111" mast, 3642 square inches of sail and weighs in at 77 pounds. Dave Brawner's boat is the Daughter and sail number 18 (Not numbered here). She has a 105" mast, 3300 square inches of sail and weights 73 pounds. Daughter won the Nationals and Mother was second. For staying the course in a nine month effort and using the sailing skill needed, that is a job Well Done.

The Process - The Plug

As in any major project, it did not begin when signs of construction were noted. The mental process of organization, logistics, scheduling, materials and education started earlier. Dave and Bob live 1-3/4 hours apart. While both can do all, Bob has the professional wood and metal shop and Dave's is equipped for fiberglass and lead fabrication. Hours of talk preceded the first cutting of wood in January 2002.

Paper tracings from the drawings formed the frames. These were placed on a platform with consideration of the keel, rudder fairing and the gunwale supports at the sheer line. The forward keel was formed in sections and laid. The rudder was carefully planned for the needed operational engineering. The gunwale support was installed. By the end of January it was looking like and anthropological project.

The center keel section was then installed connecting the rudder fairing to the forward keel. The gunwale at the sheer line was finished and a support for the sides installed. Temptation brought out the Whirlwind J boat for comparison. They were now into February.

The rest of February was the painstaking process of planking and sanding. The transom was installed and faired.

Continued - Page 2