Seeker Knowledge
Project
Hull Construction
Completed / maintained
Building Seeker’s steel hull and structure, including framing, plating, welding, bulkheads, tanks, decks, and the many systems incorporated into the hull.
Featured video
Half Hull First Flip
Published 2011-10-22
Start here for the Hull Construction story.
Starts at 01:55
Videos
Videos follow the project timeline. When Part 1 of a series is reached, the complete series stays together before the timeline resumes.
Components & concepts
- Hull Structure
- origami hull Structure
- origami folding hull Structure
Principles demonstrated
Evidence sources
Sources are ordered by their role and reliability, not by volume.
Journey
- Journey links will be added as the history is reviewed.
Sources and discussion
Primary evidence appears first. Community discussion follows. Outside forums are commentary and may include speculation or inaccuracies.
Primary evidence
Videos
Videos, transcripts, website material, and Doug-authored project posts.
90 additional references are indexed for search.
Primary evidence
Transcripts
Videos, transcripts, website material, and Doug-authored project posts.
Origami Boat Building - Folding the Hull - Part 5
hull plate, and welded on a pipe up
Boat Building Tour and Invitation
an origami hull Which means it started
SV Seeker Tour and Invitation
of an origami hull and where she was
Argonaut Jr - Hull Construction
the hull. And the reason for that is
Argonaut Jr - Hull Construction
hull here
Framing and Ballast Tanks
on out beyond the the hull and the
1-4 inch Steel Butt Weld Distortion Test #3
the outside of the hull flip it over
Watertight Doors - Part 3 - Assembly
against the hull. So that's a real
Boat Building Tour and Invitation
hull was designed by Jack Karsten. It's
Boat Building Tour and Invitation
of getting the hull together. But after
Boat Building Tour and Invitation
after the hull was pulled together.
Boat Building Tour and Invitation
hull when it's pulled together, as well
Boat Building Tour and Invitation
an origami hull Which means it started
Cargo Hold Framing - Part 3
Inside the hull, 97.
Open Source Towed Sonar ROV - Overview
fit inside the hull so it actually will
Open Source Towed Sonar ROV - Overview
protrude down from the hull this whole
Open Source Towed Sonar ROV - Overview
aluminum hull material and that was
Open Source Towed Sonar ROV - Overview
sections of the hull and put additional
SV Seeker Tour and Invitation
diminished since the hull's all together
SV Seeker Tour and Invitation
of an origami hull and where she was
Cabin Tops - Part 2
to the outside of the hull and then that
Porthole Frames, Plasma Cutting and Light Painting
the hull on the inside of the boat, so
Porthole Frames, Plasma Cutting and Light Painting
normally bolted to us the hull of a boat
Seeker LIVE Jan 21, 2017
'Cause here's the idea for the hull,
Seeker LIVE Jan 21, 2017
the inside of the hull, we're gonna
42 additional references are indexed for search.
Community discussion
Facebook discussion
Questions and discussion from the Seeker community. Useful context, but not automatically verified engineering evidence.
Facebook comment
Does it have to be a lid? Or could it be a ball valve like in a thru hull? The ball would have a hole in it and rotate to either close the thing or let water in. I think the design of something rotating would be easier than an open and close lid like in the pi...
Facebook reply
Doug Jackson do you have a hell to pay on a steel hull?
Facebook comment
Two simple internal beads of PVC on each end of the pressure hull (~1 inch inside) and matching holes on the inner sleeve to click in place.
Facebook reply
Mark Cannon ....unless you'd rather help me clean my hull. : )
Facebook comment
...'ve just evicted falling on you, plus pushing on the scraper pushes you away from the hull. There's a reason people put it off for as long as they do.
Facebook comment
...torized vessel it takes a bit of growth to slow it down, specially if it is a planing hull since most of the growth is at the water line but for displacement,I doubt as much. Now our power vessels we would notice a loss in fuel economy... but going from 25 gph...
Facebook reply
...t out right by one nor would it be as much fun and satisfying. So we decided to get a hull with good bones and go from there. The outside needs a good coat of paint. The wiring well theres alot wrong with it but I am muddling through and at the end of the day...
Facebook comment
...believe I saw the first sheets being cut with a plasma torch in your backyard and the hull pulled together with come along!
Facebook comment
I remember standing in the hull of that ship in your front yard. Good times my friend.
Facebook comment
...ntertaining. And you included your designers. Just wondering .... A lot of your metal hull design and junk rig look a lot like Tom Colvin boats. Any connection ? I almost bought one of his boats 30 years ago. Since then I have owned a Morgan and O'Day. Fair wi...
Facebook comment
Is that a depth sounder transducer next to it? Does it work through the steel hull?
Facebook reply
Lindsay Hull Yes. It is a side scan sonar, and it is through bolted through the hole. Most of it’s on the outside.
Facebook comment
...lding the engine, interior, the Galley, and fiberglassing and filling and fairing the hull and the repainting the entire botton and topsides I am now living onboard in Greece but still finishing up a lot of rewiring and wood work that I could not do in Albania...
Facebook comment
...es with a simple F/R box and a fixed prop.....I've been watching you since before the hull halves went together in your yard and I respect your engineering abilities and your strive to make things work, but at some point youre gonna ditch all the stuff that br...
Facebook reply
...with my brother in law. Kind of a hodge podge of parts bolted to an old leaky wooden hull. A four banger turned what looked like a truck axle wrenching in the nets.
Facebook reply
...get rid of the “money pit” and turned off the dock power. Together with the rain, the hull’s normal leakage, and possibly a “failed” through-hull or two and the ship couldn’t overcome the water entry without her bilge pumps. Then she was scrapped almost immedi...
Facebook comment
...Navy, we always use stainless bolts when connecting the super structure to the steel hull. What I was thinking here is that that area may be exposed to horse urine which might be just as bad as salt water between steel and aluminum. Insulation between the col...
Facebook comment
...ecialized tube (the "towed array tube") built into the submarine’s aft stabilizers or hull.Deflection Point: The weed deflector sits at the mouth of this tube. As the sub moves forward, water pressure pushes loose seaweed against the deflector's sloped angle.S...
Facebook comment
I love this Doug, watched you pull the hull together. It’s just fantastic enjoy and keep up the photos!
Commentary
Sailing Anarchy
Public commentary and opinion. It may include speculation, errors, or incomplete information and should not be treated as verified technical evidence.
Sailing Anarchy post #1043 page 53
Yes that sounds right and he's got a heck of a lot of weight in the hull above the waterline so I think we're just guessing from there. tane I'm a mech-e so probably not getting the terms & engineering right... How tall you figure the masts are? 50'? So 3500lb...
Sailing Anarchy post #1114 page 56
...s 10+ years ago, so in today's dollars, it could easily be 100K. \-7 ton boat, gutted hull rebuild with heavy modifications. Parts/materials only (no labor). Best money I've spent. Steve
Sailing Anarchy post #1286 page 65
...sort out the bugs. I don't think he can do anything about the shitty, under-strength hull but pretty much everything else can be changed if he wants to badly enough. When he gets to blue water, then we'll really see how well he's done. FKT Doug is a narcissis...
Sailing Anarchy post #1321 page 67
...ther in many ways and not properly thought through in most, but you have to admit the hull leaves a very clean wake motoring along in flat water - at least it has that going for it!
Sailing Anarchy post #1323 page 67
A ~68' waterline and a skinny hull will do that at 6 or 7 knots. Like a 30' boat going 4 knots. Not much wake there either. The boat may be cobbled together in many ways and not properly thought through in most, but you have to admit the hull leaves a very cle...
Sailing Anarchy post #1386 page 70
...e stability issue and the seasickness problem with a simple hole in the bottom of the hull. It's an ancient tractor seat. My guess is that Doug needs a perch to sit on when Seeker is on the bottom.
Sailing Anarchy post #151 page 8
You really need a hull shape. Laser scan ~5K. Draft survey/Inclining experiment 1K bare minimums. No, I think lots of people get insurance on "custom builds" without a NA involved. But usually you'd need a survey as a minimum. You generally need 3rd party liab...
Sailing Anarchy post #1511 page 76
...thing on a piece of paper. Here are the "design drawings" The drawing for the origami hull plate cuts was tested in scale models and altered several times till they got a hull shape they liked. The two bilge keels do have lead in them. How much? Dunno. To me,...
Sailing Anarchy post #1513 page 76
...n drawings" View attachment 525545 View attachment 525546 The drawing for the origami hull plate cuts was tested in scale models and altered several times till they got a hull shape they liked. The two bilge keels do have lead in them. How much? Dunno. To me,...
Sailing Anarchy post #1516 page 76
Think outside the box fellas... It's the lee hull of a trimaran!
Sailing Anarchy post #1633 page 82
So far, it seems that the hull is keeping the water on the outside, but pretty much everything else is fucked. Epic dumbassery, great entertainment.
Sailing Anarchy post #1650 page 83
...tboard rudders seem to have a central, outboard tiller with connecting rods under the hull to the trailing edge of either side, with no possible access from inside (that outta work well…) The keel mounted rudder seems to be independent of the outboard rudders....
Sailing Anarchy post #1673 page 84
Same here. I took a proven hull design from a respected designer, had a hull molded, and took the design and construction from there. At least I knew what I didn’t know. Why re-invent the wheel if you want to build a boat? Yep, it looks very decent, but you di...
Sailing Anarchy post #17 page 1
Wonder how many litres of antifoul it takes to cover the hull? Still, he might only have to do it once. FKT He's going have to find out a way keep his grifting lifestyle working while he is afloat. Cruising can be done on the cheap but it still costs money and...
Sailing Anarchy post #1705 page 86
...omplex and motor down the Tenn-Tom. next, did they throw a coat of paint on the steel hull or just depend on a nice coating of rust to protect the hull?
Sailing Anarchy post #1714 page 86
Well, so far the hull hasn't crumpled like an empty beer can but give it time - hasn't hit anything yet and hasn't been in a seaway. The way he's going, it never will be in a seaway either. FKT It’s times like this I kind of miss old Brent Swain. I would love...
Sailing Anarchy post #18 page 1
...ling paint while he's at it. Wonder how many litres of antifoul it takes to cover the hull? Still, he might only have to do it once. FKT
Sailing Anarchy post #1838 page 92
...ice or use professionally done plans. Yeah the interior usually takes longer then the hull. Mine certainly did. If I ever built another boat I could do it in half the time because I know what NOT to do, but experience has to be paid for. FKT People have build...
Sailing Anarchy post #1849 page 93
...four datum marks—bow, stern, port mid, stbd mid. It was pretty easy to do because the hull mold had a water plane scribe line, with white gelcoat above that and clear gelcoat below. For home boatbuilders, Brownell stands are a godsend. I've built some monstros...
Sailing Anarchy post #1856 page 93
...effort. Here's a partially plated pic and this is before things get complicated. The hull is easy, heavy & dirty, but easy. The systems get complex. FKT Why don't you start us out Francis?
Sailing Anarchy post #1859 page 93
...d grand plans. A lot of us thought right back then that the 'origami' technique for a hull that size was not going to work well. It was interesting watching him do the hull though, after that I lost interest except for dropping by occasionally to see how he so...
Sailing Anarchy post #1874 page 94
...that? Including right at the start when I'd heard he got advice from Brent on how an origami hull was the only way to go. It was all downhill from there. FKT That's the POINT. Anyone can make a mess, but this is an enormous amount of time and energy donated t...
Sailing Anarchy post #1876 page 94
...een so long my memory could be shit. Steve I heard he got advice from Brent on how an origami hull was the only way to go. It was all downhill from there. FKT
Sailing Anarchy post #19 page 1
I'm surprised that the Brent Swain Origami hull hasn't lit up a bunch of folks here.
Sailing Anarchy post #190 page 10
...o proper plans so you have to do a laser scan. About 3K + 1K to make the cloud into a hull model. You can't float it and take draft marks to determine displacement without a hull shape (and the Port won't let you launch it w/o insurance so Catch 22) Structural...
41 additional references are indexed for search.