Glen-L.com

After trolling around the forums for a few months and studying plans, sourcing timber/ply suppliers and going through a whole lot of weblogs and photo's, I finally decided to introduce myself.

I'm Trent from SW Victoria in Australia.
I bought some Riviera Plans a short while back after years of contemplating. I knew the type of boat I wanted, i just had to find the right design that fit the picture in my head. It was a toss up over Riviera, Monaco, Barrelback or Biscayne. Each a little different, but with similar styles in a way.

After going through most of the build blogs and photos, I have seen some top quality vessels emerge from "normal" sheds and garages, which is comforting knowing that not everyone needs the big workshops and tools to get to a very high standard.

At these early stages of planning, I'm still tossing up on whether to go a modern retrotech version or stick to classic features. A retrotech version would involve a degree of modern technology, obviously starting with an EFI motor(LS1) and some electronic gadgets throughout the cockpit, but still have the classic look when standing back, ie. a central control unit/GPS/MP3 player in a mahogany frame/bezel with a cover in which when closed, looks like a plain glovebox/storage panel. Just a couple of ideas floating around my head at the moment which will most likely change when they fall from the idea's shelf to the "too hard" basket. Haha.

As for the hull itself, well I plan to use all native Australian timbers, except for maybe a sapele mahogany outer vaneer, unless I can find a local timber with similar characteristics.

Well that will do for now, I got a few questions, so I will start a thread in the right section

Hi Trent.

Welcome.

It sounds like you have some great ideas brewing.

We look forward to seeing how it all comes together.


PS... The Aussies are really giving the Canadians a run for our money these days. Keep it up!

_________________
Bruce.

~~ Do what you love, and love what you do. ~~
~~ To me - only my boat is not yet perfect. Everybody else's is to be admired for I know the path they have walked (Dave Lott, 2010) ~~
Dow's Monaco Project

Pretty inspiring isn't it. I was the same. As much as I admire the well equipped workshops it's great to see quality come out of half a garage, or carports.

I'm envious of your plan choice. A big inboard runabout would be a bit impractical for me but it doesn't stop me getting jealous seeing the vids or new build announcements for them.

It'll be intersting to see what timbers you choose. I'll be doing the same for my build, local lumber, though I haven't decided what.

Anyhow, look forward to seeing how your build progresses.

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Building a Malahini.......one day

Thanks fella's.

I've been slowly compiling data on the local "Lumbers" and entering them into a spreadsheet with density, color and boatbuilding suitablity notes for each. I've found a few that look good but are a little on the heavy side, ie. turpentine and red mahogany which are both over around 950kg/m3 compared to say honduras mahog. around 540kg/m3.
I have noted that someone has used messmate and bluegum for the frames, which are around the 750 to 800kg/m3. More research to follow I think.

Hi and welcome to the ever growing Aussie contingent.
If you don't have any luck with local timbers, Google up fijian plantation grown Mahogany. Macrophylla Swietena. It's what I have been using for Gentry. Nice to work with, relatively light and strong. Not as much straight grained stuff as African Mahogany I gather but I have no real experience with the real stuff.

All the best with the build and keep us up to date when you can with photo's.

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By the time I have built a boat, I'll be ready to build a boat....

Gidday

Talk to "Ozzieboat" in Qld. Alan has built his Monaco using predominantly Australian hardwood.

Hello TNT. Every boat is a reflection of the person who built it. Finish out like you want and don't worry.

Heck. I mixed a little contemporary with the classic. I have everything on my deck recessed. It is a depth finder and full sound system with remote control from the rear cockpit. Worse of all is that my hatch raises at the flip of switch.

I hear a rumor that one gent is considering installing a jet drive for his Riviera.

Let me give you one word of advise though. Please be sure to follow the plans for the hull design and engine placement. There is a gent in Australia that had an error in his english/metric conversion. The beam is too narrow and engine too far forward. He cannot get the boat over 30mph without nose diving. Please be careful in the conversion.

_________________
Dave

My Riviera build - the Midnight Cry Project

Video of Midnight in Action
Blog

Few things in the world measure up to the thrill and satisfaction of boating in a boat that you built.

Thanks Dave,
I find in Australia we run on the impetric system, eg. I refer to myself being 6'1" rather than 185cm but weigh 86kg rather than 190lb, drive at 100kmh on the road but 96mph on the drag strip, predominantly use imperial bolts in the workshop etc. However, the plans are in ft. and in. so it will be built that way, albeit in decimals rather than fractions.

As for weight and engine placement, well considering an LS1 is considerably lighter than the traditional sbc, I have noted that I will have to take care when trimming the boat to match the designed balance point. I did read of a fellow having nose diving issues not long back, and having to move the engine and also propshaft hole back several inches to fix it.

On the subject of engines, I am fairly sure of using an LS derived starting point, I do have a std 346 LS1, stroked 383 LS1 or a 427 LS7 to choose from in my shed, although over powering the hull is on my mind, and will probably settle on the std 346. I do have the gear and ability to vary the output on each. I am yet to see an LS1 in one of these hulls, does anyone know of any?

For now though, I will keep researching lumber choices, in time for a spring (september) start.