thebmproject

frames (ribs) on building jig ..July 2011

Lining up the frames on the building jig

in place and attached and braced to the building jig

The frames are set up and fastened to the level building jig. Each frame sits on the jig at a different height to allow for the sheer of the boat. (Its longitudinal curvature). Each frame is braced onto the jig in several directions.

components and template

There are 9 frames, the transom and the bow stem.

frames finished and set up to give an idea

The BM 16m2  is an open sailboat designed by Hendrik Bulthuis (Holland) in 1931. It is a modified version of the original BM 12m2 he designed in 1928. The hull is built on frames which become permanent part of the structure. The hull is built up with 20mm x 15mm slats allowing for the shaping of the hull into reasonably complex round forms.  The boat featured here is (probably) the only one  (being) built and in existence in Australia.

As a boy a owned a 1:10 model of the yacht. I built another model in 2009/2010 upon which I decided to build the fullsized version of the boat. Length: 6m  Beam: 1.85m

This will be the end result (confidence is essential doing a project like this! 😉

Andre VanderHeyden

lives in Perth, Western Australia. He is married to Rosie and has two children Simon and Megan (MJ)