A Photo & Discussion Forum for Wharram Design Enthusiasts

Adding pods to 'classic' Wharrams.

This shows a rough idea of the centre cabin I want to build on my Tangaroa Mk1.

Forget the design for a moment - but what do you think I should build it with ?

The main considerations are strength and weight. I am a joiner by trade, so happy with timber construction of any sort. I am not familiar with composites such as Divinycell, but would be happy to use it if it were by far the best way forward.

Any thoughts at all would be very much welcomed.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Pete Rigby on October 27, 2008 at 7:21am

Addendum to above - the sketch is distorted somewhat. It is lower and wider than the sketch shows!

Permalink Reply by Budget Boater on October 27, 2008 at 7:21am

Timber frame and 6 mm ply (9 mm on fwd face and top)

Permalink Reply by Pete Rigby on October 27, 2008 at 7:30am

Thanks. I have the same idea. With a timber frame, it is straightforward to produce radiused edges so the glassing over can be sucessful.

One reason I have asked, is to make sure I am not missing possible methods simply because I am comfortable with wood. It's just as well I am not a bricklayer.

Permalink Reply by Bertrand FERCOT on October 27, 2008 at 3:28pm

On the pod of myTiki30 I made as on the plans a sandwitch : Ply - foam&stringers - ply+light glass for the floor and deck. It's very good to have a good isolation against heat and cold and to have a light and stiff deck.

Now I build a longer pod for my Tiki46 with a sandwitch composed of : 6mm ply - 20mm foam+stringers and reinforcement pieces of wood where necessary - no plywood but 2 Bx 600g/m² on the outside face. All the parts of the pod will be so with foam to have a good isolation.

I'll be away for 2 or 3 weeks and at my return I'll explain all the modifications I made on the buildings of my Tiki30 and 46.

Permalink Reply by Matias Vidal on January 21, 2009 at 11:15am

Pete, did you already built your pod?, Im considering adding one to my tanenui.

Permalink Reply by Pete Rigby on January 21, 2009 at 12:10pm

Matias,

No, not yet.

If you want more information, I can send you some.

Permalink Reply by Matias Vidal on January 21, 2009 at 1:11pm

Im still trying to figure out if a rigid pod is better than a dodger. I like the clear deck that I have now so I'm biased to a removable dodger, On the other hand, my brother is building a pod for his pahi 31 and he assure me that i _will_ need one after cruising all the Caribbean almost windward.

If you can please send me more info i can have more data to decide.

Thanks in advance
Pete Rigby said:

Matias,

No, not yet.

If you want more information, I can send you some.

Permalink Reply by andy solywoda on December 26, 2009 at 8:06pm

Hello,
Very tempting to add some more deck structure, since so many boats, especially the French charter boats, have large deck houses. If you look at modified boats on some of the other Wharram oriented sites you'll see boats that are much lower in the water, and the depth is worse the larger the deck house. A couple of years ago a Maine Cat 41 came through the marina and I instantly saw a very attractive deck structure. It is a fixed hard top on sloping columns with side curtains. I'm not sure how much weight it adds to the boat, but I was allowed aboard to get a feel for the layout. I like it very much and would like to make something like it on my boat. My hesitation is that any such modification adds weight. Also I have too many unfinished projects to begin another. It's good to see someone with enthusiasm for such a project and approaching with a plan and asking questions.

Permalink Reply by david duval-hall on August 11, 2012 at 1:26pm

andy solywoda said:

Hello,
Very tempting to add some more deck structure, since so many boats, especially the French charter boats, have large deck houses. If you look at modified boats on some of the other Wharram oriented sites you'll see boats that are much lower in the water, and the depth is worse the larger the deck house. A couple of years ago a Maine Cat 41 came through the marina and I instantly saw a very attractive deck structure. It is a fixed hard top on sloping columns with side curtains. I'm not sure how much weight it adds to the boat, but I was allowed aboard to get a feel for the layout. I like it very much and would like to make something like it on my boat. My hesitation is that any such modification adds weight. Also I have too many unfinished projects to begin another. It's good to see someone with enthusiasm for such a project and approaching with a plan and asking questions.