BOAT BUILDING THE BODEN WAY. ONE LOGICAL STEP AFTER ANOTHER

Boden Boat Plans provide customers with stock plans for proven and well designed conventional craft at a reasonable price.

Not everyone can build boats. In order to take on such a project  you will need to assess your skills and satisfy yourself that you have the  basic engineering hands on ability,are able to read drawings, and have suitables facilities.Boden Boat Plans will assist you with specific boatbuilding knowledge. You are as close to us as as your email is to you.

The recommended method of construction is the “one logical step after the other” method. Boden Boat Plans do not sell plans for so called quick easy construction methods, and kit boats. Boden Boat Plans supply plans on the understanding that all work is to be lined off during construction. Lining off is the process of validating the drawing against the build configuration on the actual job throughout construction. 


YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE BOAT BUILDER

The boat builder, is responsible for building a safe boat conforming to the statutory requirements for pleasure craft in the country of build. Remember that defects that you may build into the boat could cause problems to future owners. It is your responsibility to build, outfit, and use the boat in accordance with  statutory requirements and to ensure that all mechanical and electrical equipment is installed in accordance with the manufacturers and other requirements.  By statutory requirements is meant the requirements, laws, and regulations covering the craft, including outfitting and use, in the proposed area of operation, and in the country of build or operation.

Applicable internationally recognised standards are:

• ABYC Guidelines (USA American Boat and Yachting Council) 
• ISO Standards for Recreational Craft (International Standards Organisation)
• AS1799. Australian standard for small craft.(Standards Australia)

All power craft under 6 metres must be fitted with internal flotation material such that it complies with one of the above standards. It is the responsibility of the builder to ensure that the craft, as built, complies.

Safe load, person and engine power capacity must comply with one of the above standards or Statutory requirements in the country of operation.

The lining off process will eliminate the building in of incorrect particulars.It is a self correcting process. A condition of sale is  that the  purchasers of plans, through the lining off process, correct any errors that they, or others, may have previously made. This is simply good engineering and trade practice.


Building a Boden design will reward you with the personal satisfaction of having completed a worthwhile project.pride in the  ownership of an excellent seaworthy design, and years of boating pleasure.
 

WARNING ABOUT SOME PLANS FOR SALE

Recently we have been visited by persons who have bought plans over the internet from web sites that, in our opinion, over promote the designs with fairy tale stories . These web sites are not in the real world. Before you spend good money insist that the plans are professionall drawn and not drawn in a unauthordox manner by well meaning amateurs.

Plans from Boden Boat Plans, Bill Bollard, Build A Boat, Graham Radcliff. and Bruce Robers International, are all professionally prepared and presented, with thousands of boats successfully built. many Build A Boat plans were designed by Bill Bollard, John Pugh and Ian Linton, three of Australia's most experienced and practical designers. At Boden Boat Plans I personally supervise all work done by staff.I have been involved with Bodens' for the past 25 years and before that served an apprenticeship as a Shipwrighr and Boatbuilder,studied and taught naval architect,and was at one time the Chief Ship Design Draftsman at HMA Naval Dockyard Garden Island, Sydney I have, apart from naval design work, personally designed well over 200 boats from large yachts, tugs,etc. to small dinghies. I now  specialise in aluminium power craft. I raced a 10 metre fractional rig yacht on Sydney Harbour untill recently. I am the editor of the IN DEEP articles in the Fisherman and Boatowner magazine.

The purchasers who had difficulity with plans from some other designers came to us because,although they liked the look, layout and rig of the design they bought, found the drawings confusing, lacking basic essential information, and over detailed with irrelevant detail. They were unable to  understand what to do in sufficient detail to confidently attempt building.

Always make contact with us. If we think the Boden or Bollard design that you are considering ,will not meet your objectives, or that building is beyond your skill level, we will say so. If we think that a plan available elsewhere would better suit you, we will say so.

Brian Poole